Via del Canaletto 240, Campo nell'Elba, Fetovaia, Italy
Small property with warm hospitality
Green hotel with environmentally friendly practices
Close to the famous Fetovaia Beach
Chlorine-free pool with quaint patio
Beautiful garden with exotic plants
Breakfast, half-board, and full-board options available
Not directly on the ocean
Simple rooms contrasting with stylish common spaces
Fee to use whirlpool hot tub
The Hotel Montemerlo is a small, family-run, eco-friendly (with awards to prove it) hotel, a five-minute walk from the famous Fetovaia Beach in Elba Island. There are 35 simple rooms spread out over four buildings as well as a casual restaurant and a beautiful garden with a variety of exotic plants. It's not on the beach, but there is a swimming pool and a whirlpool hot tub (for a fee!) on-site.
Scene
Mediterranean ambiance with gardens and white facades
The hotel is accessible from two roads: a coastal scenic road that runs around the southwestern coast of the island, and an internal lane that leads to Fetovaia Beach. Guests enter the hotel via an exotic garden filled with tropical plants and the white facade of the hotel's buildings creates a quintessentially Mediterranean ambiance. Each of these buildings has a nature-themed name; for example, the front office, bar, and restaurant are located in the “Casa della Rondine” (Swallow House).
Location
Close to one of Elba's longest beaches
The hotel is close to Fetovaia Beach, a beautiful sandy bay in the southern part of the island and one of the longest in Elba; note that it can get very crowded in peak season. To reach the sea, the guests have to walk down a path for about five minutes. Fetovaia Village is not too lively during the evenings; for more action, Portoferraio and its port, as well as Capoliveri and Porto Azzurro, are a 45-minute drive away.
Rooms
Simple but clean rooms, some with partial sea views
Rooms are simple -- especially when compared to common areas -- and smallish but clean. Some first-floor rooms have sea views, although these are partially obscured by buildings. Ground-floor rooms have direct access to the garden. The interior decor is plain, with white walls and basic, well-maintained bamboo furniture. The bathrooms are small and plain and have soap dispensers instead of individually packed toiletries, in keeping with the hotel's eco-friendly commitment. That said, guests who want mini toiletries to take home can request them from the front desk.
Features
Eco-friendly policies with chlorine-free pool
The Hotel Montemerlo is eco-friendly and has earned an award from Legambiente, the Italian League for the Environment. Environmentally friendly practices extend to the breakfast, which consists primarily of local products (such as homemade cakes) and to the pool, which is chlorine-free. There's a fee to use the whirlpool hot tub next to the pool; guests must purchase a token good for a 15-minute dip. The restaurant is in a simple hall with red arches and no outdoor eating area, and dishes are primarily of the Tuscan variety. Half- and full-board rates are available and can be opted for on a day-by-day basis.