Our history

Naples, 1949. 
The Neapolitan engineer Roberto Fernandes acquired the Hotel Royal des Etrangers, an elegant seaside property almost completely destroyed by the retreating German forces.

Fernandes, a visionary and determined entrepreneur, had already been investing in the nascent tourism industry. 
In place of the old Royal, he dreamed of a cutting-edge hotel with over 300 rooms, a swimming pool, a rooftop garden, a bar, and a restaurant.

He entrusted the project to architect-engineer Ferdinando Chiaromonte, a leading figure in modern design, particularly attentive to technological and structural innovations.

For the interior design, Fernandes sought out Gio Ponti, a Milanese architect and designer, internationally celebrated for his pioneering approach to functional aesthetics.

The two immediately found a shared vision that united them: Ponti admired Fernandes’ ingenuity, vision, and entrepreneurial drive, while Fernandes trusted Ponti to infuse his concept with a fresh, modern spirit.

In 1953, Ponti joined the Royal project, overseeing the interiors and redesigning the pool, which he moved from the originally planned sixth floor to the tenth-floor terrace—suspended between the Gulf of Naples and Mount Echia.

In 1955, the new Royal opened its doors, offering the most advanced comforts of its time—elevators, air conditioning, and a distinctive style of its own.

The rooms featured signature dashboard-style headboards with integrated nightstands, lighting, and magazine racks, three-drawer chests, circular-mirror dressing tables, and luggage stands.

Many of the furnishings were crafted by Dassi Mobili Moderni of Lissone, using fine walnut and cherry woods, accented with brass and glass details.

Clean lines and simple geometric forms reflected a rational, modern design ethos.

The hotel also embraced an early form of eco-conscious design, employing innovative technologies to conserve natural resources.

One striking example was the seawater-fed pool, pumped from the Gulf to the tenth floor through an ingenious system that also helped cool the building’s facilities.

In 1954, Domus magazine featured the Royal’s pool on its cover under the headline

“A Pool on the Roof.”

The Hotel Continental was a rather run-down property dating back to 1911, located between the Royal Hotel and the Hotel Vesuvio.

In 1978, the property was acquired by a real estate company with plans for its demolition and reconstruction, commissioning architects Alberto Izzo and Camillo Gubitosi—both closely associated with the Modern Movement and leading exponents of an internationally oriented architectural language. 
Their work in Naples pays tribute to Le Corbusier’s postwar Brutalism.

For the Continental, they conceived an imposing reinforced-concrete structure with a rectilinear façade and a distinctive corner design: the side facing the nearby Hotel Royal is angled at 45 degrees, allowing the lateral balconies to enjoy views of the Gulf of Naples as well.
In 1990, before the hotel became operational, the Hotel Continental was purchased by the heirs of Engineer Fernandes.

In 2003, the services of the two hotels were unified to create the Hotel Royal Continental, a distinctive property composed of two buildings with very different styles, yet united by a strong architectural personality: expansive spaces, clean geometric lines, high-quality materials, and breathtaking views of the Gulf of Naples.

Thanks to its strategic location, large capacity, and top-tier services, the hotel has also become a prominent venue for major events and conferences. 
It features 14 modular meeting rooms of varying sizes, all equipped with advanced technological facilities, as well as a 500-seat auditorium suitable for all types of events—from professional conferences to public gatherings, including multiple editions of TEDxNapoli. 

In 2012, at the initiative of Teresa Naldi, granddaughter of Engineer Fernandes and founder of the Royal Group brand, a philological restoration was carried out on the 24 rooms on the first floor of the Royal building, in order to return them exactly to their original design.
This led to the creation of the Gio Ponti Floor, a museum floor whose rooms are exactly as Ponti had imagined them.
The floor is often the subject of guided tours, organized in collaboration with associations and such as FAI – Fondo Ambiente Italiano, Open House, and others.

The Royal Continental is not only a venue for events, public meetings, artistic performances and conferences, but also a sort of contemporary square, shaped to respond to the needs of a metropolis in constant transformation.
Between 2022 and 2024, it expanded its offering with a cocktail bar, a restaurant, and a gelato bar: Elements, Otto s.l.m., and Desìo.
Three street-facing food outlets are designed for hotel guests, but also for those who experience the city every day and are looking for a new place to meet, to work, or simply to enjoy a quality break.

The Royal Continental offers not only rooms and hospitality, but also a contemporary social space, open, dynamic, and inclusive. 
A living place, whose life is intertwined with the daily life of the surrounding area.