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ITALY RAVELLO HOTEL VILLA FRAULO
It has just 26 rooms (including 5 suites), and I must advise you at once about which rooms you should choose. The building sits on the side of a hill. Its upper part is the original residence of the Cortese family, which was eventually re-named after Pantaleone Fraulo, who bought it in 1908. Its lower part is new. With your luggage, you arrive and depart at the lower entrance, on a road which leads up to the town centre. As a pedestrian, you use the higher doorway, which leads you out onto the via San Giovanni del Toro, the street of grand villas. If you can manage the steps for one flight of stairs, the 8th (and top) floor is best. Here are rooms 802 (a Deluxe – 380-560€ a night) and 801 (the ‘Infinity Suite’ – a lovely, spacious, elegant apartment, which certainly deserves its price of 780-1,000€ a night). If the lift is a necessity for you, then it should be the 4th or the 5th floors. (The 6th and 7th floors are occupied by the Restaurant, the Reception and the public sitting rooms.) All the rooms have balconies and terraces and enjoy the views for which Ravello is famous around the world: of the rugged Amalfi coastline and of the sea, gently swaying a thousand feet below.
With Mr di Palma in charge of the cellar, I knew that the wine list would be interesting. At the time of my visit, it had 85 offerings (I expect the number to increase), all Italian apart from the champagnes, with prices ranging from 14€ for a sparkling Italian white to 1,500€ for the 1988 Biondi Santi Riserva Brunello di Montalcino. Many bottles are in the 20€-30€ range. Those who like the super-Tuscans (and who with any oenological sense does not?) will be pleased to see 2003 Tignanello (200€), 2003 Sassicaia (380€) and 1999 Sassicaia (500€). The glassware, by Bormioli, is good. My own drinking included a well-structured, vanilla-laden Umbrian chardonnay (Branito del’Cervo, 2009 - 30€) and two local beauties from the same producer, Marisa Cuomo – a blend of aglianico and piedirosso, full of black fruit and brambles (Furore Riserva, 2007 - 40€), and a delightfully elegant white, with a thrilling balance of acidity, sherbet and melon (Fiorduva, 2009 - 70€). Indeed, well done the Hotel Villa Fraulo. With its perfect location, comfortable apartments, hard-working kitchen and first-class staff, this is a hostelry which will attract those of discernment and taste – like myself. Ravello can be proud of its new hotel.
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ADDRESSES
HOTEL VILLA FRAULO
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© Francis Bown 2003
The astonishing beauty of Ravello attracts both visitors and hoteliers. The latter include some of Italy’s finest. The opening of a new luxury hotel in this magical place is therefore a matter of some importance. I have known for some considerable time about the plans to create this particular establishment. Indeed, I have observed over the course of my numerous visits, as I have walked past on my way to the town’s piazza for my morning coffee, the progress of the restoration. It has been painfully (and painstakingly) slow. Now, however, the work is done, and I have returned to one of my very favourite destinations in Italy to see whether the many years of waiting have been worthwhile. 
They have. I can report that the Hotel Villa Fraulo is a very fine establishment indeed, and I am happy to pay tribute for his achievement to the owner – the jovial, enthusiastic and ever-present Matteo di Lieto (pictured with your correspondent). He has done a marvellous job, not least in securing some first class members of staff, and has ensured that this is a worthy addition to the stock of Ravello’s finest hotels.
Here you find prettiness all around, with ancient ruins, quiet gardens and views of the Cathedral tower. The general principle with the accommodation is: the higher the better.
My own room was number 403, a Junior Suite on the 4th floor (560-650€ a night, bed and breakfast for two). Here there was much pristine white, including the painted walls and ceiling and the ceramic tiles on the floor. A period-style mahogany writing table and a sofa in beige damask provided some colour. The bed was large, and made extremely comfortable for me, by the addition of numerous soft duvets under the bottom sheet. In the walk-in wardrobe was a safe and in the bathroom was a lot of white marble. (There is much marble throughout the hotel, an abundance which imparts a pleasing sense of occasion to crossing its floors and sitting in its salons.) The separate loo (with a bidet) and the separate shower were behind glass doors. The tub was of good size, and I could therefore soak in warm comfort each evening, before engaging in the usual pre-prandial struggle with my stiff collar and studs.
I always like to dress properly for dinner, but I was particularly anxious to uphold the highest sartorial standards here, for I knew that the Restaurant Manager and Sommelier was an old friend. When I last saw Daniele di Palma (pictured), he was the Sommelier at Rosselini’s Restaurant, in the splendid Palazzo Sasso, just a few yards up the via San Giovanni del Toro. Now he is in charge of the elegant dining room at the Villa Fraulo. There could be no safer pair of hands. Mr di Palma knows about wine and he knows how a grand dining room should function. It was therefore no surprise to find that my linen napkin was replaced when I left the table for a moment.
Sitting inside, on a blue and white fauteuil by the 19th century fireplace, or outside, on a metal armchair on the terrace next to a marble fountain, I found the environment entirely conducive to enjoyable eating and drinking. Chef Giovanni Cioffi (pictured) cooks good ingredients with care, combines them with intelligence and serves them in healthy portions. It would be difficult not to enjoy his food. From my own experience of his cuisine, I will commend to you the full-bodied flavour of Campania ham, served with melon pearls and fig-flower jam, the clear tastes of mixed grilled vegetables with basil sauce, scialatielli (thick ribbon pasta) with aubergines, some really excellent and carefully cooked meat – beef fillet and lamb fillet, both deliciously tender – and the tip-top rhum-baba. (Allow 65-70 euros for four courses.) Admittedly, there was canned music, for which I do not usually care, but, as it was provided by Mr Sinatra, I was content.
I returned to the restaurant terrace each morning for breakfast. Thus did I encounter another impressive member of staff – Maurizio. He looked after me with proper diligence, and ensured that my mornings began, shaded from the sun and able to gaze at the coastline far away, with pots of coffee, glasses of orange juice and plates of grilled local fish. From the buffet I took croissants, slices of lemon cake and dishes of strawberries and of pineapple. Maurizio even turned off the fountain, so that my tranquility should not be disturbed. Well done, that man.
