A 16th-century watchtower on the coast of Italy’s Ischia has been reborn as a five-star hotel from the Pellicano Group.

Il Mezzatorre sits on the northernmost tip of the island, occupying a secluded bay with views over the Tyrrhenian Sea. Its 46 rooms and 11 suites, which start from €342 per night, are located in the historic tower and surrounding cottages. They are decorated simply, mostly painted white, blasts of colour coming from the staggering vistas beyond the windows.

The hotel has both outdoor and indoor pools, two restaurants, a beach club and a boutique curated by the Pellicano group’s creative director Marie Louise Sciò.

The hot springs of Ischia have been drawing visitors for centuries, and Il Mezzatorre’s wellness centre channels the restorative powers of the local water and mud to treat health complaints and improve wellbeing.

The island is one of Italy’s most popular holiday destinations, beloved by Truman Capote, Charlie Chaplin, Elizabeth Taylor and Luchino Visconti, whose former villa La Colombaia is a few minutes walk from the hotel.

Via Mezzatorre, 23 · 80075 Forio d’Ischia (Na)

Read next: How I live: Marie-Louise Sciò, creative director of Il Pellicano Hotel