Luxury Hotels Atlas / Places / Italy / Maratea / Santavenere
Santavenere
Maratea, Italy · Independent · Core Luxury
Count Stefano Rivetti of a Piedmontese textile family built Santavenere from 1953 as his Tyrrhenian 'golden refuge,' a private villa by rationalist architect Pier Niccolò Berardi on a wooded promontory above Maratea. It opened as a hotel in 1956 and is credited with starting tourism in this Basilicata town, drawing Sophia Loren, Frank Sinatra and Richard Burton. Set in ten hectares of park running down to the bay, it reopened in April 2022 as an independent Leading Hotels of the World member.
- 34 rooms
- Opened 1956
- Neighborhood: Porto Scalo
- Rooms from 237 sq ft (22 m²)
- Architect: Pier Niccolò Berardi
About Santavenere
- It opened as a hotel in 1956, marking the start of tourism in Maratea.
- Jet-set guests included Sophia Loren, Frank Sinatra, Richard Burton and Anita Ekberg.
- Ten hectares of private parkland run down to the bay; the hotel reopened in April 2022 after a refresh.
- Entry-level rooms start at 237 sq ft (22 m²).
History
Santavenere sits on a wooded promontory above the Tyrrhenian Sea at Maratea, in Italy's Basilicata region. In the early 1950s Count Stefano Rivetti, of a prominent Piedmontese textile family, discovered Maratea and made it his 'golden refuge,' building the property from 1953 as an aristocratic private villa designed by rationalist architect Pier Niccolò Berardi. Rivetti hosted the era's luminaries there, and in 1956 the villa opened its doors as the Santavenere Hotel, immediately earning renown as a 'Lucanian jewel' and marking the birth of tourism in Maratea.
Set within ten hectares of private parkland running down to the bay, the intimate hotel — today about 26 to 34 rooms — retained the warmth of a private home while drawing international jet-setters such as Sophia Loren, Frank Sinatra and Richard Burton. It reopened in April 2022 after a refresh and continues as an independent five-star member of The Leading Hotels of the World.
The setting
10 km from Cristo Redentore statue.
Restaurants and bars
- Le Lanterne — Restaurant · local cuisine, buffet
- Il Carrubo — Restaurant · Italian, seafood, buffet
- Giardino Ulivi — Restaurant · Mediterranean, seafood, pizza, grill · Chef Antonio Bufi
- Terrazza Le Lanterne — Restaurant · Italian brunch buffet
Experiences
- Lucania Bella — Weekly Tuesday buffet dinner at Le Lanterne with clay-pot cooking, leaf-wrapped cheeses, handmade pasta, local wine and live music.
- Al Tramonto — Weekend sunset aperitivo at Carrubo beach with drinks and light bites, then dinner of local dishes and seafood specialities.
- Venerdì Italiano — Weekly Friday sunset dinner on the seafront terrace: grilled fresh fish, a tour of Italian regional cuisine and live music.
- Vista Mare buffet dinner — Seaside buffet dinner at Il Carrubo with fresh ingredients, artisan cheeses, reinterpreted typical recipes and live music.
- Storie di Cucina — Evening olive-garden dinner hosted by chef Antonio Bufi with local Maratea kitchens, plus live music.
Amenities
- Spa
- Pool
- Sauna
- Hammam
- Hot tub
- Fitness center
- Private beach
- Pet-friendly
Open Santavenere in the atlas for live weekend rates, photos, and the full folio.