Atelier Ines is a space of art and originality in the heart of Naples

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Until a few years ago, Rioni Sanità’s reputation in Naples was notorious. Someone dared to venture down its alleys to see Toto’s birthplace and the famous Palazzo dello Spagnolo, when the neighborhood at the foot of the Capodimonte hill was inhabited by the nobility and the upper middle class. In the year 2000, thanks to the work of the parish, associations and institutions, the area began a process of redevelopment, while the tourist salvation took place about three years ago, due to the positive alignment of the stars.

The rising star, for example, was the young pizza maker, Ciro Oliva, who created the queue in front of his grandmother’s pizzeria with his light dough and faithful toppings. The atmospheric, undiscovered underground area suddenly ended up on everyone’s lips with a catchy word of mouth that also required stopping at Poppella’s for “Snowflake,” a delicious ricotta-based dessert. The pioneers of hospitality in this authentic corner of Naples, where festivities pay tribute to Maradona and the third wave of scudettos, are Enzo and Ines, who have transformed the home studio of Enzo’s father, sculptor Annibale Ost, into a delightful little art-hotel with eleven rooms.

The lab remained intact, a workshop filled with prototypes, drawers, tools, and works to be finished, where Enzo makes metal sculptures, furniture, and jewelry. In the remaining spaces they have created nine wings decorated with the works of the Father and the Son. All unique pieces are handmade, from door knobs to mismatched chests of drawers, to brass inlays on windows and walls, with a few antique tables and chairs to complete the bohemian vibe. The pavilions are small art galleries, of which individual pieces can be bought and ordered, and stitched together into convivial environments: the patio with little sitting rooms for chatting, a pergola for breakfast (Lucolian, with homemade fruit juices and Neapolitan pastries), a studio for smart work, the back garden for lounging between Majestic installations by Annibale.

Context is essential to understand how perfectly placed Atelier Ines, that is the name of the hotel, is in its urban fabric, between courtyards and gates that are not barriers but transparent, houses all around, with clothes hanging, children playing on the balcony and Pino Daniele’s music coming from an open window. The Atelier is an unusual, fun and well-kept hotel, full of the infectious vibe of the owners who never tire of offering ideas to make every minute of your stay intensely filling.

A place to return to many times, even just to stay there and observe life in Naples. Find a moment to visit Enzo’s forge and watch as he forges iron and silver into balls of anchovies, angels, and chariots. If you like it, you can book an art workshop with him.