There are a lot of good reasons to visit Naples, but no one goes for peace and quiet. So it’s surprising how serene it feels at Grand Hotel Parker’s, which turns out to be the perfect retreat from the chaotic city streets. This typically Italian family business opened in 1870 and was the first of Naples’ five star hotels dating from the grand tour era. Some of these now feel a little faded, but this one has a retro cool edge after a renovation by new, young management from within the family.
With panoramic views across the Bay of Naples and old-school Neapolitan service, it’s the right spot if you want to soak up the city’s atmosphere while being just far enough from the mayhem to catch your breath.
Why stay at Grand Hotel Parker’s?
Halfway up a hill between the city’s two poshest neighbourhoods, Grand Hotel Parker’s has views over the port area and to Mount Vesuvius and the islands of Capri and Ischia. It’s a little out of the way, but that’s not a bad thing in Naples, especially if you’ve seen the main sights before and want to experience a different side of the city. If you do want to go sightseeing, it’s easy enough to get around by taxi and public transport from here and hotel staff will happily organise it all for you.
The recent renovation (with some areas still to be completed) reduced the number of rooms and suites from 85 to 67, making many of them bigger and more comfortable. The hotel is big enough for the essential facilities (there are two restaurants and a small gym) but small and friendly enough that it feels a bit like staying at a rich friend’s mansion. The hotel caters more to international guests than Italians, and always has. But there’s unmistakable Italian and Neapolitan style in everything from decor to service, with some whimsical nods to the golden age of travel.
The refit honours the hotel’s history, giving period features a polish and blending them with contemporary comforts. A grand ‘hall of mirrors’ room, left unrenovated and used as an exhibition space for modern art, flows seamlessly from the updated reception area dotted with museum-grade antiques from the family collection.
What are the rooms like at Grand Hotel Parker’s?
All room types have the same classic feel, with parquet floors and plush soft furnishings in a soothing colour palette, but deluxe rooms give you more space and comfort – plus many have that incredible sea view. The brand-new suites, many of which are duplexes spanning the fourth and fifth floors, are spacious and spotless, and worth splashing out on if you have the means. The two grandest suites (favoured by visiting Saudi royalty) have everything from a steam room and mini gym to a piano, and can connect in case you need even more space.
My deluxe sea view room had everything you could need: air conditioning, safe, hairdryer, bathrobe, Nespresso machine and kettle; as well as plenty of extra touches: think crystal chandeliers, an antique desk, and a huge leather trimmed travelling case which opened to reveal a minibar stuffed with, among other things, panama hats and mini bottles of fernet. Comfortable beds feature new Simmons mattresses, and there’s a pillow menu. I appreciated the room being made up in the evening, with the heavy shutters closed and slippers left by the bed. I heard almost nothing from either the road below or other rooms all night – a definite first at a Naples hotel.
What’s the food like at Grand Hotel Parker’s?
The main bar and restaurant is the Bidder Terrace on the sixth floor, which has indoor and outdoor seating all with views of the bay and Vesuvius thanks to floor to ceiling glass. There are cocktails inspired by James Bond films and posh tapas-sized versions of typical Neapolitan street foods. An all-day food menu features burgers, salads, spaghetti, and grilled fish.
For special occasions there’s the George Restaurant, run by two-Michelin-starred Neapolitan chef Domenico Candela. Sadly it’s closed in August so I didn’t get to sample his technical take on local cuisine when I visited, but the George gets rave reviews for dishes like laticauda lamb with jalapeño, and a version of tarte tatin, which draw on the city’s French and Spanish influences while keeping ingredients strictly local.
Breakfast is served to your table at the Bidder Terrace until 10.30am. This includes a tower of fresh fruit, buffalo yoghurt and miniature sfogliatella pastries, with good Neapolitan coffee (a whole moka pot of it if you like, although I had one strong espresso after another). Pancakes, avocado toast and omelettes are made to order.
What’s the service like at Grand Hotel Parker’s?
The hotel promised true Neapolitan hospitality and it didn’t disappoint. I found everyone from reception staff to housekeeping so professional, yet unpretentious and warm – even by Italian standards – that you feel at ease (and are extremely well looked after) as soon as you walk through the vintage wood-panelled front doors. I made a jokey comment to the porter about the heat when I arrived, and he came back moments later with a glass of iced water.
What’s the area like around Grand Hotel Parker’s?
You won’t feel completely disconnected from the buzz and there are some nice parts of the city to explore. It looks a long way down when you’re sipping your aperitivo cocktail on the roof terrace, but actually it’s easy to get to and around Chiaia, the neighbourhood below the hotel, on foot. Staff can give detailed directions and recommendations for things to do.
Chiaia, which slopes down to the sea, has long been the nice (read: expensive) residential part of Naples and it’s packed with art deco palazzos, cute boutiques and cocktail bars. It’s not an especially tourist-oriented area, but there are still a decent number of cocktail bars and trattorias open even in August, when most residents are away on a long holiday. Behind the hotel is Vomero, a similarly desirable but slightly livelier neighbourhood further up the hill..
Why you should you book a stay at Grand Hotel Parker’s
Often when visiting Italy’s cities, the more atmospheric option is to stay in the old town or another part of the city centre. But here instead you get bags of Neapolitan charm and history without the overwhelming noise and crowds. And if you’ve seen the main sights before and want to experience a different side to the city, you couldn’t be in a better location.
Rooms here are good value for money compared to similar hotels in other cities, and there are often last-minute deals and discounts. This hotel is classy but not stuffy, chilled out but not cut off. And it’s seriously worth staying here just for the view.
DETAILS
Address: Corso Vittorio Emanuele 135, 80121 Napoli, Italy
Price per night: Double rooms from €457. Breakfast included.
Closest transport: Piazza Amedeo metro station, which connects you to Naples’ central train station, is about a ten-minute walk or very short taxi ride away. It’s a steep uphill walk from the station to the hotel. A 15-minute walk downhill is Mergellina port with ferries to Ischia and Procida.