Roman seaside escapes: the best beach hotels near Rome
Just 1 hour and 30 minutes away from Rome, you will find Monte Circeo: beautiful sea, lovely old town, great vibe and yummy food. It’s the perfect place for a weekend getaway from Rome. But if you want to experience the Circeo to its fullest, you should definitely take your car all the way up the Mount, to a place called Hotel Punta Rossa.
Hotel Punta Rossa’s location
Hotel Punta Rossa is immersed in the National Park of Circeo, surrounded by botanical gardens full of beautiful tropical plants. From its high position on the mount, it gently slopes down to the beautiful rocky sea. What’s magical about Hotel Punta Rossa is that it never gets old, no matter how many times you go. It’s always fascinating, beautiful, luxurious and simply perfect.
Accommodation at Hotel Punta Rossa
Staying at this hotel will feel more like staying in a Mediterranean village. The hotel has both hotel rooms (perfect for a romantic getaway), as well as a seafront “Fisherman’s Village” composed of different sized villas (for couples or families) that you can rent (for a minimum of one week). All the accommodations and villas are decorated in a classic Mediterranean style, creating a lovely and cool atmosphere. But as much as you’ll be in love with your villa or hotel room, nothing will beat the sensation you’ll get when you wake up in the morning and go to the rocky beach.
Private beach at Hotel Punta Rossa
From the moment you wake up till the moment the sun sets, you will be spending your whole day at the sea. Hotel Punta Rossa is beautiful also because it has been able to merge comfort with nature. All of the sun beds and umbrellas are located on top of rocks, and ladders have been added to certain parts of the sea to allow guests easy access to the amazing sea water.
If you like snorkelling, you’ve hit the jackpot, the sea is full of different fish and beautiful rocks that will make you spend hours swimming around. But make sure to get out of the water just in time for the hotel’s amazing lunch buffet. If you’re a seafood lover, it doesn’t get any better than this. Every day, from 12.30pm, the beautiful terrace overlooking the Mediterranean and the Pontine islands serves a spectacular lunch buffet composed of the catch of the day, seafood pasta, amazing fresh local products such as mozzarella, vegetables, fruit and practically anything you can imagine.
Sunset at hotel Punta Rossa
After lunch, enjoy a good book under the umbrella, or gently fall asleep to the sound of the waves. If you have kids and are worried about the rocks and the sea, no worries, there is a beautiful salt water swimming pool where they can swim around while the life guard keeps an eye on them. Or you could always go take a swim in the beautiful beach cove with shallow waters, filled with pebbles and small rocks.
But one thing is for certain, when the sun starts to set, you have to either be on your sun bed, or in the beautiful bar on the terrace, admiring the fantastic sun set. And of course, a cocktail, a prosecco or a wine glass (accompanied by delicious finger food) is mandatory. This is one of the best moments of the day: it’s relaxing, it’s beautiful, and if you’re with your partner, it’s definitely super romantic.
Food at Hotel Punta Rossa
But the surprises don’t stop here. If you’re a foodie, you cannot miss out on Hotel Punta Rossa‘s amazing restaurant. The large windows that surround the restaurant offer a beautiful panoramic view of the sea, and the atmosphere is elegant yet homey.
The service at Hotel Punta Rossa’s restaurant is first-class. And the food and the wine selection are phenomenal. One of my favourite dishes is the ravioli ripieni di granchio con pomodori pachino e seppie croccanti (ravioli filled with crab with a cherry tomato and cuttlefish sauce) and the outstanding halibut with roasted potatoes. The delizia al limone is my favorite dessert of all time.
After dinner, sit outside in the beautiful veranda overlooking the sea, enjoy the wonderful live piano music and have Lorenzo prepare his one-of-a-kind sgroppino al limone. And if you want to look at the stars, head back to the sea or sit down in one of the chairs located next to the spa – the peaceful sound of the waves accompanied by an unforgettable starry sky will make your jaw drop.
Hotel Punta Rossa is truly a magical place, and a must if you’re planning to stay in Rome during the summer and want to escape the heat to relax in one of Earth’s most paradisiac corners. Plus, it’s only 100 km from Rome.
