That’s Amore: Romantic Hotels in Positano & the Amalfi Coast
Dreaming of escaping à deux in the summer and spending your days sipping wine, taking afternoon naps and dining under the stars? If long lazy lunches, swimming in crystal waters and snoozing by the pool before a cocktail at sunset sounds good, look no further than Positano on the Amalfi Coast. The Hotel Guru recommends where to find love and la dolce vita.
Casa Angelina
Casa Angelina will make even the headiest romantics swoon. Everything revolves around “Love” at Casa Angelina, the ultimate romantic hideaway on the Amalfi Coast – it provides the most perfect of settings for an idyllic romantic escape with a loved one, celebration of a lifetime honeymoon or a milestone anniversary.
It’s one of the most romantic boutique hotels on the Amalfi Coast. Contemporary and modern with a timeless elegance it exudes an intoxicating warmth as soon as you arrive. Sitting high on the cliffs on the Amalfi Coast in Praiano, just a little outside Positano (25 minutes), Casa Angelina offers a whiter than white piece of designer minimalism on the Mediterranean coast. The 42 white rooms and suites can be small and therefore seemingly expensive, but believe me when I say they’re pretty close to perfection, as are the stunning views of the blue sea, a dazzling contrast to the white-on-white palette throughout Casa Angelina.
Whether you’re enjoying a light lunch at the poolside or a tantalising menu at the glorious rooftop restaurant Un Piano Nel Cielo with breathtaking sea views of the Amalfi Coast, every meal at Casa Angelina is extraordinary.
All guest rooms overlook the sea (either with front sea view or just lateral/partial sea view) and most of them have balconies/terraces. The white-on-white colour scheme and understated chic design of the hotel are also reflected in the style and décor of all room categories. All pieces of furniture, including headboards, bedside tables and desks, were designed by Architect Marco De Luca and made by local artisans in Sorrento. Also, the floor ceramic tiles were designed for Casa Angelina and made by Daria Scuotto in Vietri Sul Mare (here on the Amalfi Coast), who is the last ceramic artist in the area.
Le Sirenuse
Hotel Le Sirenuse is a luxury hotel on the Amalfi Coast with a longstanding family history. Le Sirenuse opened in 1951, when four Neapolitan siblings, the Marchesi Aldo, Paolo, Anna and Franco Sersale, decided to turn their family summer house into a small, charming hotel. Today, this 58-room hotel with a restaurant, pool and spa is one of the best seaside hotels in Italy, let alone the Amalfi Coast and is the most sought-after luxury hotel in Positano. The feel of a private residence still remains, and the sophisticated and elegant interiors have a signature style, much of which was defined by Franco, an art connoisseur. Still very much a family affair, Franco’s son, Antonio and wife Carla look after the running of Le Sirenuse and Carla’s boutique, the Emporio Sirenuse. Paolo’s daughter Marina created Le Sirenuse’s fragrance and skincare line Eau d’Italie (available online if you can’t visit in person) with her husband Sebastián Alvarez Murena, while her sister Giulia designs Le Sirenuse’s much-admired outdoor landscape and indoor greenery.
Almost all of the rooms, suites and junior suites at Le Sirenuse look over the bay of Positano, and most have a private terrace or balcony. All of the traditional, yet luxurious rooms feature whitewashed walls, vaulted ceilings and handmade tiles from the Amalfi Coast, as well as antiques and artworks from the family’s own private collection, emanating the feel and atmosphere of a private home. Each of the 58 rooms and suites at Le Sirenuse is reminiscent of a glittering past and has its own charm and style. Whitewashed walls, traditional vaulted ceilings, traditional ceramic tiles made by local artisans (many in the centuries-old ceramics ‘factory’ Fornace De Martino), and classic antiques are complemented by artwork from the family's private collection. The sweeping views take in the iconic dome of the church and Positano's colourful houses across to the Mediterranean Sea and the Li Galli Islands, from where the hotel takes its name.
La Minervetta
In contrast to Casa Angelina, boutique hotel La Minervetta is alive with colour. This design masterpiece is 40 minutes from Positano in Sorrento. La Minervetta was built in the 1950s originally as a restaurant and has been in the same family since then. In 2006, it was restored and brought back to life by Marco de Luca, the grandson of Giovanni Cacace Sorrentine and Wanda Schwartz, who fell in love with Sorrento and had the vision to build this stunning clifftop hideaway. Marco’s eye for detail and architectural perspective is evident in the witty and colour interiors, making La Minervetta one of the coolest places to stay on the Amalfi Coast, perfect for a sunny summer holiday or la dolce far niente.
Palazzo Murat
A home from home has never felt so good as at Palazzo Murat. The exquisite interiors, the period furniture and the magnificent location make this Palace one of the most unique places to stay in the world. You’ll find this darling little palazzo on the main road, Via dei Mulini, that leads to Spiaggia Grande, the large beach. Shaded amidst charming scented gardens, this 19th-century building was once where Gioacchino Murat, king of Naples and brother-in-law to Napoleon, spent his summers. Intent on making your stay as memorable as possible, anything and everything is made possible by the team at Palazzo Murat.
Al Palazzo restaurant is where chef Giuseppe Forte creates traditional dishes from the area using local ingredients and specialities including buffalo mozzarella from the Lattari Mountains, artichokes from Paestum and fragrant herbs from the hotel’s own kitchen garden.
Each room at Palazzo Murat is unique, but what they all have in common is dazzling views of Positano, a rarity not found in other boutique hotels in Positano. The king of Naples fell in love with this charmer, and I think you will too.
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Lulu Townsend's love of hotels started when she was young; her first job was making breakfast in a small hotel in Pimlico, London. Having lived in Spain, France and Italy In 2000 she catapulted her parents Umbrian hotel into all of the major travel magazines around the world before starting a boutique hotel marketing brand in 2002 from her garden shed. Her love and passion for boutique hotels and their owners was evident in her choice of independent hotels, villas and B&Bs. Lulu lives in Suffolk with her two daughters. Her reviews are authentic, firsthand and made through her critical and experienced eye. Note to all you hoteliers out there for a hotel of any level to be truly loved by Lulu the bathroom must have flannels! To find our more about Lulu visit her website lulusluxurylifestyle or @lulusluxurylifestyle
