Hospitality spanning tradition and modernity

Can an anonymous, tired sixties establishment that has lost all its appeal as a hospitality venue be restored as an ideal holiday destination? In the case of the Golfo del Sole — Hotel & Holiday Resort, set on a long stretch of sandy coast in the Gulf of Follonica in the Maremma region of Tuscany, the answer is a resounding «yes». Transformed by Bernuzzisamoriarchitetti into a highly functional and visually-appealing complex with sophisticated interior design and details, the renovation project focused on improving the comfort and services offered by the hotel and adopted a unique design aesthetic. In particular, it opted for colour and material solutions that would blend in perfectly with the surrounding landscape. The interior design project encompassed a total area of 7,000 square metres that included not only the hotel itself but also 80 apartments located in 10 separate buildings inside the resort. The level of comfort of these residences was improved by renovating the materials and finishings, chosen in colours ranging from sand to sea blue, and by installing custom furnishings. In the hotel, the restyling work was guided by a functional study of the layout. On the upper floor, the architects gave a contemporary touch to the 25 rooms, while the hall, lounge bar, back office area and new restaurant located on the ground floor observed criteria of spatial fluidity, optimised services and ease of use. In the foyer with its oblique layout, the reception desk enhances the perspective and divides up the space to create a number of functional areas. The new distribution routes lead to the lounge bar and the meeting area, where a backlit wall reproducing the coast around the Golfo del Sole creates the sensation of being immersed in the sea in keeping with the holiday spirit. Next comes a children’s play area and a restaurant. The interior design project devoted the utmost attention to even the smallest details, giving fresh life to the facility. Built to the architects’ own designs, the wood and iron fixed furnishings in the common areas are also inspired by the surrounding nature. Wood was chosen for its unique material texture, recalling the maritime pines growing on the other side of the dunes, while iron «pays tribute to Follonica’s outstanding nineteenth century metalworking tradition», explained Monica Samori, founder of the practice together with Enrico Bernuzzi. Serving as a leitmotif uniting the various spaces, iron is used for the bottle racks and the metal panelling on the bar countertop and for the barrel hoop motif partitions in the restaurant. With its clear reference to traditional Tuscan trattorias, the restaurant has a fresh, modern look and combines vintage and industrial style furnishings. It also uses materials with a dual nature such as porcelain obtained by cutting large Magnum slabs by Rex with a Calacatta finish and soft colour, reminiscent of marble tavern table tops, and the Memory tiles from Cerim with Liberty Blanc decoration inspired by old majolica used in the buffet area. But ceramic tile is more than just an accessory element, its technical characteristics proving essential given the resort’s beachside location. In the hotel, the Industrial collection from Floor Gres was chosen for the floors (in the colour Sage and a large size to give continuity to the surfaces) and for the bathroom walls. In the interiors of the apartments, Material Stone from Cerim was chosen in a natural colour to blend in with the surrounding landscape. The material chosen for the exteriors was Walks/1.0 from Floor Gres for its natural stone-inspired texture.