Positano unfolds in layers from the sea to the clifftop, and Le Sirenuse sits right in the middle of that spectacle. Once the private home of the Sersale family, it is now one of Italy’s most celebrated hotels, where every room is different and every balcony claims its own slice of the view. Whitewashed walls, antique furniture and handmade tiles give the place the feel of a private villa that just happens to have 58 rooms. Le Sirenuse is a cliffside icon in Positano, a five star boutique hotel built around antique furnishings, hand fired ceramics and rooms that catch the Mediterranean light all day. With its Aveda spa, candlelit La Sponda restaurant and a pool terrace overlooking the Amalfi Coast, it remains one of the most romantic addresses on this stretch of coastline, especially suited to couples marking an anniversary or honeymoon.

Food

Dinner at La Sponda happens by candlelight, hundreds of them, lit one by one each evening by a waiter who has been doing it for years. Live guitar and mandolin drift across the terrace while you eat, and more than a few proposals have happened here, planned and otherwise. The kitchen sources heritage grains, ancient tomato varieties and oil pressed from olives descended from groves planted in antiquity, then turns it all into food that looks effortless. A simple pasta al pomodoro carries centuries behind it. Breakfast is included and, true to form, comes with one of the best views in town.

Spa

The Aveda Concept Spa has a sauna, a granite steam bath and an ice room, the kind of contrast therapy that makes you feel virtuous and indulgent in the same hour. The gym runs on Technogym equipment and looks out toward the sea, so even your warm up gets a view. Twice a year the hotel runs Dolce Vitality, a fitness retreat built around mountain hikes and Mediterranean food, for guests who want their wellness with a side of cliffside scenery.

Environment

Le Sirenuse sits right in the heart of Positano, on the steep lane leading down to the Spiaggia Grande, a five minute walk from the beach, the boutiques and the ferry landing. From here the whole coastline is on tap: boat trips to Capri, the Li Galli islands or along to Amalfi and Ravello, hikes along the Path of the Gods, and lemon groves climbing the hills behind town. The hotel can arrange private boat charters, guided walks and day trips to Pompeii, so you can spend the morning exploring and be back on the terrace for an Aperol by sunset.

Average Review Score

9.7 out of 10 on Booking.com and 4 out of 5 on Tripadvisor, where it ranks among the top hotels in Positano. Guests consistently single out the staff, the views from the rooms and terraces, and the overall sense of being properly looked after.