Rome's Most Enchanting Seaside Hotel: A 17th-Century Villa with Garden and Lazio Cuisine

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RomeLa Posta Vecchialuxury hotel

La Posta Vecchia in Ladispoli boasts a sensational history that's hard to capture in just a few lines. Yet amid all its splendour, you can still enjoy authentic carbonara mezze maniche and artichoke dishes.

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The Tyrrhenian Sea embraces La Posta Vecchia on three sides — the front and both flanks. One side faces the public beach, while the other looks towards the Odescalchi Castle, to which the property was once connected. Behind lies a 4-hectare park, complete with a vegetable garden. A seaside resort beloved even by Roman emperors, then a noble palace, private home, family summer residence, and since 1990 a hotel — the many transformations over nearly 400 years of history (actually far more, as the ground-floor archaeological museum attests) have each left their mark on this beautiful structure in Palo Laziale, about 40 minutes from Rome.

From Orsini Annex to Family Residence

It all began around 1640 as a servants' annex commissioned by the Orsini family, who lived in the neighbouring castle and needed quarters for their distinguished guests' entourages. In a 1720 painting by Gaspare Vanvitelli displayed at the villa's entrance, the two structures are already depicted together. Over the years, its customs house function also left a trace in the name, but there was a long period when this enchanting place lay abandoned, at risk of being swallowed by the very sea it once guarded. In 1960, the estate (along with the castle) was purchased by the adventurously-lived entrepreneur Jean Paul Getty, who commissioned its restoration, which unearthed the still-visitable remains of a 3rd-century AD Roman villa.

From Boutique Luxury Brand to Nationwide Hotel Group

In the 1980s, Roberto Sciò — also the owner of the Pellicano in Porto Ercole — acquired the property and used it as a family residence for 10 years. Converted into a hotel in 1990, it now offers 21 suites that preserve the classical style (or rather styles) of the building. Sciò's group, now managed by his daughter Marie-Louise, has grown over the years into a true collection, adding the Mezzatorre Hotel in Ischia and La Suvera in Tuscany alongside the Pellicano. In 2023, the property merged with Aermont Capital to develop the Pellicano hotel brand in other Italian locations. 'We look for unique properties like this one — even in less crowded areas, such as Abruzzo,' they tell us.

Da Aurelio Restaurant: Chef Andrea Barcia's Kitchen

Within the villa, several needs coexist: preserving the building's historic spirit (featuring a splendid glass-walled indoor pool and, from summer 2026, a new checkerboard-pattern outdoor pool), maintaining the opulent character befitting a luxury holiday home, and embracing a deeper connection to the local territory — a theme beautifully interpreted through the menu at Da Aurelio restaurant, which benefits from its own vegetable garden and Lazio's countryside produce. Head Chef Andrea Barcia arrived at La Posta Vecchia's kitchen in summer 2025, coinciding with the restaurant's rebranding (formerly The Caesar), inspired by the philosopher-emperor Marcus Aurelius. The menu is grounded in substance, beyond just the allure of an incredible sea-view terrace (unsurprisingly a popular wedding and private event venue).

Lazio-Rooted Cuisine in a Luxury Hotel

The restaurant's menu spans vegetables, fish and meat with an expansive, unbounded approach. Two separate menus are offered: lunch, with clearer, more direct nods to Roman tradition, and dinner, where the chef ventures well beyond the property's territorial borders. At lunchtime, guests can enjoy vitello tonnato, spaghetti alle vongole, carbonara mezze maniche and fried prawns. The dinner menu is more multifaceted, with around twenty dishes ranging from tomato variations in multiple textures to blue lobster with potatoes, lemon and chervil. First courses include red prawn risotto with black lemon and basil alongside potato gnocchi with pecorino romano, summer truffle and farmyard ragù. Main courses feature red tuna with Mediterranean sauce and spring onion, or lamb with aubergine and Roman mint. All preceded by an optional five-course tasting menu priced at €140.