Luxury boutique hotel with Michelin star restaurant in a Ligurian seaside resort west of Genoa:

Update: new chef Giorgio Pignagnoli at Restaurant Nove as from spring 2022

Nowadays, foreign travelers head to the Ligurian hotspots as the Cinque Terre or Portofino, east of Genoa. Alassio, a seaside town in the opposite direction, is usually not on their program. This is a pity, then the area has a lot to offer. And, not least, this is about Villa della Pergola Alassio, a luxury boutique hotel above the town center. It is a great place for staying and dining in style, boasting beautiful sea views, individually styled rooms and the one-star Michelin Restaurant Nove. Plus the  luxury hotel is in a beautiful historic mansion and amidst a stunning botanical garden.

Find in the following more about the stay my husband and I had here on our recent road trip through the north of Italy and the south of France. Alassio was our third stop, after two in Piedmont (post about Relais San Maurizio near Alba and post about Villa Crespi on Lake Orta).

Journey through northern Italy & southern France

As outlined, we started in Italy’s northwest, the Piedmont, before coming to Liguria, one of Italy’s smallest regions. This coastal area – also called Italian Riviera – is famous for its Cinque Terre. But it has more – lesser known – treasures. It borders France and for us as Swiss it makes a lot of sense to return via this country. And that was actually what we did. We opted for two places on the Côte d’Azur resp. in the Provence before going back to Switzerland via Lyon. Here we spent one last night at a foodie spot in the south of France’s third largest city.

After this overview here are the details to our choice of hotel in Liguria, Villa della Pergola Alassio.

Staying in style at Villa della Pergola Alassio

Location

I have already given some hints, here is the gist … Villa della Pergola Alassio is in the pine-covered hills above Alassio. You can reach the town center in a walk of just ten minutes. From here you have wonderful views of the Ligurian Sea resp. the Italian Riviera.

And you are in the middle of the Giardini di Villa della Pergola, the historical botanic gardens. They stem from the late 19th century and on 22,000 sqm you find some rare collections, for instance 34 varieties of Wisteria or 500 of Agapanthus.

The only fly in the ointment is the fact that it is no easy drive up from Alassio’s town center to the Villa della Pergola Alassio. There is a very narrow, windy driveway that made my husband drive back and forth to get round the corners. So, do not come here with a big car!

The seafront resort of Alassio is located on the “wrong side” of Genoa. At least you get this impression if you watch the streams of international travelers that all go to the east towards Portofino or the Cinque Terre. For Alassio you have to head west. You reach this town in a bit more than an hour by car. Alternatively, you can take the train, for which you need about the same time. Another good starting point to get to Alassio is from Nice (France). This will take you 1h 15min by car and 2h 15min by train (change trains in Ventimiglia).

About the seafront resort of Alassio

You should know by now that Alassio is a place a bit forgotten by international travel. This was quite different in the late 19th century. At the time, rich British people liked to winter on the Mediterranean. At certain times, more than 5,000 Britons spent their winters here. They built villas in the pine-covered hills above Alassio, one of them is Villa della Pergola. Later on, how it is, they moved on, away from this lovely beach town.

Nowadays, Alassio is a popular place for Italian vacation takers in summer. It is known for having one of the longest sandy beaches in eastern Liguria. It is ideal for children as the beach gently slopes into the sea. This seaside resort is a good choice for families as it is less posh than its French counterparts beyond the nearby border.

Besides from being a beach town, Alassio has also a lively town center. Parallel to the beach and in its immediate proximity, there is Via XX September, a pleasant shopping street, called the Budello. It is framed by typically Ligurian terracotta and green-shuttered ochre houses.

In July and August, Alassio is full of Italian vacation takers. When you come here in September, you will still catch the heat but miss the crowds. That does not mean it is deserted, on the contrary. There are still lots of beach-goers but it is far from being over-crowded. I found it pleasant in early September and I usually mind large gatherings of people.

While my husband and I came here for the sea, we were not interested in lying on the beach. We were drawn here because of Villa della Pergola Alassio, with the prospect of staying and dining in style as well as exploring the area, mostly on foot.

History of Villa della Pergola Alassio

I already mentioned that Villa della Pergola Alassio was one of the posh houses that the Britons used for wintering in the late 19th century. The villa was built in 1880 by a Scotsman, General McMurdo, after having a military career in India.

The model for its construction were houses that officials of the British Empire constructed in India at the time. The first thing that attracts your attention is the dome clad in polychrome majolica from Albisola.

But also the grand staircase made of white marble is an eye-catcher.

The design of the park was the work of the McMurdo family, too.

In 1900, Sir Walter Hamilton Dalrymple, Virgina Woolf’s cousin, acquired the property. 22 years later, Daniel Hanbury, a son of Sir Thomas Hanbury, who established the famous Hanbury botanical  gardens in Ventimiglia, became the new owner of the Villa della Pergola. And he made the gardens flourish.

