Villa Rosmarino
Villa Rosmarino is a beautiful small boutique hotel with stunning views at the foot of Mount Portofino and just above Camogli, one of the most charming fisherman’s villages in Liguria.
It’s a magical place. Originally it was a hermitage, then a place to relax and escape the city — you can feel that here.
How would you describe Eremo in a nutshell?
It’s a magical place. It was originally a hermitage, then a place where people would come to relax and escape the city — you can feel that here.
What was the inspiration/story behind Eremo?
My family has owned land in the hills behind Imperia for generations. They grew olives there to make olive oil and my grandfather used to come there to escape from the city, which (back in the day) was a long trip, but now is just five minutes by car.
One day, they discovered this old building on top of the hill on a section of land that wasn’t theirs. Originally the owners didn’t want to sell, but then, at some point, the property was put up for auction and many people who knew the peace and magic of the place participated.
My family won the auction and started working on it some years later. They already owned an agriturismo (one of the first to be established in Liguria), so they wanted to do something different and more private with the hermitage. My mum, who is an architect, discovered that the structure had been a hermitage in the past. Then, when I began to study design at University, I started working on it too. I considered it a test, or an exercise, since it was my very first project.
How would you describe the atmosphere and design of Eremo?
During the rebuild, we used the same stones and remained faithful to the original plan of the hermitage, even keeping a wall nook where a saint was once housed. We then added the white cube on one side to add more space, bring in light and capture the views. It was intentional to do something completely different and minimalistic, so as not to distract from the old hermitage.
I also worked on the interiors and designed unique gates and chairs for the space. Rather than antique pieces, we chose contemporary decor. We used natural colours and fabrics, as well as highlighting Italian designers that were fundamental for the aesthetic identity of our country.
During this process, we met a lot of people who loved the place and wanted to be involved, including French landscape designer Jean Mus. He gifted the garden to us, using aromatic plants and white and blue flowers that connect to the sky and the surrounding environment.
Is Eremo designed for families, couples or both?
The Hermitage is really designed for adults and we don’t accept children under 16 years of age because there are lots of stairs. It can accommodate a maximum of four people but is more commonly booked by just one or two
You enter the property through the old hermitage, which leads to a long corridor. On the right, you have the living room and kitchen with access to the outdoors and a set of stairs that lead to a mezzanine where there are two comfortable pouf-beds for additional guests.
Back in the main corridor, you have the bathroom on the left with an artisan-made shower and views of the surrounding pine forest. You then step into the white cube, which is where the master bedroom is, with a large glass door leading directly to the garden.
The garden is terraced, with an area to sunbathe on the level beside the house. A set of stairs leads down between the scented lemon and orange trees to the square hydromassage tub, which is also custom-designed. It has a place where you can sit in the water while enjoying the views, reading a book or having a drink.
The bottom level of the garden features huge, centuries-old mastic trees, where you can relax in the shade, while to the left is an area, shaded by wild plums trees, soon-to-be an open-air kitchen for cooking on summer evenings.
CITR code: 008031-AGR-0013.
We always like to chat with our guests about their interests, then make suggestions and recommendations based on what they’d like to see and do. We’re happy to make arrangements for taxis from the train station or to and from restaurants, as well as organise itineraries around the coast.
There are lots of Michelin-star restaurants and amazing local eateries that we can suggest, as well as a family-owned restaurant run by our neighbours using products from their garden. Next year, we plan on offering a massage service and private yoga lessons at Eremo. We also want to start collaborations with local architects, photographers and artists to make Eremo a creative hub.
Please note that the outdoor hydromassage tub is not heated.
The historic centre of Porto Maurizio is known as Parasio and perches on a hill overlooking the sea. It’s home to the biggest church in Liguria, the “Logge di Santa Chiara” and lots of lovely restaurants. There are also some elegant villas with beautiful gardens in the surrounding area, including Villa Grock on the road to Eremo, which is a few minutes away by car.
In the surrounding countryside, many villages still have beautiful historical architecture, some even have Roman archeological sites, such us Dolcedo, Cervo, Aprical, Dolceacqua, and many more. Music and theatre festivals are often held here during the summer months, as well as open-air film screenings. I’d also recommend visiting Lecchiore, near Bellissimi, in the summer, as there are lakes within in the forest, for a refreshing swim.
Cyclists can ride along what’s called the Cycling Riviera (“La pista ciclabile del Ponente Ligure”) near the border with France, with beaches where you can stop and swim, as well as small villages and restaurants. In my opinion, the best beach in the area is Galeazza, a stony beach that’s just five minutes’ drive from Eremo.
Imperia is in the western part of Liguria (near the border with France) and has a much more authentic atmosphere than the Cinque Terre. It’s protected from the mountains and has great weather, with mild winters and not too much rain. It has been recognised as being the city with the best weather in Italy.
The Nice Côte d'Azur Airport is around an hour’s drive from Eremo or you can take the train from Nice to Imperia, then get a taxi to the property from there. Another alternative is to fly into Albenga Airport, which is around 35 minutes in the other direction, or into Genova Airport.
Eremo is located in the countryside and just five minutes by car from Imperia and its beaches. You can walk to the coast in around 15 minutes but it’s very steep in some sections. There are plenty of local markets in Imperia for buying groceries and there is a small shop on the road leading into the city.
Each season has a unique light and some guests have returned at different times of the year just to experience this. Summer features lots of events and festivals, as well as parties with very good DJs, all around the Riviera. Autumn is a bit quieter but we still experience summery weather and it’s very beautiful as it rarely rains. The leaves turn rich yellow and orange and there are village celebrations centred around eating chestnuts and mushrooms.
Winter is very peaceful as there are few other tourists and it’s a popular time for people wanting to escape from the Italian cities and enjoy the fresh air. Spring is also marked by food festivals and the blossoming of flowers, which makes it a good time to explore the villa gardens.
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