Nature inside and out

Located close to the scenic Gardesana road between the towns of Limone and Riva del Garda, the former Hotel Panorama has been completely refurbished and reopened as Hotel Eala. «The aim of the renovation project was to draw inspiration from the natural environment surrounding the old complex while creating a contemporary building whose architecture would blend in with the landscape thanks to the use of traditional local forms, colours and designs,» says architect Marco Savorgnani from Gesia Studio.
The resultant structure has two different façades reflecting this need for integration with nature. The first façade is clad with vertical spruce slats in the same colour as the chestnut timber used for the structures of the historic lemon houses; the second façade, which offers views of the lake from the four different types of suites, follows the contours of the nearby mountains (including Monte Baldo) and consists of concrete panels made from a mixture of marble grit and other inert materials in colours reminiscent of bare rock.
The interior layout includes a reception area with lounge bar looking out directly onto Limone sul Garda, while the wine cellar, gourmet restaurant and chef’s table are located on the ground floor. The lower floors — culminating in the wellness area — house the four different types of suites. Here the interiors stand out for their constant reference to nature in the form of stone-look ceramic tiles from Florim, particularly the Stones&More 2.0, Étoile de Rex and Les Bijoux de Rex collections. Marco Savorgnani provided additional details about the types of porcelain tiles used in each of the suites: «In the Albus room (named after the word for white in the Celtic language) the Pietra di Grè effect porcelain recalls the stones of the lake, while in the Nemos (sky) room the white marble-effect floor tiles with their grey veins convey the idea of clouds and the cerulean-coloured wall tiles conjure up the sensation of a clear blue sky. In the Alisia (stone) rooms, the porcelain tiles reference the natural patterns of marble with white, black and yellow veins. In the Argantos (silver) rooms, the contrasting white marble-effect porcelain with dark veins and black porcelain with pale veins absorbs or refracts the light reflected by the silvery metal slabs.»