Hotel Bristol Palace
A historic hotel on Via XX Settembre in central Genoa, close to Piazza De Ferrari and the Via XX Settembre shopping street, known for its Belle Époque architecture and elliptical marble staircase.
Hotel Bristol Palace was built in 1905 to a design by architect Dario Carbone, as one of the grand hotels that lined Genoa's Via XX Settembre. It is known for its Art Nouveau — or Belle Époque — architecture, and in particular for an elliptical marble staircase at its centre.
The hotel's guest list is reported to have included the film director Alfred Hitchcock, and the staircase is popularly linked to a scene in his film Vertigo.
During the Second World War, the building was occupied and used as a German headquarters; after the war it was used by the Italian Committee for the Liberation of Northern Italy. It later underwent a major restoration, completed in 2014 under the Duetorrihotels Group.
We mention Hotel Bristol Palace here as a genuine historic hotel in the city, distinct from — and unrelated to — Palazzo Cicala itself; see our Genoa guide for more on the wider city and its neighbourhoods.
At a glance
- Built in 1905, designed by architect Dario Carbone
- Art Nouveau / Belle Époque architecture; elliptical marble staircase
- Guests reportedly included Alfred Hitchcock; staircase popularly linked to a scene in Vertigo
- Occupied as a German headquarters in WWII; later used by the Italian Committee for the Liberation of Northern Italy
- Major restoration completed 2014, Duetorrihotels Group
- Via XX Settembre, central Genoa, near Piazza De Ferrari and the Via XX Settembre shopping street