J.K. Capri Hotel - AD Brochure

N. 314 - LUGLIO 2007RIVISTA INTERNAZIONALEDI ARREDAMENTODESIGNARCHITETTURA

EDIZIONE ITALIANA

AS SEEN ON AD

ESTRATTO Hotel JK ingdef1.indd 3 3-08-2009 11:41:31


CAPRI NIGHTS

THE J.K. PLACE CAPRI HOTEL REVIVES

THE ISLAND’S MYTH WITH AN IMAGINATIVE

SPIRIT OF LANDS BEYOND THE OCEAN

DESIGN BY MICHELE BÖNAN TEXT BY CESARE CUNACCIA

PHOTOGRAPHS BY MASSIMO LISTRI

The evocative horizon of Capri is entrusted to the gaze of a bronze sphinx from

the late 1800s, already present at the villa prior to the restoration. The hotel

is set into a hillside overlooking the sea, just beyond the harbour of Marina Grande.

RIGHT: the entrance, simple and dignifi ed, marked by an old palm tree.


BELOW: along the stairway with a balustrade of oriental inspiration designed by Michele Bönan, Portrait of Lady Ashley, an oil on canvas by Stanley Grimm, 1950, and black-and-white photographs depicting some of the famous guests of Capri. RIGHT: the lounge. Sofa with armchair produced on a design by Bönan, vintage ottomans by Flair, and an early 20th century Chinese console.

Capri is simply mythical. Not even overexposure by the media, the assault of mass tourism, or globalisation can touch its mystery, the signifi cance of a legend un-

stained for more than two thousand years, since the Roman Emperor Tiberius chose the pale rocks of Capri as his princi-pal residence and made it the centre of the world. A myth, as we said, nurtured by centuries of imagination, by the imperial idleness in Tiberius’ Apragopolis as well as by the memories of Axel Munthe and a constellation of Russian political refu-gees and eccentric Brits and Scandinavians, from the golden age of the ’20s of the Futurists and the divine Marchioness Casati to the star system of “Hollywood on the Tiber” and the contribution of 20th century icons the likes of Mona Bis-marck, Jackie O. and Curzio Malaparte. “Capri and no longer Capri,” explained Raffaele La Capria in one of her celebrated

ESTRATTO Hotel JK ingdef1.indd 6 3-08-2009 11:42:11 ESTRATTO Hotel JK ingdef1.indd 7 3-08-2009 11:42:27

An exterior view with a picturesque glimpse of the Sorrento Peninsula in the background. The Penthouse Rooms faces directly onto the large terrace with teak fl oor and tables and umbrellas by Gloster.



REFINED COMBINATIONS AND ATTENTION TO DETAIL

LEFT: in the JKitchen Lounge & Restaurant, the wide

plank wood fl oors are painted black. On the wall, art

photograph by Massimo Listri. ABOVE: in the bar area, the boar skin barstools are produced by Chelini.

ABOVE RIGHT: also in the JKitchen Lounge & Restaurant,

a Chinese porcelain vase three metres tall and a collection

of plaster casts of coins from the early 1900s on the wall.

Tables and armchairs designed by Bönan. Fabrics by Dedar.

RIGHT: from the dining room, a charming view

en enfi lade of the other rooms.



books. It is diffi cult to approach such a fascinating and immense plot, to contend with such a preponderant genius loci and with the siren allure of this island suspended over the waters of the Gulf of Naples. Diffi cult, but not impossible.

Taking the place of the Palatium, a hotel with a long tradition set into a hillside directly overlooking the sea, just beyond the harbour of Marina Grande, the new J.K. Place Capri has risen to this challenge brilliantly. With twenty-two rooms, twenty of which with a sea view, opening onto the azure charm and classi-cal air of the Gulf of Naples, the hotel is suffused with a cosy lux-ury, more like a private residence than a hotel. Michele Bönan, the Florentine architect who in his native city was responsible

ABOVE: in a guest room, an elegant canopy bed. LEFT: in the library, white wooden bookshelves with glossy mahogany interior. The rug, sofa, armchair, and table are by Bönan; the accent pillows are vintage. BELOW: statue of a faun in a corner of the dining room.


A SINISTRA: il bar del ristorante accoglie un vaso in porcellana cinese alto tre metri e una raccolta di calchi in gesso di monete del primo ’900, alla parete. Tavoli e poltroncine disegnate da Bönan. Tessuti di Dedar.SOPRA: nella biblioteca, le librerie sono di legno bianco con l’interno in mogano lucido. Tappeto, divano, poltrona e tavolino sono di Bönan, i cuscini sono vintage.QUI A DESTRA: l’architetto fiorentino Michele Bönan.

★


WARM COLOURS AND STYLISH FURNISHINGS RENEW TRADITION

LEFT: the breakfast corner in one of the hotel’s guest rooms. Armchairs

and coffee table designed by Bönan, white parquet floor. Fabrics

by Dedar and sconces by Estro. ABOVE INSET: centuries-old

trees protect guests’ privacy while relaxing at the pool.

