Dimora dei Lari

Dimora dei Lari is in Via Cicerone 23, in the area of Baia, a hamlet of the municipality of Bacoli in the province of Naples, in the heart of the Campi Flegrei. It is a position that is worth the journey on its own: the Terme Stufe di Nerone are about nine hundred and fifty metres away, twelve minutes on foot, the archaeological park of the Terme di Baia one and a half kilometres, the submerged park of Baia a little further on, the Castello Aragonese of Baia with the archaeological museum of the Campi Flegrei two kilometres, the Casina Vanvitelliana and Lake Fusaro a little over two, Lake Averno two. From the terraces one looks out over the gulf of Pozzuoli, and on clear days the gaze reaches as far as the city.

There are five rooms, all with a front sea view, and they carry names taken from the history and the myth of the place: 301 Baios, 302 Agrippina, 303 Epicari, 304 Sibilla, 305 Fiammetta. Each has a private terrace with solarium and, the house states, a hydromassage tub, as well as carefully chosen furnishings, a flat-screen satellite TV, a minibar, a telephone, a safe, free wifi and a private bathroom with shower; the portal adds bathrobes, bath towels, a tea and coffee set and a kettle. The property is classified as three star and has a lift.

On the wellness side a distinction is needed that counts here more than elsewhere. The house has no common spa, has no pool and gives no sauna, Turkish bath or massage room: the hydromassage does exist, but it is inside the rooms and is private, not a shared wellness area. The thermal chapter, on the other hand, is all outside and within walking distance, because we are in the area of the Stufe di Nerone and the Roman baths of Baia. The website's silence about other facilities is not a formal denial, but no source documents them.

The second reason for coming here is the table. The Coevo restaurant, Mediterranean, with à la carte dishes and tasting menus, has a cellar and a wine list of its own and a glazed room looking out over the gulf; the house also organises happy hours at sunset. It must be said with equal clarity that Dimora dei Lari is also a venue for weddings, parties and corporate events, with a garden, terraces and large indoor rooms: anyone looking for five quiet rooms should know that at weekends the property may host a ceremony, and it is worth asking when booking.

On the rules of access the booking portal writes that children are not allowed, and the restriction is total. The minimum age as a figure is not published by any source: the official website does not state it on any page, so this page does not report eighteen years or any other number, and anyone travelling with a minor should ask for written confirmation before booking. Pets are not allowed, as the portal states.

Among the services are the large free internal car park, a reception that also handles taxis and excursions, room service, laundry, luggage storage, a bar and breakfast. Check-in is from 15 to 23, check-out between 8 and 11. The identification codes stated are 15063006EXT0042 and IT063006B4TOL5VDTG.

It suits those who want the Campi Flegrei without giving up the view, a private terrace with a tub and serious cooking on the floor below, arriving by car and finding somewhere to leave it. It suits less those looking for a spa proper, a pool or the absolute certainty of silence in a house that also hosts weddings.