Hotel Windsor, a member of Design Hotels, has opened its doors in the picturesque beachside town of Laigueglia.
With aesthetic choices inspired by Italian modernist masters, the luxurious hideaway is defined by refined elegance and a celebration of local heritage.
When Original Alessandro Sironi, creative director Alice Muzzioli, and architect Simone Subitoni joined forces to revive a building that stood disused for 15 years in the northwest Italian region of Liguria, they took their local surroundings and cultural heritage as inspiration. Following the masters of Novecento Italiano, an artistic movement founded in Milan in the 1920s, they envisioned the building’s renovation according to a poetic rationalism filled with innovative shapes and colours—not unlike those seen in artworks by Franco Albini, Ignazio Gardella, and Giò Ponti.
The Novecento Italiano is reimagined through high-quality materials, including marble-effect stone, geometric boiserie, and brass detailing, all of which underline a neutral colour palette of beiges and browns. This simplicity allows for individual design pieces—including lighting by Davide Groppi, sunbeds by Kettal, and seating by Cassina, Living Divani, de Padova, and Bonacina—to make bold statements and for the colours of Laigueglia and the Mediterranean to shine.
Occasional pops of colour appear throughout the hotel in sculptures made by Enrica Vulcno and Maurizio Orrico, a designer and artist respectively, who were inspired by traditional Sicilian teste di moro, or “moor’s heads,” which they recreated with northern motifs. Southern decorative features like pinecones and leaves, for example, were replaced with artichokes and zucchinis—rendered in fluorescent yellow, turquoise, and brick red.
An emphasis on art is also highlighted in the guest accommodations, with each of the 25 rooms and one suite featuring abstract paintings by Michelle Quieroz. With the unique pieces of art on view, each room has a distinct identity, but the overarching atmosphere was inspired by the golden age of the Ligurian Riviera: the 1960s. The original geometric details of the building are complemented by the abstract artworks and neutral tones of the walls and flooring, as well as the newly created geometries found in bespoke furniture and design pieces. Highlights include Cassina’s PA’ 1947 mid-century modern console desk designed by Ico Parisi and the 699 Superleggera, a chair designed by Giò Ponti that has been in production since 1957.
The seafront, ground level Windsor Restaurant and Windsor Bar also honour the region through their menus. Be it for the casual lunch or fine-dining dinner menu, Windsor Restaurant highlights ingredients from the region—seafood caught in the Ligurian Sea, Albenga artichokes, and trombetta zucchinis, among much else—to offer a medley of seasonal, traditional, and contemporary Italian cuisine. The options at Windsor Bar include classic drinks and signature cocktails crafted with local gins and liquors, plus Vermentino and Pigato wines as well as hidden gems from around the country. Moreover, the restaurant and bar are interconnected through an open-plan layout, including an open kitchen and large floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the sea. Combined together with the hotel’s lobby, they create a sense of informal relaxation, enjoyment, and indulgence.
