The Swedish-founded brand opened La Roqqa on the peninsula last year, and now has big plans to further elevate the higher-end offering in the area.
Connected to the mainland by one road split by two lagoons, the peninsula has been somewhat overshadowed by the cities of its central Italian counterparts.
Tourists, particularly first-time ones, often prioritise seeing Florence, Rome and Pisa, which, although beautiful in their own right, lack the beach experience many visitors to the Mediterranean crave. Monte Argentario, with its numerous beaches and coves, offers a perfect solution to this dilemma.
“Everyone knows about Tuscany, but Argentario is a unique place because you can have access to both the sea and the Tuscan countryside at the same time,” Stefano Cuoco, chief executive officer of Erqole, tells TTG Luxury. “Plus, it’s only 90 minutes driving from Rome, and two-and-a-half hours from Florence.”
New arrivals
Porto Ercole is Monte Argentario’s second most populous village and home to many of the peninsula’s main attractions, including an old town with a medieval fortress and a bustling marina of restaurants, bars and boutique shops.
Last year, it became the address of Erqole’s inaugural property, La Roqqa, which sits at the foot of a 19th-century lighthouse and also happens to be the first luxury hotel to open here in several years. Formerly Hotel Don Pedro, it offers 55 guest rooms and suites, two culinary experiences and a rooftop terrace with stunning panoramic views.
But more than just a renovation and rebrand, Erqole sees this as an urban regeneration project containing a hotel at its heart designed to offer a “new simplicity”. Its interior design is heavily influenced by the outside surroundings; terracotta reds reflect the hues of Porto Ercole’s architecture, lush greens nod to the island’s diverse vegetation, and turquoise blues honour its irresistible waters.
There’s also all the trademarks you’d expect from a luxury hotel, including a penthouse suite and access to Issoloto, the company’s newly created private beach club.
Local luxury
For guests of La Roqqa, Erqole’s guest services team is on hand to offer bespoke activities, focusing on experiences that are unique to the destination while also benefiting the local community.
“Our guests can access luxury anywhere in the world,” Cuoco says. “There are so many well-known properties that deliver a high-level experience – the yachts and the red carpet. It is not what we encourage, though. We encourage them to experience the destination.”
He adds that La Roqqa’s most booked experience is one with its resident fisherman, who requires guests to sacrifice their lie-in to join him on the boat.
“The skipper wants you on the dock at 4.30am, or he will go out without you. You have to work with him,” he reveals. It’s an early morning, but one that, for many of Erqole’s clients, is worth the early start.
“He’ll bring you to certain spots that he knows,” Cuoco says. “Then, when you come back, you can prepare the fish in a cooking lesson with our chef, before enjoying a traditional meal you make yourself.”
Other popular activities are horse riding in the lagoon, wine tasting with sommeliers, and yoga lessons at Erqole’s beach club. Private tours can also be arranged to the Roman archeological site of Cosa, or the nearby islands of Gigglio and Giannutri.
Realising a vision
A long-term project, this is one that has big backing. Erqole is part of Swedish investment business Qarlbo, owned by the Jonsson family, members of which discovered this area on their personal holidays and saw the potential to invest and elevate the area.
Qarlbo is also the co-owner of Pop House Entertainment with original ABBA member Bjorn Ulvaeus, with whom it invested in Mamma Mia! the Party and ABBA Voyage, and the group also owns and operates hotels and restaurants in Stockholm on the royal island of Djurgarden.
On a local scale, Erqole has taken the village’s name for a reason. It is determined to build a lifelong relationship rather than just a summer fling with Porto Ercole.
This loyalty is perhaps no more evident than in its largest project, “Fabbriqa”“, which, when complete in three years’ time, will “attract new guests and create job opportunities”.
Erqole bought an old fish canning factory and the surrounding land in 2016, and Cuoco says the transformation of the site, is “moving forward”, with the company awaiting building permits to get going. Disused for almost 40 years, the former Cirio plant is located in one of the best positions in Porto Ercole.
There are also plans to turn this into a wellness destination, with a 2,000-square-metre spa, in the hope of bringing even more business to the region.
Meanwhile, Erqole has also recently taken over a local hotel called Boutique Hotel Torre di Cala Piccola, with the intention of turning that into a five-star resort.
“We have a vision of a portfolio approach for Erqole. We are enhancing the experiences that we give to guests, using all the properties together,” says Cuoco. “This is how we are putting Porto Ercole on the radar.”