In the early 2000s, after years of dereliction, it looked like the 22 hectares estate was destined to speculation. Luckily, a group of Ligurian friends around the television producer Antoni Ricci purchased the villa and the gardens. After a restoration they turned Villa della Pergola Alassio into a five-star hotel.

Ambiance/Staff

We felt transported to another time when coming here, looking at this eclectic villa with its luxuriant gardens. Victorian and Edwardian paintings, memorabilia and antiquities made us experience the late 19th century taste and atmosphere. Yet all this comes without feeling antiquated. It is a serene place where history and nature meet subdued luxury. And the estate is close enough to the sea yet far away from the crowds of the beach-front resorts.

My husband and I were warmly welcomed by the maître de maison, Nadia Finelli, who introduced us not only to the property but also let us know about great things to do in the area. Other staff we met during our stay was attentive, helpful and discreet. We felt well at ease, everywhere on the premises and at all times on our stay.

Only lately, Villa della Pergola became a member of the renown Relais & Châteaux luxury hotel group – what I find fits very well.

Rooms/Pricing

You find here 15 rooms in three separate villas: six at the Villa (main house), another six at the Villino and three at Casa Wisteria. While the Villa is a mixtures of styles,

the Villino seems definitely to be a British colonial building. As to the Casa Wistery, it used to be the gardener’s house. There also is La Casa del Sole, an independent apartment on two floors. Every accommodation is called after the name of either a previous owner or a (famous) guest.

All the rooms at Villa della Pergola Alassio have parquet floors and marbled bathrooms in period style. Each is different from each other. Many of them boast verandas and sea views, too.

There are three room categories, Standard Room (from about 280€/US$), Superior Room (from about 410€/US$) or Suite with Sea View (from about 690€/US$). The rates are according to Villa della Pergola’s website (the least expensive ones for 2022). The hotel is closed during the winter season.

Superior Room “Walter”

My husband and I had a room in the main house, the Superior Room called Walter.

It is one of the accommodations with these grandiose views of the Gulf of Alassio. From the room’s look, it seems to be some kind of Edwardian gentleman’s bachelor pad with antique golf clubs and antiquarian prints.

It is spacious (56 sqm) and comes with a bathroom featuring a shower only

and a patio. The latter is Walter’s best feature. It is expansive and offers table, chairs and sun loungers. Sitting here, gazing at the sea and watching how the town of Alassio to your feet awakens and goes to sleep is one of the things that will stay in my memory.

When it comes to the room price we paid for our stay at the end of August/beginning of September 2021, it was 520€ with breakfast. As to the latter, you could make your choice from an varied buffet. For the ones with a sweet tooth, the cakes are excellent!

Other facilities

As mentioned several times already, there is a gorgeous 22,000 sqm botanical garden on site. After saving it from property speculation in the early 2000s, the buyers asked the landscape designer Paolo Pejrone to restore it. This was no easy duty as it is a terraced park. After decades of neglect many of the stone walls were damaged and had to be stabilized. Debris and weeds needed removing. They had to install an irrigation system. And last but not least, the park’s visual character had to be established.   Some changes were necessary yet the origins should be kept. And the result? I am no expert in this field, but I am fond of botanical gardens, and this one is definitely a jewel. You could spend hours walking around and gazing in wonder at all this beauty. It is open to the public, too, for guided tours only.

In addition to the gorgeous gardens, you find here an outdoor swimming pool.

There is a bicycle rental service (electric bicycles) on site. And if you like reading, go to the library with lots of books and magazines.

To my knowledge, there is no spa.

Dining in style at Restaurant Nove at Villa della Pergola Alassio

Another reason to come to Villa della Pergola Alassio apart from staying is style is its Michelin one-star Restaurant Nove. My husband and I had dinner here on both our evenings and were satisfied with what we got.

If you have luck with the weather as we had, you can have your meal outside on the splendid terrace overlooking the Ligurian sea. This setting is hard to beat!

Before coming to our dinner experience, a few remarks to the chef and his cuisine.

Chef & cuisine at Restaurant Nove

The chef here is a local, Giorgo Servetto, born in nearby Savona. His parents had a farm in Palo between the mountains and the sea. He grew up in daily contact with the land and the farm animals, which made him getting to know and appreciate real, genuine products.

He had his own restaurant in Alassio from 2005 to 2010. Later on, he worked at Restaurant La Locanda dell’Asino in Alassio, a Michelin starred establishment, before getting hired at the newly opened Restaurant Nove in 2016.

His cuisine is a Ligurian one, although not a strictly traditional one but a contemporary version of it.

