Soho

SOHO belongs to the Classic 120 series, one of about twenty hulls of this model that Benetti built, and she is easy to pick out in a marina thanks to her navy-blue hull. Stefano Righini drew the lines; François Zuretti designed the interior. She was launched in 2009, has sailed as Blue Bay and African Queen, and in 2025 came out of a thorough refit that brought her systems and furnishings up to date.

What sets her apart from many yachts of this length is where the owner sleeps. The master suite sits at the front of the main deck and looks forward, so the view through the windows is the coastline ahead rather than the marina behind. It comes with a walk-in wardrobe and a large bathroom. The other cabins are below, among them a twin with a Pullman berth that is handy for an extra child.

The sky lounge is built for evenings in: a bar, a widescreen television, deep sofas and a card table for anyone who prefers a game to a film. Up top, the sundeck has a forward seating area and sunbeds aft, and part of it can be turned into an open-air gym in the morning.

Families with teenagers should note that she is listed as an RYA training centre, so the crew can teach guests to handle the toys properly rather than just hand them over. At the stern the transom folds down into a bathing platform, and she flies the British flag. Stabilisers that work at anchor take the edge off the swell on nights spent off a beach.

She usually works the French Riviera, Corsica and Sardinia. She is not for a group that wants contemporary minimalism or long, fast passages between distant islands, and she will not suit twelve adults who each want their own cabin. Pick her for a family summer on the Riviera aboard a classic Benetti that has just been renewed.