Aielli & Benevento

Your stay at the Bulgari in Milan begins and ends with complimentary luggage unpacking and packing service. In between, pampering includes twice-daily housekeeping, Bulgari Green Tea bath products, and Babbi chocolate pillow treats. Luxury car rentals including Ferraris, but you’ll have to pay for that indulgence. Have an anti-jet lag recovery treatment in the small but precious spa. Take a dip in the gold mosaic swimming pool and a steam in the green glass hammam.

The hotel’s original building is 18th century. You can see part of the façade; it was preserved during construction of the design by architects Antonio Citterio and Partners. They combined three buildings (including a former convent) behind a modern white marble facade with black granite-framed windows.

The Asian-inspired wide-open public spaces have black Zimbawe marble, solid teak and contemporary Italian furniture. Elegant, comfortable guest rooms and suites are oversized, complete with balconies, spa-like bathrooms, walk-in closets, and sumptuous white linen bedding. Floor-to-ceiling windows thankfully come with blackout drapes. Some rooms have meditation areas with tatami flooring. The Bulgari Suite is on two levels with its own elevator entrance. Its bathtub was carved from a single block of Bihara stone from Turkey.

Most rooms, and the restaurant, have views of the hotel’s lush 13,000-square-foot private garden, the only hotel garden in Milan, which was the monastery’s, plotted out in the 14th Century. The green spaces are this hotel’s greatest amenity. When the weather turns warm, guests and locals relax over drinks on the terrace.

The restaurant, unusual for such a small property, excels in contemporary Italian cooking. There’s a private dining room that accommodates up to 12, and a smoking room adjacent to the bar.

The Bulgari is in an elegant neighborhood behind La Scala opera house, and within walking distance of the metro and the Duomo. It’s close to the most luxe shopping, a highlight of which is Armani’s flagship store.

Bulgari, Milano

Via Privata Fratelli Gabba 7/b; 39 02 805 8051; www.bulgarihotels.com

(58 rooms including 6 suites and the Bulgari suite)

Often guests remark that the 7th floor rooftop terrace is one of the nicest features of the Portrait Suites hotel. Built one floor higher than most of the surrounding buildings, yes, the resulting views of the Spanish Steps and surrounding area are fantastic. Still, that praise downplays one of the most stylish hotels in Rome.  Portrait Suites is off Via Condotti, one of the busiest and most fashionable streets in Rome. It leads to the Spanish Steps, but you will feel a world away from its crowds as you are cared for by a staff that is charming, stylishly dressed and unusually good looking. Concierge service is precise, enthusiastic and helpful. The Ferragamo family (of shoe, fashion, and most recently, Florentine hotel fame) hired Italian architect Michele Bönan, of Florence’s JK Place fame, for their first hospitality foray outside their home city.  Luxury is all about the details. Here you’ll find Carrara marble, boarskin leather, cashmere throws and trimmed pillows, buttery leather chairs and huge closets. Neutral grays and woods are punched up with flashes of color – think hot pink and limoncello yellow.Some suites are on two levels; you are likely to find a comfortable couch, a desk, the usual audio-visual gadgets, and a kitchenette with mini-bar (stocked with martini glasses) and espresso maker. You might even find an exercise bike or two-person sauna.  Inside this homage to shoes and fashion, photos and personal letters from Ferragamo customers such as Sophia Lauren are on display, accenting shoe-related memorabilia and personal effects from the Ferragamo archives.  As with quite a few upscale small properties, there is no front desk. Instead, you go up to a small reception room on the second floor, where you sit with a drink and talk to a staff member about your stay. The reception area and rooftop are the only common areas. Breakfast is delivered to the roof or guests’ suites. About that roof: guests have access until midnight. To enhance the views, there is a stocked pantry on the roof with a generous supply of drinks, mixers, and snacks.

Portrait Suites

Via Bocca di Leone, 23; Tel# 06 69380742;(13 suites and one penthouse)

Conde Nast’s Traveler magazine recently released its 2009 readers choice survey and Italy’s luxury hotels are everywhere to be found.  Starting with the #1 hotel on the Traveler list is the mysterious and evocative, cliff defying Il San Pietro on the outskirts of Positano.  San Pietro was followed by #2 ranked  Il Pelicano in Porto Ecole (Tuscany).  The Italian Peninsula’s dominance over England, France and Spain in the accommodation category was evident by its ranking 4 out of Europe’s top ten hotels.   Rounding out the list was the new Four Seasons in Firenze (ranked # 7) and the Four Seasons Hotel Milano ( ranked #10)  in the city of the same name.In a separate category–Europe’s Small Hotels– Italian hotels demonstrated equal popularity.  Of the top ten small hotels, Traveler readers chose 4 properties.  The chosen ones were: La Scalinatella in Capri (ranked #1); Villa Feltrinelli on Lake Garda (ranked # 3); Palazzo Sasso atop Ravello on the Amalfi Coast (ranked #4) and Villa San Michele overlooking Florence (ranked #7).No other country came to matching Italy surfeit of impressive high end hotels.  (Although we would suggest locations like Lago di Garda and the Amalfi coast give these selections a substantial advantage.

