The hotels fascinating history dates back to the end of the 1800s when a sea captain named sebastiano foti was sailing the ionian sea in the middle of a voyage the captains ship hit a huge storm that threatened to destroy it foti prayed to the madonna and promised that if his life were spared he would settle down and start a family at the very place where he reached dry landas the ship struggled against the elements tossed on the stormy seas the captain caught sight of the capocolonna