Mezzatorre Resort & Spa

Mezzatorre Resort & Spa Review

Far from the madding, sunburned crowds that swamp Ischia, this luxurious getaway sits in splendid isolation on the extreme promontory of Punta Cornacchia. The complex is reached through an imposing gate, and a mile or so along a country lane. Standing on the terraces of this one-time fortress, set over the blue Bay of San Montano with yachts parading below, it's easy to understand why film director Luchino Visconti chose to live just up the hill. This hotel has nearly everything to tempt its privileged guests to stay put and relax: a glamorous heated pool overlooking a storybook cove, two cosseting restaurants, full health and beauty treatments, plus hundreds of pretty pine and pomegranate trees. The actual fortress has been sleekly renovated, perhaps too much so from the look of its umber-red exterior. Inside, all is white-on-white with antiques and ancestral portraits as accents. Most guest rooms are in the 16th-century Saracen tower (where Jennifer Lopez shacked up in 2009). The restaurants, Chandelier (haute cucina, evenings only) and the informal Sciué Sciué, are open to nonguests but book in advance. Although the official address is Forio, this is much closer to Lacco Ameno, where a shuttle bus is available to pick you up.