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Travel + Leisure

One of Italy's Most Stylish Tuscan Seaside Towns Just Got a New Hotel—With a Beach Club Along the Ligurian Coast

Pensione America Pensione America's design reflects Forte dei Marmi's posh seaside energy—there are plenty of chic, comfortable spaces for relaxing throughout the hotel. Each of the 17 rooms and suites, along with the two-story, two-bedroom villa, feature a private terrace or veranda ideal for enjoying a morning espresso or an afternoon aperitivo. The all-day restaurant serves seasonal, elevated Italian dishes prepared by local chef Sabrina Pucci. While the hotel has a pool, beach club Bagno Assunta is just a two-minute bike ride, and the sunbeds closest to the water's edge are reserved for Pensione America guests. As I arrived at Pensione America, I noticed a single grayish-green bike casually parked at the hotel's entrance. An infrequent biker at best, I didn't think much of it as I wheeled my suitcase under the elegant, vine-laden pergola toward Pensione America's shaded veranda. And yet, less than 30 minutes after being warmly welcomed and ushered to my room, I was steering the handles of my bicycle (complimentary for the next few days) onto the quiet residential street and toward the town center. Biking in Forte dei Marmi—a small, chic Tuscan beach town tucked between the Ligurian Sea and the Apuan Alps—is the primary form of transportation. Ample bike lanes run parallel to the coastline, dotted with manicured beach clubs. After an idyllic five-minute ride down the beach, I took a sharp right into Forte dei Marmi's glitzy town center where high-end shopping reigns and melds with gastronomy. Shop at pretty much any high-end designer you can think of, then set your bags down for a coffee at Caffè Principe, owned by Miuccia Prada, or cool off with a gelato at the Louis Vuitton kiosk. Every Wednesday and Sunday morning, a suitably luxe outdoor market takes over the central Piazza Marconi, offering made-in-Italy cashmere, linens, and Tuscan ceramics. Sit and relax among the lemons trees. Manfredi Gioacchini/Pensione America With a new scarf blithely secured in my bike's chic front basket, I rode back to Pensione America. The intimate hotel feels like home, which is exactly what owner Sara Maestrelli intended. She and her family, who own and operate the newly opened hotel, have been decamping to Forte dei Marmi for decades. 'I would spend summer here with the cousins, my brother, my grandparents, friends from the beach. The summers felt kind of the same year after year, and that consistency was, at the end of the day, what we looked forward to every June,' she told me. 'It's part of who we are." By design, Pensione America aims to provide guests with that same feeling of villeggiatura, which is the Italian word for a prolonged summer vacation by the sea or in the countryside. This tradition is woven throughout the hotel, which is open from Easter to early October. There are plenty of cozy spots to relax with a book or a drink, seated comfortably in stylish wicker chairs—from a communal living room with a baby grand piano, a marble chess set, and stacks of coffee table books to a terraced restaurant serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. A stone path through the neatly trimmed lawn leads guests to the hand-painted Sicilian ceramic tile-lined pool, flanked by emerald green loungers. Lounge chairs and daybeds lay around the pool. Manfredi Gioacchini/Pensione America Pensione America was originally built in 1899, commissioned by a Roman artist as a private home. It was sold in the early 1920s and turned into a pensione (or boarding house), which the current owners drew inspiration from. It's the fifth hotel in the Maestrelli family's Collezione Em and joins Villa Roma Imperiale, their other luxury boutique hotel in Forte dei Marmi. While the family wasn't necessarily looking to expand its portfolio in the area, when Pensione America came on the market, they couldn't resist. After a meticulous renovation that took years to complete (they purchased the property in 2021), the hotel opened in April 2025. Settling in for a pre-dinner aperitivo on my room's plant-lined terrace, I took in the view of the sparkling pool, where a few guests lingered to catch the last of the afternoon light. The sounds of a particularly lively game of tennis being played behind the nearby pine trees and the clink of cocktails filtered through. Reaching for my glass of bubbly Franciacorta, I could see the allure of villeggiatura—even for a long weekend. Here's what it's like to stay at Pensione America in Forte del Marmi. The Rooms There are 17 guest rooms and suites in Pensione America's L-shaped main building. La Villetta, a two-story, two-bedroom villa, is also nestled among pine trees overlooking the pool. The hotel's general vibe pairs chic coastal nostalgia with a celebration of Italian craftsmanship, as the elegant decor of the public spaces extends to the accommodations. While each room is slightly