Some people design hotels, others live in them. Marco de Luca does both. Raised in a family with a background in hospitality, he grew up in a hotel on the Amalfi Coast, and it’s that mix of comfort, character, and charm that’s stayed with Marco.
After studying set design in Florence, he completed a Master’s at Domus Academy in Milan, where he learned from some of the biggest names in Italian and international design from Branzi to Bellini, and this has clearly left its creative mark, as today, he’s created something of a living artwork on the Amalfi Coast.
His hotel, Maison La Minervetta, feels less like a traditional boutique stay and more like a personal project, filled with bold ceramics, cool contemporary art, vintage pieces, and objets d’art he’s collected over years of traveling through places like India and Bali. Layered textures and thoughtful details, every corner of Marco’s hotel is a place of inspiration, a true cornucopia of creativity, where travel and creative vision come together in a living expression of art.
Here, Marco shares the story of La Minervetta and the approach behind its one-of-a-kind charm.
Felicity Carter: Can you tell us about your design background?
Marco de Luca: I studied set design in Florence and later completed a Master’s degree in Design at Domus Academy in Milan. I was fortunate to learn from some of the great names in Italian and international design: Andrea Branzi, Gaetano Pesce, Philippe Starck, Mario Bellini, Ettore Sottsass, and many others.
FC: What first drew you to hospitality design, and how has your family influenced you?
MDL: It was 1986, a time when the first design hotels began to emerge, a new and fascinating way to imagine spaces for hospitality. That concept captured my imagination deeply.
On my mother’s side, my family were hoteliers. My grandfather ran a hotel in Sorrento, where I was born. Together with my Danish grandmother, they created Il Minerva, a small hotel, and later, the restaurant La Minervetta. Their home, where my mother grew up, was a hotel, but also truly their house. This was quite uncommon in the 1930s. It was filled with personal furnishings, art, books, everything lived and real. Those memories, influences, and passions certainly shaped the way I conceive and design spaces for hosting.
My Nordic roots remain strong too, thanks to my grandmother Wanda, you’ll notice a love for red, blue, stripes, candles, and warm light throughout everything I do. A home filled with life and shared with friends!
FC: How did you come to inherit La Minervetta, and what made you want to turn it into a hotel?
MDL: Twenty years ago, I inherited La Minervetta from my mother. I decided to transform the restaurant into a hotel and live there myself. I designed it as I would my own home, filling it with the objects I had collected over the years, as well as my mother’s art and design pieces. La Minervetta had to reflect a Mediterranean spirit, I was born in the South, by the sea, and I wanted travelers to feel that immediately.
FC: Your love for ceramics and art is clear, how do they shape the spaces you create?
MDL: I have a deep love for ceramics and local craftsmanship. Everywhere I travel, I seek out pieces to bring back. For La Minervetta, I personally designed all the ceramic floor decorations in Vietri, along with the tableware and more. I love to mix, to play, to provoke with objects and art.
I’ve been collecting ceramics by Ettore Sottsass for over 30 years, his world continues to inspire me. I also collect contemporary art, a passion inherited from my mother. Many of our works come from Lia Rumma, a dear friend and renowned gallery owner from Naples. We even have photographs by Marina Abramovic and Vanessa Beecroft.
FC: What’s the team like at La Minervetta, and why do you think you all work so well together?
MDL: They’re an essential part of La Minervetta, they are my extended family: Floriana, Carmen, Pierpaolo, Andrea, Marco, Enrico, Sara, and the rest of the staff. They truly make the difference, they embody and share the spirit of this place with every traveler who arrives. That human connection, that sense of serenity and sincere hospitality, is the essence of our idea of luxury. Feeling at home, without barriers or distance.
FC: Can you tell us about La Casa di Maratea and how it connects to the story of La Minervetta?
MDL: Our latest project is La Casa di Maratea, a family villa in Basilicata, inaugurated a year ago. It continues the story in the same spirit as Minervetta, a home designed to host travelers in search of peace and untouched nature, in a still little-known corner of Italy. I continue to collect art and objects for this space, blending local culture and design. This place also owes much to Enrico, who has been part of the project since the beginning and takes care of it with passion. He searches for and curates every detail with love, and together with the team, helps give this house its own soul.
FC: What inspired you to create Bazar Minervetta, and how do you choose the pieces for it?
MDL: Bazar Minervetta is a small curated collection of Italian design and local craftsmanship that I’ve designed. Enrico also helps select and source the pieces we showcase and sell.
FC: How do you define luxury, and how do you bring that into your hospitality approach?
MDL: To me, true luxury is welcoming guests into a place that is real, lived-in, a place with soul. A personal space.
What To Pack
Aarons Kaftan in Lemon by Taller Marmo: A bold stay calls for an equally statement dress, and this Taller Marmo kaftan in fitting lemon yellow with fringe channels la dolce vita.
Round Cabochon Gem Ring by Rosa de la Cruz: Accessorize with jewels and to continue the artistic theme, is this aquamarine and blue sapphire ring from London-based brand, Rosa de la Cruz.
Composition Clutch by Olympia Le Tan®: An ode to Dutch painter Piet Mondrian is this Composition clutch that takes inspiration from the infamous 1930s painting, now reinterpreted in bag form by Olympia Le Tan®️.
Red And White Striped Shirt and Shorts by Nobody’s Child: For walks around Sorrento is this easy-breezy short and shirt coord in red and white stripes.
Traversée S Square – Essentials Red by Rue de Verneuil: French brand Rue de Verneuil specializes in timeless totes, and this cotton one with a red trim is perfect for holidaying.
Knot Leather & Rubber Pool Slides by Emme Parsons: A wardrobe essential for summer, these minimal slides are by American coastal brand Emme Parsons, and feature brown knotted leather detailing.