Almost all the products he uses at Nove stem from local suppliers. Giorgo Servetto is very much into simple, pure tastes. He wants his guests to being able to recognize each ingredient in his dishes. And of course, the chef and his team make use of the herbs, citrus fruits

and the edible flowers growing at the botanical gardens.

In 2021, Restaurant Nove received a Michelin star, which has been confirmed only recently for the following year.

Dinner experience at Restaurant Nove

As mentioned, I had dinner here on two days in a row. And this is no repetitive affair as there are three tasting menus to choose from plus an a la carte menu.

On our first day, we opted for the Orgoglio Ligure tasting menu. The expression means Liguria’s pride. And consequently, the menu showcases traditional Ligurian dishes, newly interpreted. The next day, we chose the Ossessione tasting menu. The English translation is easy to guess, obsession, and it is the vegetarian menu.

The Nove is only open in the summer season. It is closed on Tuesdays except in July and August.

1. Tasting menu “Orgoglio Ligure”

Liguria’s pride, 9 courses, 85 €

You find here pictures and explanations to three courses. I start with the second one, called “a çimma”. This is a stuffed veal breast. I vividly remember this dish from meals at my grandma. She used to prepare it for a special occasion, and I always found the meat too fatty. Of course, the chef prepares it differently. His take on it is much more refined and pretty to look at.

Next is the fourth course, anchovies and potatoes. The combination of these two ingredients seems to be quite popular in Liguria. And anchovies are apparently the most commonly served fish in this region. I have to admit that I cannot remember what was lying below the oversized cracker as the content spilled on my clothes when I tackled the cover.

Then I do not want to withhold the pasta dish from you, named “u tuccu”, the menu’s fifth course. Of course, I had no idea what this was going to be (as with “A çimma”). It is a meat sauce that is served to fresh pasta and ravioli. Ligurians also call it ragù Genovese. You might know ragù Bolognaise where the meat is minced. With “U tuccu” the meat is left whole. Here at Nove, it was served with ravioli.

2. Tasting menu “Ossessione” 

Vegeterian menu, 8 courses, 95€

Again I focus on three courses starting with the menu’s third one, tomato and bread. It was an exemplary tomato, artistically seen. As to the filling, it was some sort of tomato cream that reminded me strongly of pure tomato puree.

Course number five was a minestrone alla Genovese. According to the server it consisted of at least 25 different vegetables! Here in Liguria they typically use more herbs (especially pesto) than in other Italian regions to make this thick soup.

The last course of the Obsession menu was again a picture perfect item, this time a lemon. It looked deceptively real. But, surprise, surprise, we discovered that it was filled with chocolate cream!

How was it?

I have given the dinner experience at Restaurant Nove a lot of thought. Without any doubt, the chef is talented. He is creative and knows a lot about presenting dishes in an artistic way. I would even call Giorgo Servetto as some kind of food architect. And he makes full use of the best Liguria and nearby regions have to offer.

As we dined at quite a number of Michelin starred restaurants on our Italy and France trip, I had some comparative standard. While I was not really unsatisfied with the two dinners at Nove, they were – compared to the other awarded dining-spots we visited – my least favorite.

But why was that? Some of the dishes did not quite work for me flavor-wise. While they were not exactly bland, they lacked a certain complexity. An example for this was the tomato and bread creation. I had the impression to eat pure tomato puree, and this not only in a small quantity, but the whole dish consisted of it. To the keyword “puree”, there were too many of them, in my opinion, especially in the vegetarian menu. For me, the textures have to be balanced. There must not be too many soft or mushy parts, a dish needs enough crunchy or crispy items, too.

One more remark, and this to the pricing. I found Restaurant Nove offers good value for money. It is not given to Michelin starred restaurants to have tasting menus that cost less than 100€.

Overall

There are not many places to stay and dine in style on the Ligurian coast west of Genoa. Therefore, I was pleased to having found Villa della Pergola Alassio, a storybook historic luxury hotel. And it also boasts a gourmet restaurant, the Michelin starred Restaurant Nove. The property is located amidst wonderful botanic gardens above the quiet seaside resort of Alassio, which you reach in a short walk. There is lots to do in the region apart from beachgoing. For some ideas what to do here, especially if you like walking, my next blogpost will go into this.

Looking back and forward

The stay at Villa della Pergola Alassio was the third one of a journey my husband and I undertook in northern Italy and south of France (here is the itinerary). We started the trip in Piedmont. Here we spent two days each on Lake Orta in Italy’s north (check out how it was at Villa Crespi and what to do in the area) and near Alba amidst vineyards (here are the details to staying at Relais San Maurizio and about nearby activities).

Next on the list after Alassio was the adjoining France. Here we made two stops in the country’s south (French Rivera hills – hotel, what to do – and Provence) before going back to Switzerland. And we did this not without making one last halt, and that was in a town south of Lyon.

Date of stay: September 2021

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