FROM SINATRA TO WONDER: VILLA PORTO RAPALLO’S STAR STUDDED PAST
Nestled in the heart of Porto Rapallo, this family-run, lovingly restored property, meticulously brings together the past and the present.
The original building was part of an impressive expansion phase of the city towards the west, which took place after the abandonment and relative transformation of Rapallo’s salt pan area. The date of construction is from the very early years of the twentieth century and this precious postcard, sent on 25 December 1905, proves it.
The orchestrator of the entire arrangement of the early twentieth century is Eng. Enrico Macchiavello who designed the area beyond the salt gates: the current Verdi gardens, the villas in “Via Dante”, the small hotels in Via Gramsci and much more. This far-sighted design of his outlines the first image of the new Rapallo which was taking shape as an important tourist centre.
His proposals, often supported by projects from famous architects, fall within the spirit of liberty which, between the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, characterised artistic expression in Italy and also throughout Europe.
Villa Porto Rapallo is characterised by light shapes and decorations that make it fully part of the liberty style. It is a style that is still very present throughout the property, today.
The Villa is perfectly finished, with the projecting frames of the windows, the loggia, the tower and the very articulated roof setting it apart from a typical Genoese villa.
Every room was originally equipped with a fireplace, which indicates the level of well-being and luxury that the owners, who returned from Rapallo after making their fortune in Argentina, wanted to surround themselves with.
This notable level of comfort made the transformation from a home into a hospitality villa very easy, and the property for a few years, even became a full service hotel.
In the sixties and seventies, the building became a place of sophisticated entertainment under the name of Hotel Victory. Here the most beautiful and notable names in music laid their heads, including Frank Sinatra, Chet Baker, Stevie Wonder, Donna Summer, Gloria Gaynor, Ray Charles, James Brown, Julio Iglesias and Liza Minelli.
After nearly 30 years of neglect, the Villa has today been returned to its former glory as one of the most captivating buildings in Rapallo. The careful and meticulous renovation has enhanced the historical characteristics of the building, without renouncing its original beauty and without neglecting any aspect that has historically allowed for such a high level of hospitality.