For a possible visit next September, with two older travel companions, I am searching for a hotel or hotels (not an apartment) on the Amalfi Coast. My friends have never visited the area. Right now I am leaning towards two nights in Ravello before moving to the coast. It is with choosing a coastal hotel that I am asking for advice.

Swimming is a priority for us. The ideal hotel would offer both access to the sea (we do not need a beach for sunning--we would swim and then move on) and a pool large enough for lap swimming. This combination seems very difficult to find on this stretch of coast. If necessary, we will forgo the beach access.

We will have a car, as we will be arriving from points further south. (Plan right now is to drive along the coast from Lamezia Terme, through Maratea and the Cilento)

Hotels that look possible include:

1. Belvedere Amalfi (if anyone knows this hotel, how far is the actual town of Conca dei Marini and are there restaurants/shops in this village or near the hotel? Is this at the end of a walking trail? I know that Amalfi is within walking distance but the walk is along the main road)
http://www.belvederehotel.it/amalfi-positano-hotel.html


2. Tramonto d'Oro Rooftop pool. How easy is the walk to Praiano itself? What is the closest area for sea swimming and is it walkable? Any comments on the hotel itself?
http://www.tramontodoro.it/_en/positano_hotel.php




Whether to include Capri is still undecided. On the island, hotels that look good (good reviews; pools that appear large enough to swim) include these two; please comment if you have stayed at either:

http://www.hoteltragara.com/hotel.htm

http://www.lunahotel.com/

Any others to consider? I would like to keep the price below 300 euro where possible. To do this, we are trying to take advantage of the rate drop which occurs at the end of September or early October at many properties in this area.

Many thanks!!

Hi,

I'm a local, living in Sorrento, if you are not considering Sorrento as base (good hotels deals and very easy to reach near sightseeing i.e. Capri, Pompei and Amalfi coast).. but anyway if u can splurge in Praiano excellent and paradise on earth is CASA ANGELINA...top quality and if u r quite familiar with stairs, after walking 300 stairs u will reach gavitella beach, a paradise corner of the Amalfi coast..worth every single penny---


in Capri

Punta Tragare ---WONDERFUL ..direct in front of Faraglioni rocks...masterclass hotel...but like evrything on Capri island ..gold....


if u need suggestions on Sorrento Hotels or any other enquiries please feel free to ask...

ciao ciao

www.hoteldelfino.com nice pool beach access

great personally just booked this for $60/nt

on www.otel.com many other nice options

www.hotelsantacaterina.it Priano for upscale

Capri expensive too touristic for me just a quick overnite

do the Grotto would be enough for me.

Take a look at Luna Convento in Amalfi.

Pix of the pool: http://www.lunahotel.it/piscina.aspx

As I recall it is not heated--I don't know if that is typical--this is the only place we went swimming.

Ann: I like the Luna Convento, and they have beach access. I think the pool is quite small, though...I will try to investigate. Thanks for the tip!

Qwovadis: Thank you! You certainly know your hotels! The Santa Caterina in Amalfi, has quite a small swimming pool but does have sea swimming. I took a look here on my last trip and agree that it is lovely.

Hotel Delfino looks nice but we are looking for a hotel on the Amalfi Coast, not near Sorrento...

We are not particularly interested in the Blue Grotto. I know that Capri is very touristy, but I believe that we can escape the masses with some planning in late September. As my friends have never been there, and my last trip was eons ago, I am leaving the decision to them whether or not we will add Capri to the end of our trip.



If anyone is interested, heated pools in the area seem to be limited to these hotels; please let me know if you know of others, or if this info is not correct:


Caruso and Sasso in Ravello
Le Sirenuse and San Pietro in Positano
Best Western Solara near Sorrento
Punta Tragara, Caesar Augustus and a couple of other 5-star GL properties on Capri
Many hotels on Ischia, including the lovely Il Moresco

Hi Eks,

I haven't stayed in the Tramonto d'Oro myself, but did check it out last time I was in Praiano. It's a very nice hotel and is right IN tiny Praiano, right on the Amalfi drive road, so the SITA bus stops right in front.

The beach is approx. 400 stairs down. We counted. It's a typical tiny, rocky cove half-filled with fishing boats. Il Brace is directly across the street. Love their food!

Hope this helps.

Eks--will the next thread be about availability of local prune juices?

Nothing gets past the eagle eyes of our dear Marija!

Come to think of it, I know that the juice in question is available at least someplace in Italy, because I was one of the lead participants in a hunt that spanned quite a few shops in the Camogli/Santa Margherita Ligure area!

Dayle, thanks! It looks like a pleasant family-run hotel and the rooftop pool seems large for those parts....

Anyone stayed at either of the hotels I mentioned above:

Belvedere Amalfi or Tramonto d'Oro in Praiano?

Dayle: Lots of steps! I imagine that there is shade down there a good part of the day...

So where do people go for sea swimming if they stay in that area of the coast?

No first-hand experiences with either of the two hotels I mentioned?

Any comments on Il Covo in Positano, which appears to have a large swimming pool, as well as proximity to the sea? (The hotel has told me that the pool is 20 meters long--can this really be the case?)

http://www.covodeisaraceni.it/



What does one do with a car if staying there, and how difficult is it to drive in and out of that parking area? Have any of you stayed in the standard double room, the least expensive room category?

Hi eks, still in pursuit of the perfect pool, eh? I'm sorry I didn't spend more time investigating the Covo pool when we were there. It is long, the question is how deep for what amount of that length. it's a pretty adult place, so it might not have too much shallow space.

As for car parking, you must leave your car in one of the parking "lots" before getting to the hotel. You might write to the Covo to inquire about what parking lot they recommend. We try not to have a car in that area since you would probably just leave it in the lot and take boats and buses wherever you want to go. We tried driving to Ravello once and decided never again.

We stayed 50 yards from the Tramonto d'Oro last year and ate there twice. Decent hotel in a great location for convenience. But, the waters edge is a tough walk. Five good places to eat within 300 yards.

Thanks very much to both of you!

Julie: I remembered how much you like Il Covo. I don't care how shallow the pool is, only that it is long enough to swim. Since proximity to restaurants of my choosing is also paramount (I know that my priorities may seem a bit askew!) is also paramount, I am concerned with being "stuck" in Positano for dinner. Ah, such problems!!

I also read your comment about the balcony rooms on one of your trip reports. (If you do not want to spring for the balcony rooms, stay someplace else!!)

By the way, do you know anything about the simple restaurant, Il Barilotto di Nonno in Laurito, near the Hotel San Pietro?