The best hotels in Positano
Once a quiet fishing village known only to a few (mainly Italian) cognoscenti, Positano is now one of Italy's most popular destinations and the jewel in the crown of the Amalfi Coast. Picture a vertically-challenged tumble of cubed, pastel-hued houses, impossibly picturesque and undeniably beguiling. Visitors who arrive off-season get the privilege of seeing Posi (as it is affectionately known by locals) at its relatively empty best. Springtime is all vivid colour and clear, fresh skies while autumn is more mellow and the sea is still warm enough for a swim.
There's a wide choice of hotels in Positano, many of which are family-run, and they range from Italy’s best hotels and most exclusive retreats to charming guest houses and the best villas on the Amalfi Coast. This is our edit of the best hotels in Positano, both in the town and just along the coast.
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Nicolas PartyLe Sirenuse
It was in this ‘old family house’ that John Steinbeck stayed, and some 65 years later the aristocratic Sersale family’s former summer residence – set in the upper reaches of the village and painted ox-blood red – still masters effortless, summertime chic perfectly. Cool, sunny reception rooms are filled with family antiques, pictures and trailing plants; gorgeous bedrooms and suites have handmade Vietri tiled floors and vaulted ceilings, and most have balconies or terraces with knock-out views. Aldo’s is the place to be for a glass of fizz at sunset, then on to dinner at ridiculously romantic La Sponda where two old-timers serenade you with guitar and mandolin as you tuck into lemon risotto with capers and babà.
Il San Pietro
Glamorous yet discreet, luxurious but never stuffy, the legendary San Pietro dates from the 1960s when Carlo Cinque blasted into the sheer rock face just east of Positano to build himself a villa. Now managed by his family, and beloved by A-listers from across the globe, the hotel encapsulates Amalfi Coast retro-chic. Gleaming public spaces and immaculate bedrooms and suites all have sea views and terraces (some huge); the most coveted also take in Positano’s tumble of cliff-hanging buildings. Gourmet restaurant Zass serves up creative coastal food on a fabulously romantic terrace while far below is the beach club and relaxed Carlino’s where you can feast on spaghetti alle vongole to a background of crashing waves.
Casa Buonocore
Climb the 70-odd steps just above Piazza dei Mulini to this smart little guest house and you find yourself in a soothing world far removed from the masses below. The Buonocore family’s elegant yet relaxed palazzo offers a central location, beautiful rooms and reasonable rates. A scented, plant-filled terrace (good for evening drinks) leads to a comfortable sitting room with squashy sofas, bright fabrics and a well-stocked library. Eight pretty bedrooms range from the compact to the positively palatial: one two-roomed suite has a vast terrace with marvellous views over the town and out to sea. The beach is a 10-minute walk down the hill; towels and beach bags are supplied.
Hotel Poseidon
The Aonzo family’s unashamedly old-fashioned hotel sits on the busy main road into Positano and offers a homely contrast to the town’s more design-conscious five-stars. An old wooden lift (dating from 1965 and the town’s first) trundles you up to the 50 bedrooms, which are spread over four labyrinthine floors and an expansive roof terrace with pool, bar, restaurant and sitting areas. Inside, the original furnishings and décor have been lovingly preserved but there are 21st century luxuries too (fab mattresses for starters) and the whole place has a retro-cool edge to it. Sunset cocktails and dinner at Il Tridente (which serves up an ace taglierini with lobster) watching the town light up like a Christmas tree are un-missable. One of the very coolest things? The vintage WV Beetle soft-top at guests’ disposal for spins along the coast.
Dan KullbergVilla Treville
Film and opera director Franco Zeffirelli’s former coastal retreat sits on its own promontory just east of Positano, immersed in expansive terraced gardens which tumble down to the sparkling Tyrrhenian Sea. Treville is all about secluded, old-school luxury; not for nothing did Madonna choose it for her birthday bash. Fabulously theatrical suites, named after former guests (Elizabeth Taylor, Maria Callas et al) and some with their own pools, are scattered through the estate’s four villas and filled with Zeffirelli’s eclectic collection of art and objects. There are terraces with unparalleled vistas for breakfast, sunset cocktails and intimate dinners prepared with organic produce from the kitchen garden: lazy lunches are served at waterside On the Rocks. For trips into town there’s a shuttle boat, but why leave?
Marincanto
Giuseppe Vespoli, erstwhile mayor of Positano, opened his modest B&B in 1970; the present, much smarter version is now run by his grandchildren. From the street-level car park, a lift plunges you down to the main floor and a sunny open-plan reception and lounge area, all pale creams with flashes of sunflower yellow and knockout views of the sparkling blue sea through French doors. Drinks and meals are served on a huge panoramic terrace shaded by lemon trees from where steps lead down to a cliffside infinity pool; another 300 take you down to a private beach. Bedrooms and suites, divided between the main building and a Pompeiian red annexe, are done out in bright mod-Costiera style: all but one has a private outdoor space.
Palazzo Murat
If you want to stay in the thick of things, this lovely 18th century palazzo on the crowded main drag down to the beach is the place. The dreamy courtyard, dripping with magenta bougainvillea and filled with birdsong is a very lovely spot for a pre-dinner Campari or breakfast while on a lower level is a shady garden with restaurant terrace and a small pool. The rooms in the original palazzo are quite grand with high ceilings, four-posters and antiques: those in the modern wing overlooking the garden are smaller, simpler (and cheaper) but still perfectly comfortable and all have private terraces.
