Description
The majestic gardens are a superb example of how botanical gardens were laid out under the reign of the Bourbon royal family, with evocative scenes of classical architecture amid the rare specimens of beautiful trees.
The Temple of Venus or indeed the remains of the castle bear witness to the desire first of the Bourbons and later of the Cortchacovs to keep the memories of this delightful place alive. Enjoy a relaxing drink as you take in the changing hues of the gardens: the long, uninterrupted glazing seems to provide exactly the right filter for blending the evocative emotion of the natural world with the pleasing notes from the piano bar.
There are numerous rare examples of Washingtonia filifera, Washingtonia robusta and Livistonia, Jubaea spectabilis, Yucca elefantibes and Yucca messicana and, above all, Gingko biloba, a species now on the verge of extinction.
And hundreds of shrubs... and flowers in an incredible phantasmagoria of shapes and colours making an ideal blend of the opulence of nature and the handicraft of man.

The Hotel was designed and furnished throughout by Gio Ponti in 1962, and still preserves the designer's  original work intact.
The thirty different floor stile designs, arranged in a variety of ways to make up different decors for each of the hundred rooms, are a perfect accompaniment for the ceramic pebbles and the Melotti majolica plates, creating an overall, harmonius blend of carefully chosen shades of white and blu.
The rooms still preserve their original Gio Ponti design and layout and are located on either side of the hotel to overlook the sea or the gardens from their terrace or balcony.
They also have a telephone, a modem-fax connection, air conditioning, a mini-bar and satellite TV.
 

The large swimming pool is filled with sea water and was envisaged by Ponti more as a "pond for wood nymphs" than as a mere attraction for swimmers. He described it as a pool "... out of which rise islands for the classical attitudes of Récamier or Paolina, of female beauty; and from the water emerges a masonry ladder to climb and then dive into the depths..." There is an alternative to the swimming pool: the private beach. The sandy shore or the rocks, the concrete solarium or a relaxing interlude at the seaside restaurant, with its seafood specialities, its continental cuisine or a truly excellent pizza. All you have to do is choose! Enjoy the benefits of the aesthetical treatments of our Beauty Center, discovering the pleasure of an energizing massage, a facial treatment or simply a manicure.

History

The original Villa Poggio Siracusa and its gardens were built in 1792 by Paolo Leopoldo of Bourbon, Count of Siracusa. Purchased thereafter by Prince Constantine Cortchacow, cousin of Zsar Nikolas II, and by his consort Maria Sturdza (whose initials can still be seen on the main gate leading into the garden), the villa enjoyed a period of great cultural splendour, thanks to the constant presence of contemporary aristocracy.

The society events promoted by the Cortchacow family included a performance by the great Giulia Sedowa, prima ballerina at the Court of Saint Petersburg, whose tiny footprints were immortalised on the marble floor of the terrace, where they are still visible today.
The appreciable artworks still kept in the villa include the precious floor of the princess's bedchamber, made by the eminent painter Filippo Palizzi.

Tariffs 2009