History

The hotel was originally built as a private villa in 1889 by the aristocratic Costa family of Corsica.

In 1905 a new wing was added to establish the villa as hotel and then in 1910 the building was further extended to its present state.

One of the most famous guests of the hotel was Queen Elena of Savoy along with other well-known representatives of the aristocracy of the time.

Famous writers and artists, such as Pirandello and Eleonora Duse, were regular guests of the charming Imperial Suites on the floor were the nobility once lived.

On April 16th 1922, the German Minister for Foreign Affairs Walther von Rathenau and the Soviet Commissioner for Foreign Affairs Georgij Vasilevic Cicerin met in the oval room, now “Treaty Room”, to sign the famous Treaty of Rapallo, which marked the end of the First World War.

The Imperiale Palace is today one of the most outstanding and prestigious hotels in the Ligurian Riviera, satisfying the most demanding client and taking one back to memorable times long gone.