Luxury Travel Review

By Elena del Valle, photos by Gary Cox

Even before we arrived we were intrigued. We had heard much about Naples, Italy and were curious to discover a little of the famed city during a two-night stop en route to Ischia, a nearby spa oriented island. The hotel we were staying at also seemed interesting. The newest luxury hotel in the city designed by a Japanese architectural team and named Romeo made us wonder what our stay there would be like. The hotel won our hearts and our stay in Naples turned out to be one of the most fun during our two week sojourn in Italy.

Suite at Romeo Hotel

Modern decor in the suite at the Romeo Hotel

We took advantage of the hotel’s port fronting location within walking distance of the old town and the tourist area to explore Naples on foot and in apparent reciprocity the city shared some of its many charms with us. Religion, Catholicism to be precise, is a big part of Naples and signs of it permeate the city. Food and eating also seem to play a big role in Neapolitan lives. We did what we could to discover a bit of the southern city’s foodie finds including some marvelous pizza. Many of our discoveries were facilitated by recommendations and guidance including a book in our suite and in person advice from the hotel staff.

Shops in Naples

Shops in Naples featuring locally crafted goods

We liked the art filled common areas and the modern features of the hotel (although they took getting used to) like the elevator which required us to select a floor before boarding. Our Japanese influenced corner suite (Suite 702) with a view was pretty and functional, our favorite that trip. The staff were very friendly and helpful beyond our expectations. Cocktails and sushi bites followed by dinner at Il Comandante were a wonderful foodie surprise. Click here to read about our stay at the Hotel Romeo.

Samurai Armor by the Sushi Bar

Samurai armor outside the Sushi Bar at the Romeo Hotel