1/16
We walked across the hotel’s 5-acre park before reaching the main entrance to begin our tour. Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria has kept most of its antique furniture and frescoed ceilings intact. We loved spotting the Mediterranean Sea from afar, thanks to the salon’s glass wall.
2/16
Furnished with wooden grills and flower baskets, the art nouveau Winter Garden is an elegant sitting room where guests can enjoy breathtaking sea views in total comfort. The chairs found in this living area were designed by the famous Italian architect Ernesto Basile, an exponent of the liberty style. We felt a thrill sitting in the same chairs that are displayed in the Musée d’Orsay in Paris.
3/16
Vittoria Terrace is a panoramic deck that has been offering the same breathtaking view over Capri and the Bay of Naples since the 19th century. The terrace runs alongside the hotel’s three salons.
4/16
Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria’s property comprises three adjoining buildings called La Vittoria, La Favorita and La Rivale. La Vittoria was built in 1834 and was one of the first hotels offering private bathrooms and electric lighting on the Amalfi Coast. La Favorita is built in a Swiss architectural style, while La Rivale features arched-ceiling balconies and some of the hotel’s most impressive suites.
5/16
The second level hosts the hotel’s reception and connects La Vittoria with La Favorita and La Rivale. Before touring the hotel’s famous suites, we stopped to admire a display of old photographs. Amongst royal guests, we spotted Queen Victoria of Sweden, once a frequent hotel guest.
6/16
During our tour, we chose to reach the suites by climbing the spectacular blue staircase of La Rivale. Each level pays homage to a different season, and we had to stop more than once to admire the handcrafted frescoes that decorate the walls. Our favorite detail was the blue tapestry, which gave the property an ethereal palace feel.
7/16
The Enrico Caruso sea view suite is one of the hotel’s most prestigious accommodations. A carefully preserved Louis XVI style took us back to 1921, when Italian tenor Enrico Caruso stayed at the Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria during the last months of his life. The suite’s historic ambiance is enriched by antique furniture pieces, like the 19th-century brass bred and Caruso’s black-and-white photographs and self-portraits.
8/16
Legend says Enrico Caruso spent the last days of his life giving singing lessons to a girl with whom he had fallen deeply in love. Italian songwriter Lucio Dalla, who also stayed at the hotel, used the story as inspiration for one of his most heartbreaking tunes. The song is called Caruso and is also an homage to Sorrento’s stunning beauty. After Lucio Dalla’s death, the hotel dedicated the Dalla suite to his memory (located right above Caruso’s).
9/16
Visitors can also opt for one of the double-bedroom suites, which vary in size and style. The one we toured provides a modern and minimalist feel both in the bedroom and the living room.
10/16
The panoramic balconies are one of the Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria’s highlights. From here, guests can admire both Capri and the Sorrento coastline, while the busy port provides continuous variety.
11/16
Next to the pool area, guests can find a display of the Roman Emperor Augustus’ ancient pool ruins, a detail that adds prestige to an already refined site. A large wooden walkway, a comfortable solarium and the adjacent L’Orangerie poolside bar and restaurant make this stylish area an inviting option.
12/16
One of the hotel’s most spectacular sites is the breakfast room. A frescoed ceiling salon houses several tables where guests can satisfy their morning cravings, thanks to the delicious offering of both a sweet and savory breakfast. Classic tunes were played on the salon’s grand piano during our visit, and large windows framed the Mediterranean views.
13/16
The 19th-century Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria was one of the first properties offering a link to Sorrento’s harbor thanks to a funicular railway. Today, guests can still benefit from access to the sea via the hotel’s elevator, located on Vittoria terrace. During our hotel tour, we got to visit a recently discovered underground level that might have been an ancient Roman cistern.
14/16
Together with the Michelin-starred restaurant Terrazza Bosquet, executive chef Antonino Montefusco also runs Terrazza Vittoria, a lobby lounge bar and restaurant where guests can enjoy an alfresco meal between 12:30 and 6 p.m.
15/16
The hotel’s hall and living rooms are full of antiques and historical memorabilia, showing the hotel’s prestigious past. The property’s park is also full of surprises, and we took some time to explore the garden before leaving.
16/16