Among the most sought-after locations for the wedding reception, for those in Naples who dreamed, and still dream today, of getting married, there has always been the Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria in Sorrento. It is here that I also got married in 2007, remaining forever linked to this place, which, as soon as I can, I go to visit to relive its magical atmosphere.
It’s a five star luxury with a view of Capri and the Gulf of Napleswith the blue sky as a frame, an integral part of the architecture and the spectacular terrace where you can welcome wedding guests: the most coveted corner for souvenir photos because it seems like you are suspended between sea and sky.
The hotel complex has three souls: a mountain chalet, The Favourite, a neoclassical building, The Rival, and then there is the villa Victory which stands where the former Rispoli inn once stood, surname of its original founder.
Always frequented by an exclusive clientele and the international jet set, the Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria in Sorrento has seen stars of the caliber of Richard Wagner, Enrico Caruso, Jack Lemmon, Marilyn Monroe, Luciano Pavarotti, Sophia Lorenas well as royals and politicians of yesterday and today.
It is a special place for many reasons, the breathtaking view, the eclectic and sumptuous style of the buildingsthe exquisite and high quality food, not to mention the botanical variety it hosts, the citrus grove, the rooms where illustrious names have slept, such as the tenor Caruso, to whom a suite is dedicated that bears his name, and the room by Lucio Dalla where he wrote his beloved Caruso.
However, there is a human element, unmatched by any other detail of style, that makes it different from other exclusive hotels: it is the welcome of the Fiorentino family, owners of this jewel for six generations. It’s their way of making you feel at the right place in a fairytale location that makes the difference.
Born 190 years agoin 1834, this year celebrated a birthday in grand style with a Gala which welcomed performances by Lina Sastri and the Accademia del Teatro San Carlo in Naples, thus honoring the wealth of stories and anecdotes of which its walls they exude and which come to life like a fairy tale through the lady’s words Lidia Fiorentinothe mother of Guido, Knight of Labor and President and CEO of the Grand Hotel Excelsior Victoriaand who for years managed the hotel together with her beloved husband Luca, now deceased.
The lady Lydiafrom the tireless energy of one socialite frequenter of high society, with her affability and joviality she not only enchants anyone who listens to her, but, without showing the slightest effort, she keeps faith with every commitment she makes. With the enthusiasm and energy of a twenty-year-old, she managed to squeeze in a pre-lunch aperitif on the terrace with me and my family when I went to visit her on a Saturday in September, before taking a sailing trip around the gulf from Sorrento with his sons Alessandro, who arrived from Rome where he lives and teaches at La Sapienza University, and Roberto, my old friend from university days, a good Neapolitan artist.
Short, blow-dried ash blonde hair, a smartphone always at hand to chat and follow her favorite Instagram profiles and the verve of an impeccable hostess. Mrs. Lidia is a concentration of charm, as well as being the historical memory of this place.
When I was busy preparing for the wedding, it was she who advised me on the florist, the restaurants where to welcome the guests who had joined us in Sorrento a few days before our wedding. destination wedding to enjoy the place and the most exclusive rooms of the hotel where you can experience the different moments of the reception in order to make it unforgettable for us, the newlyweds and for the guests.
The aperitif, abundant and sophisticatedwe organized it on the Vittoria terrace, «there where the sea glitters and the wind blows strong», as Lucio Dalla sang, taking inspiration from this hotel.
The banquet, in the main dining room, The Victorywith frescoes, draperies, marble décor and chandelier, which for after dinner was transformed into a milonga, where the tango was not danced by the two spouses, then passionate about Argentine dance, but also by Mrs. Lidia herself who as partner chose my husband.
Once the party was over, a few closest guests remained with us to enjoy the star-lit terrace and the drinks prepared by the barman surrounded by the warm air of a June evening. It was an unforgettable day and night, ending in the Caruso suite, often offered to newlyweds for their wedding night. A dream.
When I return to today Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoriabecause it belongs to me a little, I feel I have to retrace all the corners of the hotel that are steeped in my memories, from the pool area with bar with outdoor area, where in the days before the wedding my husband and I welcomed our friends who came from various parts of Europe, at the restaurant the Orangeryimmersed in a fragrant citrus grove that I had already experienced as a guest at two other weddings, to the delicious Boutique SPA La Serrawhich at the time of my yes was under construction, and which as the name suggests was born in the ancient 19th century greenhouse, surrounded by lemon and orange trees and singular olive trees which were elongated becoming tall stems towering above the citrus fruits. Renovated according to the holistic principles of Feng Shui, it offers Valmont-branded beauty treatments, as well as a selection of organic essentials.
Everything in this wonderful place seems to tell a story, be it that of the stars who have frequented it in the past and still frequent it, to its own, which you begin to experience as soon as you cross its gate to walk along the long tree-lined avenue that leads to the enchanting Liberty entrance where the dream takes shape.
Source: Vanity Fair
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