THE ART OF REVIVAL

From a five-star escape where Elizabeth Taylor brought all of her husbands to a former monastery ransacked by pirates before becoming Portofino's most coveted address, these historic hotels in Europe have recently undergone spectacular renovations

- Coco Marett

It's a funny thing to reminisce about an era you never lived in. And yet, many travellers (Tatler included) find themselves romanticising the bygone glamour of travel in Europe. Perhaps it's a desire to return to the simple things the timeless joys that the region does so well. After all, in that corner of the world, pleasure is not a privilege, but an essential part of life: conversations over wine under the shade of citrus trees, days spent-never wasted-doing nothing but soaking up the sun, or carving through azure waters on a vintage speedboat on the French Riviera.

Often at the heart of these experiences is a fabulous hotel; and Europe is home to many. We explore some that have been recently reimagined without losing the classic touches that have made them icons for decades or, in some cases, centuries.

HOTEL LA PALMA CAPRI, ITALY

When a hotel renovation involves slashing the number of guest rooms from 80 to 50, it's obvious that quality and comfort have taken precedence over all else. This is what UK-based designer Francis Sultana did when he was tasked with transforming Capri's most iconic hotel-a bold move considering this was Sultana's first hotel project.

The revamp came as Hotel La Palma's new management, Oetker Collection-the hotel group behind such properties as Le Bristol Paris and The Lanesborough in Londontook over and reopened the hotel in 2023 following a two-and-a-half-year renovation. Not only did the group want to restore the property to its former glory, it also wanted to restore its legacy as a place where meaningful connections between people and place are made.