The Dante House, Naples, review: Luxury hotel chic meets B&B practicality

In a nutshell: A rare find where the boutique chic of a luxury hotel meets the functionality and independence of a B&B.

The neighbourhood 

There really is something about Naples – it’s rough and ready, it’s energetic, it’s alive. This authentic charm is exactly why the city will have you planning your next visit before you’ve even finished your first.

At first glance it can seem chaotic. Mopeds speed in and out of traffic (we’re told by several locals that they’re actually very good drivers and never crash), barely a wall in the city isn’t covered in graffiti and street art, and the nights (even mid-week) buzz with the chatter of locals and tourists alike.

But it’s the pull of this organised chaos that (as a former New Yorker) led me to enthusiastically proclaim the city “Europe’s Brooklyn”. Then again, it’s also so much more than that.

What Naples offers is a blend of old and new that at once clashes and coexists beautifully – here, you can experience ancient history and the coolest bars, all in one place.

By day, explore the old town, where every turn surprises you with another ancient church, cobbled street or historic home. Take a tour of the underground of the city and walk through tunnels trod by the Romans. Walk to the high point of Castel Sant’Elmo to look down on the iconic Spaccanapoli – the straight and narrow main street that literally splits the city in two – or pay a visit to the square in the Spanish quarter, which has been transformed into a shrine to one of football’s biggest legends: Maradona (to say he’s idolised here would be a major understatement).

By night, the city comes even more alive as groups of friends gather in the historic squares and at homely restaurants and effortlessly trendy bars, where people laugh, drink, smoke and eat gelato into the night. As the home of pizza, it’s also a food-lover’s delight. Wander the streets sampling the classic margherita and marinara pizzas, try the famous deep-fried pasta (trust me, it’s worth it) and get a deli sandwich unlike any other, with the freshest meats and cheese around.

Naples has the added benefit of also being considerably more budget-friendly than some of its neighbouring Italian hotspots (here, a classic margherita or marinara pizza from the city’s most…