Hotel Il Moresco

Hotel Il Moresco details

Amazing cuisine, sub-tropical gardens, and wonderful thermal pools - the Il Moresco and relaxation are one and the same thing.

There aren’t many hotels with the culinary credentials of Il Moresco. Top London chef Aldo Zilli, who stayed here, praised it to the hilt. The stage for these gastronomic feasts is the main restaurant - La Pergola. Furnished with high-backed chairs and whitewashed pillars, this poolside eatery stands back to let the cuisine shine. Cue elaborate hors d’oeuvres followed by five choices of starters and main courses, all exquisitely cooked using fresh, seasonal ingredients. Then you’ve got desserts, cheeses and petits fours on top.

The hotel is also known for its thermal pools, inspired by the underground volcanic springs found on Ischia. Step into the gardens and you’ll find the outdoor one. This heated figure-of-eight nestles among scented pines, palms and sub-tropical borders, with sunloungers, parasols and a drinks terrace completing the picture. Inside, there are two more thermal pools - one with waterfalls and another that weaves its way through rock grottoes. On top of all this, the hotel has a private section of beach nearby.

As to the hotel itself, it’s all classical elegance set against a chic white canvas. Think Regency-style sofas, gilt chandeliers and tie-backed drapes with a hint of Moorish courtesy of vaulted ceilings and archways. The standard rooms are dressed in florals and original majolica floor tiles. Each has its own balcony looking over an inner courtyard, while the superior rooms are more richly furnished, with garden and partial sea-view balconies.

Although it feels peaceful and tucked away, the hotel is only a five-minute stroll from the Corso Vittoria Colonna, Ischia town’s main shopping street, with its boutiques, bars and restaurants. And the port harbour is close, too - just a 15-minute walk away.