SALICE SALENTINO

The most famous red from Puglia – at least in the United States – is Salice Salentino. This is produced in the southern part of the region in a district north of the town of Lecce and southwest of the major city of Brindisi. Named for the eponymous commune, Salice Salentino is made primarily from a local variety known as Negroamaro, which literally means “black bitter.” The variety has deep color and offers aromas of black cherry and other black fruits; the acidity levels are not too high and the tannins are lightly bitter, but usually not overly aggressive. Salice Salentino must have a minimum of 80% Negroamaro, with the remaining blend often contaning another local variety, Malvasia Nera, which adds acidity and fragrance to the finished wine.Most examples of Negroamaro are meant to be consumed within 3-7 years of the vintage. Some lighter, fresher examples are priced very reasonably ($12-$14), while the richer, more complex examples that can age for close to a decade are often priced around $25. Among the best examples of a complex, ageworthy Salice Salentino are the “Donna Lisa” bottling from Leone de Castris, the “Armecolo” from Castel di Salve and the “Selvarossa” Riserva offering from Cantine due Palme.Here is a short list of the best producers of Salice Salentino: Agricole Vallone;  Candido;  Feudi di San Marzano; Leone de Castris; Veli; and Tenute al Bano and  Carrisi.

      PRIMITIVO

Another well-known red variety in Puglia is Primitivo, used throughout the region, but primarily in the south (many producers that make a Salice Salentino also bottle a Primitivo). Most researchers believe that from DNA evidence, Primitivo is a genetic parent of Zinfandel, the famed red variety of California. Primitivo offers rich spice, zesty tannins, deep color and ripe black fruit flavors (black raspberry, black cherry, black plum).Most examples of Primitivo focus on the ripeness of the variety and its fruit-forward nature. Generally, most bottlings of Primitivo do not offer the complexity or graceful qualities of a Salice Salentino, but there are examples that are excellent, especially the DOC wines of Primitivo di Manduria. Among those are the “Sessantanni” from Feudi di San Marzano (named for the average age of the vines – 60 years), the “Papale” and “Chicca” bottlings from Vigne e Vini and the “Feudo del Conte” from Antiche Terre del Salento.> Source:  From Tom Hyland’s Blog: “learnitalianwines“

Despite having a villa ion Lake Como, George Clooney is a fan of Venice’s most reknown hotel: The Cipriani. When he stayed at the hotelafter a screening of Good Night and Good Luck at the Venice Film Festival, heasked the bartender at the hotel’s Gabbiano Bar to create a cocktail for theoccasion.

The ‘Buona Notte’ was a hit. You can request it there (for 20Euros) or make it at home:

• 1/2 unpeeled lemon, diced into small pieces
• a tablespoon of cane sugar
• a strip of cucumber peel
• a small piece of fresh ginger
• 3-4 drops of Angostura bitters
• Muddle or mortar and pestle the above then add:
• 1.75 ounces (a generous shot) each of vodka and cranberry juice

Serve in an old fashioned glass with crushed ice and a straw.

Verdura Golf & Spa Resort: Spread over 400-plus acres of olive groves and countryside with more than a mile of private coastline, this car-free luxury property is the first resort for the Rocco Forte group. It opened just this summer (2009) on Sicily’s southern coast. The warm climate makes the island an excellent year-round destination. Like a classic American resort, for good or bad, it has everything.

Leading golf architect Kyle Phillips designed three courses (two 18-hole courses and a 9-hole, all free of buildings) that intertwine the landscape and stretch along the sea. The clubhouse is built around a small piazza.

A series of pavilions open onto a light-filled courtyard at the Verdura Spa, with eleven treatment rooms and a fitness center. Treatments incorporate local ingredients such as blood oranges, lemons, volcanic mud and Sicilian seawater. There are clay tennis courts and one of Europe’s largest infinity pools, perhaps to distract from a rather pebbly beach.

Local honey, olives, limes, almonds, tomatoes, and lemons are put to good use at La Zagara and the three other restaurants, and for snacks at five bars. Children’s menus offer expected favorites (pizza!) and surprises.  A gelateria serves flavors made on the premises.

The 203 rooms (of which 49 are suites) reflect the fresh contemporary style of the resort. Bedrooms feature four-poster wooden beds, polished concrete floors, artful Italian lighting, and locally fired earthenware. Some have outside courtyards, but everyone has a private terrace with sparkling Mediterranean view. Closets are spacious, as if guests were going to stay for a few weeks. If only.