ABOVE: refined furnishings and style in the TV zone as well.

ABOVE RIGHT: the utmost attention to details also in the service.

RIGHT: exquisite combinations of materials, furniture, and colours

give special warmth to this suite.


A spectacular sweeping vista of Marina Grande and the Sorrento Peninsula from the terrace of the J.K. Place. Flooring in teak plank. The chairs, settees, and tables are by Gloster.

for the concept of the fi rst of the hotels owned by the group headed by Ori Kafri, has been extraordinarily successful in evoking the endless chapters of the deeply rooted memory of Capri, pages of masterful décor that combine anglophile hints with references to Palm Beach and the Hamptons, ne-oclassical nuances overlaying free associations of the tastes of the Cerio family, the “reigning” Capri family for almost a century, from the late 1800s onward. The guiding thread is the inimitable glamour of Capri in the 1950s and ’60s, the years dominated by such outstanding international habit-ués as Emilio Pucci, who opened his fi rst boutique at La Canzone del Mare, Gracie Fields, Hubert de Givenchy, Lee Radziwill, and the Prince of Hesse. Throughout the hotel, black-and-white photographs recount this radiant mythol-ogy and Pompeiian bronzes and plaster casts evoke the ar-chaeological imprinting of the island, the stylised mark of the furniture designed by Bönan.

A palette of vivid and Mediterranean colours designs the walls, with pure white moulding and hints of capitals. The expansive terrace facing the city of Naples gives the

illusion of being on the deck of an enormous yacht. The teak flooring and wicker chairs invite meditation, dream-ing. Vesuvius, sleepy and sly, dominates the broad horizon like a true master of the house, almost dilated by a thou-sand reflections of sunlight on the sapphire and emerald canvas of the sea. The J.K. is the only hotel on Capri with direct access to the beach.

The smell of the sea, the sound and force of the Tyrrhenian enhance the hotel’s charm, vibrating with poetic accents. The guest rooms offer further evocations. White lacquered wood fl oors, one’s gaze free to lose itself in a unique panorama, grey marble in the bathrooms, fabrics in golden yellow, absolute white, and navy blue, inspirations of the ’60s and ’70s from the decorative vocabulary of David Hicks.

The restaurant – the JKitchen Lounge & Restaurant –, a new point of reference for island cuisine that revisits the lo-cal tradition with intelligence and lightness, is actually not a true restaurant and does not have a set menu but, according to the season, suggests unexpected delights with an ances-tral fragrance of home. The refi ned and familiar welcome so



typical of Capri pervades each dish in a simple style that com-bines the impressive details of the Chef with the traditional and delicious simplicity of Caprese cuisine in a cheerful, re-laxing atmosphere, unique for every occasion, from breakfast to dinner. At the J.K. Place Capri, the illusion of enjoying the spaces of a private residence is absolute, and the service, dili-gent and attentive, is almost tailored ad personam.

The garden, fragrant with lemon trees and shaded by opulent palms, features a large heated pool in the centre. In the back-ground, the pavilion holds the fi tness centre. Mirrored arches con-ceal the sauna, Turkish bath, and gym with view of the sea. And if the fateful Piazzetta seems far away, transfers are assured up to the wee hours by an electric car and a minivan. Or, if you prefer, you can scale the stairways and gentle climbs that zigzag through magnifi cent citrus groves and vegetable gardens, that caress old chipped walls, porticoes, and charming old homes. And suddenly, in an unexpected glimpse, the sea and the sky will seem to be one. This, too – you can be sure –, is the magic of Capri.

LEFT: a suffused and cosy luxury and masterful decorative interplays expanded by the presence of the linear mirror. ABOVE: a black-and-white photograph by Franco Pace acts as the line of demarcation for the play of symmetry created by the doors and armchairs. BELOW: a corner for reading and relaxing in one of the suites, where your gaze is free to lose itself in a unique panorama.


The armchairs and rug are designed by Michele Bönan, the accent pillows covered in fabric by Dedar. The black-and-white photographs are by Christopher Draghi. White leather stool by Chelini. OPPOSITE PAGE: from a guest room to a terrace to the gardens, every corner of the J.K. Place offers moments of true serenity.


GDS CODES AMADEUS LX NAPVSC

APOLLO/GALILEO LX 73878

SABRE /ABACUS LX 48178

WORLDSPAN LX NAPVS

AN OASIS OF LUXURY AND DISCRETION THAT INVITES MEDITATION


ABOVE: the swimming pool delineated by Estro lanterns created by Michele Bönan.

Via Provinciale Marina Grande 225 • 80073 Capri (Napoli), Italiatel. +39/0818384001 • fax +39/0818370438

[email protected] • www.jkcapri.com


Documents

J.K. Capri Hotel - AD Brochure