Located on the peninsula of Sestri Levante, in a magnificent natural setting overlooking the Bay of Fables and the Bay of Silence, stands the Grand Hotel dei Castelli, which offers its guests 50 spacious rooms furnished with antiques and modern comforts. At the Grand Hotel there is also the exclusive Ai Castelli restaurant, located on the panoramic terraces, where you can taste local and international dishes with seafood specialties. A conference room, a swimming pool and a private beach complete a very charming accommodation offer.
Grand Hotel dei Castelli History
The Grand Hotel dei Castelli is located in Sestri Levanti, surrounded by a beautiful park of about 18,000 square meters of green Mediterranean vegetation. The history of the Castles began in 1089 when its territory became the domain of the Republic of Genoa which, to defend Sestri Levante from the frequent raids of pirates and Saracens, built the Castle of Sestri in 1145.
Two other castles were then added, the first in 1310 and the second in 1440. Moving to more recent times we arrive in 1920 when Riccardo Gualino, lawyer and industrialist from Biella bought the peninsula of Sestri Levanti, reclaiming the ruins and rubble and starting the construction of three castles, inserting in the new buildings columns, capitals and other elements emerged from the ruins of the ancient manors. Around 1950, the entire complex was transformed into a luxury hotel that is still today, keeping intact the ancient atmosphere and the charm of the noble residence.
A separate chapter deserves the history of the famous Torre Marconi. On the top of the peninsula in a strategic position, there was a watchtower dating back to the 13th century. Gualino, a close friend of Guglielmo Marconi, invited the scientist to Castelli and placed at his disposal the tower in which the Nobel Prize led many of his experiments between 1932 and 1934. On July 30, 1934, Guglielmo Marconi attended technicians, officers of the Italian and English Navy and numerous representatives of the press, he successfully crowned his experiments on blind navigation. The Corriere della Sera thus witnessed the event: "Sailing from Santa Margherita, the" Elettra "went to Sestri Levante, on whose promontory the beacon was installed.At about 800 meters from it there were two buoys spaced between 100 meters of them, among which the "Elettra has passed with great precision, guided only on the basis of the signals emitted by the beacon".
The Hotel has 50 rooms, all furnished with style and period furniture, including spacious Junior Suites and Suites. All rooms have a view of the park or the sea of the Baia delle Favole and are equipped with Wi-Fi, safe, air conditioning and satellite TV.
The restaurant of the structure is in a medieval building in its own right, situated in a panoramic position in the center of the peninsula where the view sweeps over the Bay of Fables and the Bay of Silence. The kitchen offers both regional and international dishes, with seafood specialties made of fresh fish and shellfish caught during the day. Expert sommeliers will then be able to recommend the best labels to match the flavors, ranging from great international wines to local productions.
Outside the natural swimming pool with the rock posts make up the private beach resort, divided into a sandy part and into another made of more intimate and private pitches on rock. Equipped with showers and cabins the "Piscina dei Castelli" offers an incomparable relaxation point, made of natural beauty and privacy, a real oasis of relaxation.