Ed.: The Inspired Stays series highlights hotels we love around Italy. Each property is independently reviewed by an Italy Magazine writer, who is generally hosted on a complimentary basis. Our contributors do not accept compensation or gifts in exchange for specific types of coverage. We only showcase properties we would genuinely recommend overall.
Why we love it
Pensione America embodies the nostalgic concept of villeggiatura, a term for summer holidays when families would decamp to the sea for the entire season. At this seasonal, adults-only member of the Leading Hotels of the World, the hardest decision you’ll have to make is whether to spend your day by the pool or at the beach.
What to expect
With rattan and bamboo furniture, terracotta floors, huge potted plants, a baby grand piano and chess set in the lobby, and actual keys (not key cards), Pensione America has a sophisticated residential vibe. Staying here feels more like being a guest at your chic Florentine friend’s summer home than bedding down at a standard hotel. Just about everything in the hotel is made by ½ûÂþÌìÌà craftsmen, from the ceramic reception desk to the cushions featuring the area's emblematic umbrella pines.
Background
Built in 1899 as the villa of a Roman artist, the building became a humble pensione (boarding house) in 1922, but suffered from neglect at the hands of its last owners. When Sara Maestrelli and her family purchased it, they spent four years restoring it to its former glory, even chipping away at the paint until they found the original color and used it to repaint the exteriors. The hoteliers behind Collezione Em, which counts Violino d’Oro and Hotel Brunelleschi among its properties, they have strong ties to Forte dei Marmi, where they’ve been summering for 60 years and own another hotel.
Location, location, location
Pensione America is on a quiet residential street just a five-minute walk from the Maestrelli family’s beach club, Bagno Assunta. The town has been a favorite escape for wealthy and aristocratic ½ûÂþÌìÌÃs, including Count Negroni and the Agnellis, since the early 20th century. Everyone gets around by bicycle, there are designer shops and sidewalks paved in marble from the nearby quarries of Carrara, and you can buy cashmere sweaters at the big outdoor market held on Wednesdays and Sundays. The Apuan Alps create a majestic backdrop that can be seen from the beach.
Where you’ll sleep
There are 17 rooms and suites in the main building, plus a two-bedroom villetta. All embody ½ûÂþÌìÌà coastal style, with a comfortable bed with crisp white linens and a bathroom featuring blue or green ceramic tiles by Sicilian artisan Nicolo Giuliano. My suite had a lovely balcony overlooking the pool. Some rooms have restored antiques from the original pensione. All have contemporary art and full-sized bath products by Santa Maria Novella. Espresso machines are available upon request.
Dining & drinks
Meals are served a la carte in the restaurant, which has tables set up inside and outside on a shaded veranda. I loved the cornetti filled to order at breakfast, but there are also eggs, pancakes, smoothies and fresh juices. Complimentary afternoon tea is served everyday at 5pm, a beloved tradition the Maestrellis brought over from Villa Roma Imperiale. For lunch, most guests go to Bagno Assunta for classic seaside fare, like spaghetti alle arselle (tiny local clams) and fritto misto. For dinner, I recommend the signature ravioli with shellfish in datterino tomato sauce and bisque.
Service notes
Led by a mostly female staff, service is informal and friendly. During my stay, the bartender suggested I try his twist on an Aperol Spritz with ginger and the concierge made reservations for dinner one evening in the nearby town of Pietrasanta, which is absolutely worth a visit.
Spa time
There’s no spa, but they’re working on a treatment room for massages and facials that wasn’t ready yet during my stay.
Family perks
Teenagers aged 13 and up are welcomed with the same amenities available to adults, including complimentary bikes to use around town.
You should know...
Guests get priority access to the tents, sun beds and umbrellas at Bagno Assunta, where the first rows are reserved for them. In addition to bikes, an electric vehicle (shared with the Maestrelli family’s other hotel) is available to shuttle guests around town. The Maestrellis have also taken over the adjacent tennis club, which they plan to upgrade and integrate into the offerings for hotel guests.
Accessibility
- The hotel has ADA friendly rooms and bathrooms.
- The hotel has an elevator.
Features & amenities
- Seaside setting
- Restaurant
- Bar
- Free WiFi
- Free parking
- Pool
- Garden
- Fitness room
Contacts
Pensione America
Via Colombo 24, Forte dei Marmi
Tel. +39 05841849370
