Renovated Amalfi coast hotel features local craft and Gio Ponti furniture
Borgo Santandrea, a classic Amalfi Coast hotel, reopens with a newly renovated interior characterised by the work of local artisans and iconic Gio Ponti furniture by Molteni&C
Set on a cliff on the Amalfi Coast, Borgo Santandrea reopens after a four-year restoration of the 1960s property, led by architect Rino Gambardella. The hotel combines classic Mediterranean style with a newly infused midcentury approach, featuring works by local artisans and furniture by Gio Ponti produced by Molteni&C that complements the hotel’s white and blue colour scheme.
For the project, Gambardella enlisted a local team that includes ceramicists, artisans working in wood and metal, as well as tile masters Cotto Vietri, who created a motif throughout the building inspired by a contemporary interpretation of decorations found in Pompeii and Herculaneum. Landscape designers Philip Adiutori and Gaetano Amato created a series of terraced gardens using local flora including olive, lemon and pomegranate trees, winter jasmine, and myrtle.
Throughout the hotel, arched passageways frame the sea view, with the serene atmosphere enhanced by the discreet colour palette and combination of ancient references and modern architecture.
Gio Ponti’s furniture looks perfectly at ease in the space (his Parco dei Principi hotel in nearby Sorrento remains a legendary Amalfi Coast feature), with the relaxed forms of his ‘D.153.1’ and ‘D.156.3’ armchairs adorning the hotel’s lounge areas, while the more compact ‘D.151.4’ chairs, alongside the Italian architect’s coffee tables, complement the rooms’ living spaces overlooking the sea.
Borgo Santandrea’s co-owner Maurizio Orlacchio stresses that the renovation of the hotel has been focused on making it feel like a home, with the strong collaboration with the local artisanal community a key part of the project. He says: ‘It has been a beautiful challenge over the past four years to restore the property and we feel proud to have brought so many talented artisans and iconic Italian brands together to create a one-of-a-kind hotel that is truly Made in Italy.’ §