different in layout and furnishings, all have a private terrace or veranda, comfortable beds, and hand-painted wallpaper by Italian designer Elena Carozzi. My room (number 15) was a 452-square-foot junior suite that, while tucked just next to the restaurant, remained quiet and peaceful. It also had a spacious closet and a 193-square-foot terrace, offering just enough privacy to enjoy a morning coffee or take an afternoon riposo. The spacious bathrooms feature colorful hand-painted tiles by ceramicist Nicolò Giuliano (his work also lines the pool) and are stocked with products by Florentine-based brand Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella, along with plush robes and towels. Food and Drink In true pensione-style, Pensione America has one restaurant and its purpose shifts throughout the day—breakfast becomes lunch becomes complimentary afternoon tea and cookies. Aperitivo transitions seamlessly into dinner, and all are taken al fresco under the veranda's shade. I met Pensione America's chef, Sabrina Pucci, when she popped out of the kitchen to check on me over dinner. The Forte dei Marmi native's dishes skew seasonal and fresh, with a focus on ingredients that speak to the Italian coast. Her feather-light gnocchi with clams and bottarga gave me ample reason to shower her with compliments, as did her custard-filled pastries the next morning. In addition to the aforementioned freshly-made pastries, breakfast at Pensione America includes a buffet with: fans of ripe mango, pineapple, and melon; kiwi halves presented in egg cups; the requisite granola/dry cereal/nuts/yogurt spread; and daily cakes and crostatas presented on platters of varying heights. The à la carte menu features options like uova al pomodoro or eggs in tomato sauce, pancakes, and savory crepes to enjoy with expertly-made caffeinated drinks. While you can certainly stay on property for lunch, Pensione America's attentive team will be happy to book you a cabana and/or a lunch reservation at the family's stylish beach club, Bagno Assunta. The beach club's menu—where options include fritto misto of fried seafood and vegetables, a salad with seared tuna with fennel, and spaghetti alle arselle, a local specialty made with wedge clams—is an ideal match for the specific kind of toes-in-the-sand joy that is seaside, Italian holiday dining. Activities and Experiences Owner Sarah Maestrelli spent a good part of her childhood summers playing at Tennis Club Roma just next door to Pensione America, so it makes sense that the family decided to purchase the tennis club and offer guests access to the nearby clay tennis courts or arrange a private lesson with an instructor. If you prefer to leave your tennis whites at home, the hotel also has a small gym on-site. Or you can skip the workouts altogether in lieu of bike rides into town and to the beach. Speaking of the beach, afternoons in Forte dei Marmi tend to revolve around time spent by and in the sea. Here, every family seems to be a member of the same bagno (beach club) for generations. Fortunately, staying at Pensione America provides access to this family's beach club, Bagno Assunta, a short two-minute bike ride away. Even better—the club's navy blue towel-lined sunbeds, chairs, tents, and umbrellas closest to the water's edge are reserved for guests of Pensione America. Lunch, snacks, and aperitivo can be ordered and delivered right to your spot on the beach. There are also clean changing rooms and showers to rinse off a full day of salt and sand before hopping back on your bike. The Spa While the hotel doesn't have a spa, the team can arrange in-room treatments by request. Family-friendly Offerings Pensione America is an adult-only hotel (guests must be 13 years or older) and feels especially well-suited for—and visited by—couples. Accessibility and Sustainability Pensione America offers two ADA-compliant rooms, both Junior Suites. Guest rooms are stocked with full-size toiletries, and there are no single-use plastics. The hotel has partnered with Italian artisans and companies. Location Enjoy the view from a hotel's lounge area. Manfredi Gioacchini/Pensione America Forte dei Marmi is set on the Tuscan coast and sheltered by the Apuan Alps. The closest international airport is Pisa's Galileo Galilei Airport (PSA), about 26 miles from the seaside resort town. You can also take a train from Florence's Santa Maria Novella train station, which takes an hour and 40 minutes, or rent a car. The hotel is located just south of the town center, a five to 10-minute bike ride into town and a two-minute bike ride to the seaside. Book Now Pensione America is a Leading Hotels of the World member, and Leaders Club members receive benefits, such as early check-in, late check-out, and upgrade priority on arrival. The hotel is open seasonally from Easter to early October. Nightly rates at Pensione America start from €1,600 ($1,850). Every T+L hotel review is written by an editor or reporter who has stayed at the property, and each hotel selected aligns with our core values.