Daring to add a bit of sophisticated flair to the quaint fishing marina of Porto Ercole is La Roqqa, a splashy new retreat that debuted this year, making a vibrant statement among its bucolic surroundings.
Perched atop a rocky bluff that overlooks the port is a terracotta palazzo tucked on a street ribboned with shrubs of jasmine, rosemary and lush greenery. Milanese design team Palomba e Serafini was tasked by the Swedish-born Jonsson family with transforming a shabby 1980s boutique property into a five-star attraction that embodies the style and elegance of the bygone “La Dolce Vita” era. As the team dissected every detail of the biodiverse region, with a dive into the golden age of Italian design, they knew they wanted to implement local traditions and materials like woven leather, painted plaster, and burnished metal, and tie in the color palette of the local geological marvels into each level of the structure. The ingenious interplay of Italian whimsy, a little Art Deco, and modern amenities imbues La Roqqa with distinctive splendor.
A rattan-clad Fiat parked at the entrance lets you know you’ve arrived at the right destination. Inside, the reception is styled to look more like an art gallery than a hotel lobby—without an obvious check-in desk, you’re drawn to the vintage curiosities and funky furniture instead. On the lower level, Palomba e Serafini traded its original beams and pillars for low arches that evoke traditional Tuscan houses and divide the open space into lounge vignettes with a small shop of ceramics by local artisans like Michele Fabbricatore, Poggi Ugo, and Samantha Passaniti. Among the expressive furniture choices, the team chose from a vanguard of Italian designers: the Arco and Toio floor lamps by Flos, the Utrecht armchair by Cassina, and notably, the red Up armchair by maestro Gaetano Pesce. The Doron Hotel leather armchairs and the Tube Chair by Joe Colombo add a dash of retro to the hotel’s otherwise contemporary atmosphere.
The white sculptural staircase that connects the entryway to the lofted second level is speared by a double-height art installation that dangles from the ceiling. It’s an airy sound sculpture called Timba Well (2024) by Raoul Maria de Pesters, composed of hammered and tuned lacquered tin cans—a kinetic art piece-turned-wind chime meant to rhythmically “whoosh” like waves lapping against the shoreline.
There are 55 rooms at La Roqqa and each floor is themed in either earthy terra di siena, a dusky blue or sage to reflect the local palette. The hotel features several uniquely spacious suites—for a boutique property—that scale up to four-bedroom quarters. The jewel is the Caravaggio suite (paying tribute to the Baroque master who took refuge in Porto Ercole) dominating the sprawling, multi-level penthouse floor. It boasts four enchanting panoramic terraces with stunning views.
Each room is decorated sparingly, with televisions discreetly veiled behind spherical mirrors. The wardrobes are complete with thoughtful “beach needs” like a canvas tote, sandals, and luxury toiletries from Ortigia, while built-in faucets pour filtered water for your gifted aluminum thermos, signaling one of the many sustainable initiatives on property.
While La Roqqa doesn’t have a pool, they do have Isolotto Beach Club, a first for the area, and just a quick shuttle ride or five-minute walk down the road. It’s on a secluded bay of Tuscan coastline with tiered nooks of sun-dappled lounge areas, dotted with thatched umbrellas overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea. Isolotto has two restaurant concepts serving seafood-forward fare with a lineup of Spritz variations.
The heart of the hotel is the alfresco rooftop restaurant, Scirocco, helmed by Chef Francesco Ferretti. Almost the entire menu is proudly sourced in Tuscany, complemented by the bar which exclusively offers Italian wine and spirits. The team takes pride in crafting an Italo-remix of your favorite cocktail in lieu of your usual ingredients. And while the food and beverage program is a testament to artistry in its flavor, presentation, and ingredients (think a geometric plating of polpo alla griglia and multi-sensory cioccolati experience for a sweet ending) the layout embraces a relaxed and unpretentious ambiance whether you’re enjoying an aperitivoor dining in.
