Grand Hotel Parker’s (NA)

The oldest hotel in Naples, the Parker’s was born from the dream of perfect hospitality of an English gentleman, George Parker Bidder III, and continues today with that of the Avallone family who has made it an essential destination on the modern Grand Tour in Italy.
For over two centuries, the Grand Hotel Parker’s has been the undisputed protagonist of the social life of Naples, the result of an epic so romantic that it could be the perfect script for a Hollywood film.
Symbol of elegance and excellent hospitality, its history began in 1870 when George Parker Bidder III, a wealthy English marine biologist, while working at the Biological Station of the Real Villa, today the Villa Comunale, used to stay at the then Hotel Tramontano Beau Rivage which was located nearby.
For us it is an honor to pass on and preserve the history of such an important hotel, a treasure chest of Neapolitan art.
(Francesca Torre Avallone)
It is said that one day he was disturbed in his room because the hotel had been lost at gambling by its owner and that, therefore risking being evicted, Parker Bidder III, asking Mr. Brazil how much his debt was, said: “Good. Put it on my account. Now I would ask you to let me rest“.
That was how he became the sole owner of the hotel, it is not known whether for a wise investment or to avoid having to leave his beloved room with a view of one of the most beautiful panoramas in the world, from Posillipo to Vesuvius across the entire Gulf of Naples.
Under the management of Parker Bidder III, the hotel became an international cultural and social hub, with important guests such as Robert Louis Stevenson, Virginia Woolf and Oscar Wilde, until his death, in the post-war period, when, once again, the structure was saved by another illustrious figure.
It was the lawyer Francesco Paolo Avallone, or rather “The Lawyer” tout court, as he is still called today, famous for having followed many sports celebrities, who brought Parker’s back to its former splendor by undertaking a massive renovation.
Transformed into a refined 5-star luxury hotel by the Avallone family, sole owners now in their fourth generation, the Grand Hotel Parker’s lets its guests relive the luxury, elegance and tradition of an ancient residence in Naples during the Grand Tour.
The family itself “looks after” it as if it were their own home, continuing to feed the art collection contained therein, including the imposing classical statues, precious copies of authentic Hellenic and Roman finds from the Archaeological Museum of Naples, works from the renowned Fonderia Chiurazzi.
Parker’s offers 67 rooms and suites, including the Parker’s Suite, the two-story apartment where George Parker Bidder III himself used to stay (and if you happen to see the view from the living room window, you’ll understand why he bought it!).
The hotel is famous for having the most beautiful terrace in Naples, not only for the unparalleled view, but also for the presence of its 7 Muses, beautiful classical statues that frame the sea, also the work of the Chiurazzi Foundry.
The Bidder Terrace, located on the sixth floor, is open for breakfast, to taste the proposals of the all-day dining menu or also an aperitif (services also available to non-guests of the structure). Its cuisine is a tribute to the recipe book handed down with love by Mamma Matilde, the historic owner of the hotel.
The hotel also hosts the famous George restaurant, the first and only two Michelin stars in Naples, with the guidance of chef Domenico Candela who stands out for an elegant gastronomic cuisine, infused with the aromas and colors of the Campania tradition, in which the classic technique merges with his creative flair.
Parker’s is Naples, in all its excellence, in its poetry and hospitality which, if done with the heart, has no equal in the world.
The Secret
The Parker’s is linked to the Guinness Book of Records for the oldest message bottle ever found in the sea. George Parker Bidder, a scholar of marine currents, used to entrust hundreds of bottles to the sea in the hope that they would be found and returned. And so did two German pensioners who, in 2015, walking along the coast in Amrum, Germany, found one with a note from 1908 inside that asked them to write the date and place of the discovery on a postcard and send it to the marine laboratory in Plymouth, England, in exchange for a reward of one silver shilling. So they did and the rest is history.
Useful Info
Grand Hotel Parker’s
C.so Vittorio Emanuele 135
80121 Napoli
Tel. +39 081 7612474
Rooms from 300 euro with breakfast included