There’s nothing to make you feel more at home than wading through hundreds of teenage fans just to get to your front door. This is what being big on Twitter – read: just over a thousand followers – gets you. Fame like you’ve never known. But even by our standards, this is crazier than usual. So, Signor Doorman, why the splash? He tells us they’re not here for us; they’re waiting for supermassive Turkish actor Can Yaman (5.6 million followers on Instagram). You see, that guy in the corner over there is the biggest star on Italian TV right now. Fair play.
Head through the revolving wood door, and you can see why this is where slebs like us, sorry him, might stay. Marble hallways and prodigal palms give way to honey-hued rooms with the biggest beds known to humankind. The furnishings are traditional. The roof-garden restaurant justifiably expensive. A small balcony overlooking the bay allows us to wave down at our admirers. It’s mid-19th century grandeur, faded to a charming degree (but don’t worry – there’s some pretty feisty air conditioning, too). The breakfast buffet, particularly a crispy, ricotta-filled sfogliatella, is the stuff of dreams. For indulgent old-world luxury that makes you feel like royalty, the Vesuvio is well worth braving the hordes for.
Neighbourhood:
Location-wise, this place is hard to beat. That grand construction opposite is the Castel dell’Ovo, a thoroughly moochable 12th-century Norman castle. The terraces of the surrounding Borgo Marinaro make the ideal spot to take in the lush views that sweep across the Bay of Naples. We recommend pan-Italian Storie & Sapori. On our visit, fishing boats bobbed, wine flowed freely, and the moon was even fuller than our stomachs.
Nearby:
1. Quartieri Spagnoli: For higgledy-piggledy alleys and streetside religious icons that scream ‘welcome to Naples’.
2. Antica Pizza Fritta da Zia Esterina Sorbillo: For the best deep-fried pizza in town (and that’s saying something).
3. Lungomare: For an early morning ramble along a picture-postcard seafront promenade.
Time Out tip:
Don’t fancy splashing out at in-house restaurant Caruso? Order a glass of rosé at the Sky Lounge, preferably around sunset, and you can enjoy the same killer views.
