The 18th-century palazzo converted into a 5-star deluxe hotel is located on a bluff in the heart of Positano. The eclectic-style public space here is limited, the pool is not large but the views offer panoramic sea sweeps. The décor with its romantic arches, vaulted ceilings, and handmade floor tiles has an unpretentious residential feel to it and the staff is sophisticated and adept at anticipating their guest’s needs. All rooms are full of light and decorated with a combination of antique and contemporary furniture, and contrasting cool whitewashed walls. Most rooms have a balcony or terrace overlooking the azure sea where at night the gentle sound of waves can be heard.
The San Pietro di Positano is more than a hotel. It is a journey within a journey, where memories are created and never forgotten. A haven of peace, immersed in nature, this elegant home harmonizes old-world traditions of hospitality with contemporary, understated luxury. Escape to this small slice of paradise suspended between the sea and sky.
From its elevated cliffside position just outside the pedestrian-only center of Positano, the Sirenuse commands wonderful views over the tumble of village houses, the colorful maiolica dome of Santa Maria Assunta, and the beach. A five-minute walk down the narrow, tourist-clogged streets brings you to Marina Grande with its ranks of sunbeds and umbrellas and busy quayside where you can hop on a ferry for Capri, Sorrento, and Amalfi.
In 1953, John Steinbeck described the Sirenuse as ‘an old family house converted into a first-class hotel, spotless and cool’ and the description still holds today. The lovely old villa (now extended into adjacent buildings), painted deep ox-blood red with white trim, was once the private seaside residence of the aristocratic Sersale family, and it still has that sort of feel in spite of being super-chic and sophisticated. Rooms are stuffed with an eclectic collection of museum-quality antiques and paintings, contemporary art, and curios all to a background of dazzling white paintwork and glorious hand-made Vietri-tiled floors. Vast potted plants abound and tall French windows open onto sun-drenched terraces making the most of the classic Positano views.
The hotel is run with a winning mix of charm and Swiss-trained efficiency by Antonio Sersale and his wife Carla with extraordinary attention to detail. Facilities abound; a superb Aveda spa designed by Gae Aulenti, a pool terrace with sun loungers and lemon trees in huge pots, one of the most romantic restaurants in the world, and several bars. There are two boutiques selling everything you need to fit in with the understated-but-oh-so-chic Amalfi Coast look. You can avoid the seething masses in Positano altogether by hopping on one of the hotel’s boats; there’s a wooden gozzo for complimentary trips and a very glam vintage Riva speedboat for sunset cruises with champagne. The calendar of regular activities offers Pilates classes, guided walks in the hills, and visits to a limoncello factory or the local fish market with the chef. There are wine tastings too. Excursions can be arranged to Capri, Pompeii and Herculaneum, Vesuvius and Naples, and transfers to and from Naples train station and airport.
Individually furnished and each different from the next, the 58 dreamy rooms and suites are predominantly dazzling white with bright fabrics, hand-made tiled floors, and fabulous views from balconies and terraces. Large, supremely comfortable beds are made up of crisp white Frette linens. Thoughtful details abound; a cloth-bound copy of John Steinbeck’s famous article on Positano for Harper’s Bazaar, a guide to the antique pieces in the hotel, and an excellent map of the area. Gorgeous bathrooms in white tiles, marble, and gleaming chrome, are supplied with generous quantities of the delicious in-house Eau d’Italie products
At Le Sirenuse, have built four temples to this dolce vita belief system
La Sponda
Any chef will tell you that stunning backdrops like this are a challenge. But for La Sponda’s executive chef Gennaro Russo, that view, that music, and what’s on the plate aren’t that different. All three are the result of centuries of patient symbiosis between man and the natural world. In a simple plate of pasta al pomodoro, a branzino grilled to perfection, or a Neapolitan babà dessert so light and fluffy you can cut it with the side of a fork lie stories of viscounts and peasants, fishermen and princes, but also stories of rivers, forests and volcanoes, dry-stone wall terraces and patiently tilled kitchen gardens.
At least one dinner at the La Sponda restaurant is a must, not so much for the unfussy Michelin-starred food (seafood salad with thyme and lemon, pasta with local lobster, saddle and rack of lamb) which is excellent but because the whole experience is breathtaking, from the uber-romantic views and the zillions of flickering candles to being serenaded by two old-timers on guitar and mandolin. Before dinner, guests gather on the terrace of the Champagne and Oyster bar for bubbles and bi-valves, or at super-hip rooftop Franco’s.
Breakfast served adjacent to the pool terrace, is a feast that includes all sorts of fresh-baked pastries and bread (don’t miss the warm, ricotta-filled sfogliatelle), homemade granola, buffalo milk yogurt, smoked tuna, and fresh mozzarella. Herby omelettes and other made-to-order hot choices are served under silver cloches. Lazy summery lunches (salads, pasta dishes, grills) are served on the shady pool terrace.
DON’T WORRY BAR
Hiding in plain sight, Le Sirenuse’s original hotel bar nestles in a discreet corner of the suite of living rooms at the heart of the Sersale family home that became a hotel in 1951. It’s a real insiders’ bar, one of those tucked-away shrines to the classic cocktail culture that inspires such affection among aficionados of the genre.
The bar area itself is a jewel case in gold leaf, walnut, brass, and precious onyx, sensitively restored and restyled in 2020 by interior designer Annalisa Bellettati. At its center is a precious antique acquired by Franco Sersale – the walnut-veneer work desk of an 18th-century Neapolitan jeweler, bearing on its intarsio facade personifications of Europe, America, Asia, and Africa.
POOL BAR
When paradise is a Caprese salad and a glass of sparkle.
The Pool Bar is there for you. Reserved exclusively for guests of the hotel, it is as easy as a breeze. In the mood for a frozen margarita? Craving a Club sandwich? Pining for pasta al pomodoro? We can do that and more, while you soak up the dolce vita atmosphere. But even here by the pool, we cut no corners. You’ll find heirloom tomatoes grown on the slopes of Vesuvius in that pasta al pomodoro, you’ll bite into a Club sandwich that took chef Gennaro Russo months of patient experimentation to perfect. And if you’re curious about the Amalfi Coast and Campania region wine scene – just say the word. It’s your vacation.
ALDO’S
As for the menu, you know those times when dinner beckons but you feel like something fresh, easy and seasonal? That’s Aldo’s. Oysters, fresh-off-the-boat seafood, Neapolitan classics, healthy vegetarian or vegan salads and sides, followed perhaps by the last word in tiramisù – Aldo’s is all about how simple that thing we call ‘eating well’ can be. If that’s not la nuova dolce vita, we don’t know what is.
