The Hotel Royal dates back to 1955, but the property has been in its current Royal Continental form since 2003, when the then-neighboring Continental was added. So it’s got history, and found right on the centre spot on Naples’s seafront promenade, but still manages to feel like a quiet sanctuary away from the madness of Naples.
Why stay at Royal Continental Hotel?
Royal Continental Hotel is a proper holiday spot – you don’t ever really have to leave if you don’t want to. There’s enough in the way of activities at the property to get stuck into, and you can spend an entire day enjoying the rooftop pool, and soaking up the views from the hotel terrace. It’s big enough to handle tour groups from overseas (the property has long been a trusted lodging choice for reputable tour companies), but somehow the English-speaking staff manage to greet you by name once they’ve met you the first time.
What are the rooms like at Royal Continental Hotel?
The 397 rooms fall into eight different categories, with the majority being Classic, Plus, and Superior Sea View. To stay at the Royal Continental in a room without a sea view would be penny-wise and dollar-foolish: from your balcony, you’ll be able to smell the salt from the Gulf of Naples. If style is your thing, head to the first floor, which still holds true to the hotel’s original design in the 1950s, overseen by Milanese architect Gio Ponti. On his namesake floor, you can find Ponti-designed furniture in the rooms and hall walls adorned with everything from sketches to black and white photos. The ninth-floor Executive rooms have large terraces that jut out towards the Gulf, below the 10th-floor pool and evening cocktail bar.
What is the food like at Royal Continental Hotel?
Elements is the ground-level casual dining option, which moves up to the 10th (top) floor evenings during the summer months. They have pizza, but it’s baked in an electric oven, focaccia-style with a thicker crust, and a crispy, slightly oily bottom – in other words, it’s certainly not authentic Neapolitan, but it’s a nice alternative to the ultra-traditional pies you'll be eating outside the hotel. Skip the margherita and instead try the cosacca, which is like a marinara topped with the right amount of Pecorino Romano, where the sauce still has the chance to shine. Elements also has an extensive cocktail menu, with four mocktail options.
Otto s.l.m., which refers to the fact that it is eight meters above sea level, is the main dining option here. There’s an à la carte menu and course tasting options, ranging from €55-€85, with optional drink supplements. What stands out the most about Otto is its genuinely good and extensive plant-based options, in a country so well known for its meat and cheese.
Breakfast is served daily from 6.30-10.30am in the event space-like Pulcinella (named after a classic Neapolitan masks you’ll find for sale in the touristy areas). There are three different stations, with barista drinks ordered separately. If buffets aren’t your thing, you can do breakfast at Desìo Gelato & Pastry, which is adjacent to the hotel's main entrance. But I’d recommend hitting it up later on, as they offer a fantastic gelato and sorbet selection, including mint, lime and watermelon. Hotel Royal Continental’s Lobby Bar is an ideal place to try a Neapolitan-style espresso, which is shorter, yet just as strong as you’ll get in other parts of Italy.
Of course, none of that is to say that you shouldn’t eat outside the hotel. The Royal Continental is a 15-minute walk from Pizzeria Brandi, which is where the margherita was invented in 1889, and five minutes from 50 Kaló, our top pizzeria in Naples.
What’s the service like at Royal Continental Hotel?
The service at the Royal Continental is on par with other four-star properties in Italy. Everyone in the reception area speaks English, and some of the restaurant staff can boast of tenure at the property that predates the 2003 merger of the Royal and Continental hotels. A personal highlight was the recommendations I got for local things to eat and do from the staff here – it’s well worth asking.
What are the pools and facilities like at Royal Continental Hotel?
The Royal Continental doesn’t have a full-service spa, but guests can make massage appointments via the front desk. The ninth-floor gym has dumbbells, flexible benches, a few cardio machines, and two identical multi-purpose Techno Gym units – but no yoga mats, I noticed.
In terms of facilities, it’s the Gio Ponti-designed rooftop pool that stands out the most. Saltwater is pumped up from the Gulf of Naples, and there’s a bar where you can order cocktails and espresso drinks, including frozen ones from the illycrema machine, as well as a limited food menu. The pool is free to use, but reservations must be made in two-hour blocks, which is a bit of a pain, and you’re required to wear a swimming cap in the pool (they give them out for free). My tip? Time your visit to coincide with the sunset, which you can watch from the top-level reclining chairs.
What’s the area like around Royal Continental Hotel?
You’re right in the middle of the seafront Santa Lucia and Chiaia neighborhoods here, so you’ll have the sea to the south and a seemingly endless stretch of shops, restaurants, and cafes to the north. There’s a promenade along the waterfront, which is ideal for people watching at any time of the day. While the area around the hotel feels more upscale, everything will feel more historic and densely packed the closer you get to the historic center. Once you reach the Chiaia subway station, you can use the Naples metro to get to some of the museums and historic squares. There are also three tram lines nearby.
Why you should book a stay at Royal Continental Hotel
Given that Naples can be an incredibly intense experience and particularly claustrophobic in the historic center, the Hotel Royal Continental is a great middle ground, where you’ll be within walking distance of the metro and historic attractions, while having a sizable room, easy access to the seaside promenade and space to catch your breath and recharge.
DETAILS
Address: Via Partenope, 38, 80121 Napoli NA, Italy
Price per night: Classic rooms from €183 (breakfast included); ‘Junior Suite’ rooms from €459 (breakfast included)
Closest transport: Naples International Airport is a 30-minute drive
Book now: Via Booking.com