Hotel Il Pellicano Review: Tuscany's Iconic Cliffside Hotel
Overall: 9/10
Value: 7/10
Food: 8/10
Design: 9/10
Service: 7/10
Location: 10/10
Hotel Il Pellicano sits on a cliff on the Monte Argentario peninsula in southern Tuscany, above a private cove on the Maremma coast. It opened in 1965 and more or less invented a certain kind of Italian seaside glamour — the Slim Aarons, golden-age, jet-set version of it. We spent a few days here and left convinced the location and the look are about as good as it gets in Italy. The one thing holding it back, at these prices, is the service. Here's the honest breakdown.
The Pros
A cliff-top setting and a seawater pool that actually live up to the photos. Old-school glamour that's been kept current instead of allowed to date. Excellent food, especially the casual grill. Real seclusion — no crowds, no competing hotels, no fighting for a spot by the water. And it's close enough to Rome (about 90 minutes) to add onto a city trip.
The Con
At the very top of the market, service should be seamless, and here it isn't quite. The staff are warm and the welcome is real, but the anticipate-everything polish slips, especially in high season when they're clearly stretched. It's the one area we'd want sharpened. A few practical things to know before you book: there's no sandy beach (you swim off the rocks), it leans adult and romantic rather than family, and it's only open April to October.
The Setting
Il Pellicano is built into the hillside above a rocky cove, in the Maremma — the wilder, less-touristed corner of Tuscany. The property steps down the cliff in a cluster of villas and a main building, with terraces full of bougainvillea and sea views from basically everywhere. It feels genuinely secluded. There are no other hotels crowding in and no day-trippers, which is increasingly hard to find on the Italian coast.
It's roughly equidistant from Rome, Florence and Pisa, about 90 minutes from Rome by car. That makes it an easy add-on to a few days in the city, which is how we'd suggest doing it.
The Pool and Swimming
Worth being clear, because the photos can be misleading: there is no beach here. What you get instead is a rocky platform at the water's edge where you lay out and jump straight into the sea. We hesitated about that for roughly thirty seconds, then jumped in anyway. The water is clear and the whole setup is more appealing than a sandy beach would be.
The famous part is the seawater pool carved into the rock — the one Slim Aarons photographed and made iconic. One afternoon we rented paddleboards and went out to a nearby grotto and had it completely to ourselves. That doesn't happen on the Amalfi Coast, where every cove comes with a queue. The seclusion is the whole point.
The Look
This is where Il Pellicano earns its reputation. It opened in 1965, built by Michael and Patricia Graham, a British pilot and an American socialite who named it after Pelican Point in California, where they'd met. It started as a private retreat for their friends and became a quiet hideaway for film stars and the yachting crowd.
That history is still in the DNA — the retro-Tuscan colors, the library, the sense of a 1960s Italian summer — but it doesn't feel like a museum. The family ownership has kept it up: a recent refurbishment refreshed many of the rooms and added a lift down to the water. The result is classic without being stuffy. If you care about design and atmosphere, this is a 9 out of 10.
The Room
Comfortable and large, with a peek-a-boo sea view and a patio. One honest note: the patio is somewhat shared with neighboring guests, so it's not fully private. The room itself has been updated and is very comfortable, but it still holds onto the original charm of the hotel — which is exactly the balance that makes this place work. Nothing felt renovated into blandness.
The Food
We came for the views and ended up just as impressed by the food. The Michelin-starred Il Pellicano Restaurant is the headline — seasonal Italian cooking, local produce, fish off the boat, sea views, and none of the stiffness you'd expect at that level. It was very good.
Honest take, though: we preferred the Pelligrill, the casual grill out on the terrace. Grilled fish and meat, an easy lunch-into-afternoon pace, and a setting that suited the place better than a formal dinner did. Bar All'Aperto handles cocktails and has live music in the evenings. Order a Negroni and stay for the sunset.
Service
This is the only real knock, and it's the reason this isn't a 10 across the board. The team is warm and genuinely kind. But at this price point you're partly paying for the choreography — the staff who remember your name, anticipate what you need, and never fumble a detail — and that part isn't fully there yet. In peak season especially, you can feel them spread thin. It didn't ruin anything. It's just the gap between very good and flawless, and at these rates it's fair to expect flawless.
Is Hotel Il Pellicano Worth It?
In short, yes. You're not paying for a giant spa or a marble lobby. You're paying for one of the best locations in Italy, a real sense of history, a legendary pool, and food that holds up on its own. Rates start around $900 a night in shoulder season and climb well into four figures in summer, so go in clear-eyed: if flawless service is your non-negotiable, this may frustrate you. If you travel for setting, atmosphere and great food, it's one of the best hotels in Italy and we'd go back without hesitating.
One planning note: it's seasonal, open roughly early April to late October (the 2026 season runs April 2 to October 26), so build your trip around that window.
Hotel Il Pellicano FAQ
Where is Hotel Il Pellicano? In Località Sbarcatello, Porto Ercole, on the Monte Argentario peninsula in southern Tuscany's Maremma. It's about 90 minutes from Rome and roughly equidistant from Florence and Pisa.
How much does it cost per night? Rates start around $900 in shoulder season and rise well into four figures in peak summer. Breakfast is included. Prices swing a lot by season, room type and view.
When is it open? It's seasonal — early April to late October each year. The 2026 season runs April 2 to October 26.
Does it have a Michelin star? Yes, one star at the Il Pellicano Restaurant. There's also the casual Pelligrill and Bar All'Aperto.
Does it have a beach? No sandy beach. You swim off a rocky platform and from the seawater pool carved into the cliff. The lack of a beach is part of the appeal, and the swimming and paddleboarding make up for it.
Who owns it and how old is it? Built in 1965 by Michael and Patricia Graham and still run by the same family, which is a big reason it has kept its character.
Is it family-friendly? It leans adult and romantic. Children over 8 are welcome, but cribs and extra beds aren't available.
How do you get there? Most guests drive or arrange a private transfer from Rome (about 90 minutes), or fly into Florence or Pisa. The hotel can arrange transfers. Related Articles
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