They do love children in Italy. Verdura has a special turn-down service with bedtime milk and cookies, and a storyteller to say goodnight. Teens have their own hang-out area and a program that offers sports and off-site excursions.

Since there are no cars, guests can choose to bicycle around or be transported by golf carts. Down side to those buggies: that annoying backup noise.

Activities such as windsurfing and scuba diving can be arranged. Two ideal off-site excursions are ancient Agrigento and the fishing port of Sciacca if you can tear yourself away from this seductive place.

Contrada Verdura, Sciacca, Sicily; 011-44-207-766-3141;  www.verduraresort.com

We recently stumbled on an article from Concierge.com detailing the of the World’s sexiest islands.  The one Italian oasis that made the list was Ischia.  According to the author, Ischia is ideally suited for…”Frazzled lovers who need some R&R away from the daily grind….”

Here more from Concierge.com about Ischia:

“The scene: Capri may shine in the limelight, but nearby Ischia is ideal if you’re looking to drown out the hubbub. Only 20 miles from the madness of Naples, this volcanic isle is freckled with geothermal pools. It’s a green, sun-spoiled place where the major pursuit is lounging on the rocks between dips in the hot springs and spa sessions. It’s perfect for quieting those aching BlackBerry thumbs. And if you want to get a little dirty, there’s plenty of volcanic mud in the offing.Don’t miss: Doing as the Italians do: Rent one of the many small boats from the port town of Ischia Porto and circumnavigate the small island. Make time to stop at the many beaches and coves accessible by sea. Waters are usually calm and the locals good seamen, so even a dinghy will do.Between the sheets: Talk about drama. The très chic Mezzatorre Resort sits on a rugged cliff overlooking the sea. Located on the northwest point of the isle among ample greenery, it feels remote but is actually only three and a half miles from town. There’s a large pool, and you can swim in the bay below. Opt for an “open plan” suite, which has a living room, private garden, and plunge pool with Jacuzzi. “

(Mozzarella di Bufala Eateries Coming to A Location Near You)

Starting first in Milan, Silvio Ursini, now has twelve mozzarella bars under his belt including locales in Kuwait, London, and Tokyo. As the executive director of Bulgari Hotels and Resorts, Ursini has plans to keep going.  After some success in New York, new locations include DC, Chicago, Dallas, Philadelphia, and Boston. They are named Obikà (pronounced Oh-bee-KA), which means ‘here it is’ in Ursini’s Neapolitan dialect. Focusing on the freshest ingredients, highlights include creamy stracciatella di burrata. On tasting plates of salumi, speck and the best mortadella outside of Italy are musts. You can have your mozzarella straight up or with salad or pasta. For dessert, gelato’s on the menu, but the ricotta mousse with honey, orange peel and pine nuts is the better choice. This is most definitely ‘slow food,’ presented beautifully in a minimalist setting that is a Japanese-Milanese blend.

OBIKA’ MILANO BRERA


via Mercato corner via dei Fiori Chiari.; Tel#: +39 02 86450568 ; milano@obika.it

Hours: Monday and Tuesday from midday to 3:30 pm and from 6:30 to midnight;  Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from midday to 3:30 and from 6:30 to 2:00 am Saturday and Sunday from midday to 2:00 am; Everyday from 6pm till 8pm Italian Aperitivo with little mozzarella “bocconcini” and tastings.

Ca’ Sagredo is the new luxury 5 star hotel in Venice overlooking the Grand Canal between the Ca’ D’Oro and the Rialto Bridge. Distilling this essence to its purest form, Ca’ Sagredo Hotel, catalogued as a National Monument, will capture your heart.
 Dating back to the 15th century, Ca’ Sagredo typifies the perfect Venetian Palazzo Hotel – where exceptional decoration, style and quality is effortlessly combined with contemporary chic, surpassing the expectations of even the most discerning of guests. This is a real treasure: the restoration carefully enhances the original noble features, delighting while evoking respect for a time gone by. 
Each of its elegantly decorated accommodations of this luxury 5 star hotel in Venice, retains numerous examples from the glorious past, including magnificent works of art from the most important Venetian painters of the 17th and 18th century: Giambattista Tiepolo, Pietro Sebastiano Ricci, Pietro Longhi, amongst many others.
Not just a Hotel, but also a Museum: this is Ca’ Sagredo hotel in Venice. 
And for those who consider cuisine among the highest art forms, the restaurant L’Alcova serves Mediterranean cuisine with Grand Canal views. After a day spent around the calli of Venice, relax back at the hotel in the Bar L’Incontro, a favourite with Venetians and guests alike.

Contact Info:

Campo Santa Sofia – Ca’ D’oro 4198/99, 30121 Venezia  
Tel# 041.2413111; Fax #:041.2413521; www.casagredohotel.com; info@casagredo.com.