Porto Ercole, Italy

Hotel Il Pellicano

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The takeaway

A storied Monte Argentario hideaway for travelers who want old-school Italian coastal glamour, serious dining, and sea access in a compact, cliffside setting.

About the hotel

Hotel Il Pellicano is a long-established Tuscan coast hotel on Monte Argentario, spilling down a cliff into a private cove above the Tyrrhenian Sea. Created as Il Pellicano in 1965 and later acquired by Roberto Sciò in 1979, it trades on an intimate, dolce-vita mood rather than grand-resort sprawl. Rooms and suites sit in the main house and cottages, with sea-view terraces, gardens, a private beach terrace reached by elevator, and a heated seawater pool shaping the stay.

Choose it if

You want a Tuscan coast stay with direct sea access, not a town-center hotel: the property drops into a private cove with a beach terrace and pier.
You care about the ritual of lunch, aperitivo, and dinner as much as the room: there are two restaurants, two bars, and a 1,700-label cellar.
You like seaside downtime with some activity built in, from water sports and boat outings to tennis, yoga, and a proper Technogym-equipped gym.

Skip it if

Skip it if you need a year-round hotel: the 2026 season runs from 2 April to 26 October.
Skip it if you’re traveling with children under 8: the hotel states it welcomes children aged 8 and older only.
Skip it if you want a broad sandy beach setup: sea access here is via a private terraced beach and elevator on a cliffside cove.

The property

In photographs.

Guest discussion

What real people are saying.

Reddit excerpts · separate from Rex’s editorial judgment

Guests describe Il Pellicano as highly styled and photogenic, with enough pull that one stay report suggests treating it as a destination in itself and spending most of your time by the sea on-property; another specifically calls out dinner as a highlight. That appeal is tempered by one firsthand complaint that staff at the front desk, pool, and beach were notably hard to find.

“Incredible place, every bit of the place is extremely curated and picturesque.”

r/FATTravel ↗ · Jun 18, 2024

“Definitely plan to spend all of your time at the property by the sea”

r/FATTravel ↗ · Jun 23, 2026

“I would however recommend doing dinner at Il Pellicano. It was truly fantastic.”

r/chubbytravel ↗ · Jul 11, 2026

“People at the front desk, pool, beach, everywhere will hide from you”

r/FATTravel ↗

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