Hotel Il Pellicano — Hotel in Monte Argentario

2/5 ⭐ – Review of Hotel Il Pellicano – Stay from August 7 to 10

Before arrival, check-in was postponed from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., but fortunately the room was ready on time.

For such a legendary hotel, a refresh is overdue. The suite had a breathtaking view, but felt dated — lighting, décor, minibar, and amenities all need modernisation. Other Italian properties manage to retain charm while upgrading; here, everything seems frozen in time.

Dining Night 1: Excellent Michelin-starred dinner. Night 2: Grill restaurant — good but far from exceptional for this category.

Organisation “Club Med” approach: first come, first served for sunbeds or prime tables. Guests stake out spots at 7 a.m., leaving areas half-empty for hours. True dolce farniente is hard to enjoy when you’re racing for the best locations. Terraced sunbeds require walking to the bar to order drinks — a simple call button (as at Eden Roc) would be more fitting.

Positives • Boutique with refined, fashion-forward items (though parasols shown online weren’t available on-site). • Superb tennis court. • Simple but efficient gym, too small at peak times.

Areas for improvement • Room not up to luxury standards or the claimed authenticity. • Aperitif bar plagued by burnt coffee smell used to repel insects — less intrusive options exist. • Very limited non-alcoholic drink choice. • Pianist plays indoors by the toilets while guests sit outside; a portable piano outdoors (as Belmond does) would create better atmosphere. • General modernisation needed: furniture, outdoor seating, corridor carpets, bathroom amenities, minibar, welcome gifts, and aperitif tapas (currently large salami/parmesan chunks and uncovered burrata attracting bees). • Spa waxing treatment was meticulous, but lacked proper lighting, ambiance, and audio system — plain décor, music via Bose speaker with “low battery” warning.

Other notes Similar lack of modernity observed at sister property La Posta Vecchia two years ago — austere room, abandoned feel, though excellent fine dining. On multiple occasions, non-hotel guests set up fishing rods and coolers right in front of us on the beach — surprising for a luxury property.

In summary Il Pellicano has undeniable charm and an exceptional location, but an upgrade is essential to meet today’s international standards. Authenticity can be preserved while offering more comfort and service. Social media paints a dream, but the reality...

Before arrival, check-in was postponed from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., but fortunately the room was ready on time.||For such a legendary hotel, a refresh is overdue. The suite had a breathtaking view, but felt dated — lighting, décor, minibar, and amenities all need modernisation. Other Italian properties manage to retain charm while upgrading; here, everything seems frozen in time.||Dining|Night 1: Excellent Michelin-starred dinner.|Night 2: Grill restaurant — good but far from exceptional for this category.||Organisation|“Club Med” approach: first come, first served for sunbeds or prime tables. Guests stake out spots at 7 a.m., leaving areas half-empty for hours. True dolce farniente is hard to enjoy when you’re racing for the best locations. Terraced sunbeds require walking to the bar to order drinks — a simple call button (as at Eden Roc) would be more fitting.||Positives| • Boutique with refined, fashion-forward items (though parasols shown online weren’t available on-site).| • Superb tennis court.| • Simple but efficient gym, too small at peak times.||Areas for improvement| • Room not up to luxury standards or the claimed authenticity.| • Aperitif bar plagued by burnt coffee smell used to repel insects — less intrusive options exist.| • Very limited non-alcoholic drink choice.| • Pianist plays indoors by the toilets while guests sit outside; a portable piano outdoors (as Belmond does) would create better atmosphere.| • General modernisation needed: furniture, outdoor seating, corridor carpets, bathroom amenities, minibar, welcome gifts, and aperitif tapas (currently large salami/parmesan chunks and uncovered burrata attracting bees).| • Spa waxing treatment was meticulous, but lacked proper lighting, ambiance, and audio system — plain décor, music via Bose speaker with “low battery” warning.||Other notes|Similar lack of modernity observed at sister property La Posta Vecchia two years ago — austere room, abandoned feel, though excellent fine dining.|On multiple occasions, non-hotel guests set up fishing rods and coolers right in front of us on the beach — surprising for a luxury property.||In summary|Il Pellicano has undeniable charm and an exceptional location, but an upgrade is essential to meet today’s international standards. Authenticity can be preserved while offering more comfort and service. Social media paints a dream, but the reality...

Beautiful — but missing heart and soul: Il Pellicano, Porto Ercole||There is no denying that Il Pellicano is a stunning property — iconic views, cinematic glamour, and a slice of old-school Italian seaside luxury. However, after staying at the Rosewood in Tuscany immediately before, our expectations were high — and Il Pellicano simply didn’t measure up where it matters most: service, comfort, and soul.||Despite the ultra-premium price tag and boutique size, the staff felt like a team of overworked seasonal hires — the same faces covering breakfast, lunch, and dinner service — exhausted and constantly forgetting our names and room number. For a hotel in this category, those small touches of warmth and personalization are everything, and they were noticeably absent.||The week we stayed was scorching, and the air-conditioning in our room never worked properly — leaving us sweating and waking repeatedly throughout the night. Plunging into the sea each afternoon was essential just to cool down — yet bizarrely, the hotel only had two foam noodles available for guests. For a property of this caliber, investing in a dozen so everyone can comfortably float in the sea on hot days seems like an obvious (and inexpensive) solution.||There was no appearance of the owner or even a general manager presence anywhere on property, which perhaps explains why the place feels like it’s running on autopilot.||Dinner at the Michelin-starred restaurant was very good — but once again hampered by the tired, lackluster waitstaff. The requirement to pre-order the €60 Margherita pizza one day in advance at the lunch restaurant felt totally absurd (we skipped it).||Spa treatments were perfectly acceptable, but forgettable. The hotel boutique, however, is fabulous and absolutely worth a visit.||In short: Il Pellicano remains a gorgeous destination and an important name in Italian luxury, but it feels like a legend resting on its reputation. Without a stronger heartbeat, modern hospitality mindset, and refreshed leadership on site, it risks becoming a beautiful relic rather than a...