As its name suggests, Palazzo Sasso was originally a palace. Richard Wagner wrote part of the Parsifal here in 1880. Although it was built in the 12th century, it wasn't until after World War II that it became a hotel; guests in the 1950s included film celebrities Roberto Rossellini and Ingrid Bergmann, singer Placido Domingo, and author Gore Vidal. During the 1970s, the hotel closed but fortunately drew the interest of Richard Branson and his Virgin Group, under whose aegis it reopened in 1997, after a $20 million refurbishing. Nowadays, the hotel is under different management but maintains its super-deluxe standards as a member of the Preferred Hotels group.

Many of the palace's original medieval and baroque features have been retained, and the hotel's furnishings are largely from the 18th and 19th centuries. There are 45 rooms and five suites, all air-conditioned. All suites have sea views, and rooms have either sea views or views of the gardens below and nearby mountains. My own room had a view of the gardens and adjacent pool and patio. Like most European hotels in this class, Palazzo Sasso can also arrange an extraordinary menu of outdoor and neighborhood activities for the guest; this includes ocean fishing, horseback riding, tennis, visits to nearby beaches, and even helicopter touring. The hotel's rooftop sun terrace features hydromassage plunge pools. Personally, aside from the time spent out on the terrace, with its spectacular views of the winding southern coastline, I also enjoyed the ornate drawing room and library area, with its feeling of being back in a late-19th century mansion. Palazzo Sasso is a unique mix of grandeur and intimacy, spectacle and comfort, high style and relaxation, made possible by friendly management and staff. All of this makes it the type of huge splurge that leaves you feeling you also got great value.

Contact info: www.palazzosasso.com; e-mail: info@palazzosasso.com