Mally

Hi. Two months before our honeymoon and my fiance has failed to research our honeymoon (!) Now it's up to me. I've read so many messages on this board that I don't know which hotel to book. We're looking for something in Positano with a pleasant decor, wonderful sea views, and romantic -- and not too much of a hike from the "action." Would love to stay at Le Sirenuse but it's too expensive for five nights.

It all looks too good. Here are some front runners:

Buca di Bacco
(My fears: no availability or not nice as the website)

Cora dei Saraceni
(Fear: too big impersonal and someone said they were closed or undergoing renovations)

Le Agavi
(Fear: baroque meets the 70's ala Florida century city)

Romantik Hotel Poseidon
(Fear: 3* masqurading as a 4*)

Hotel Villa Franca
(Fear: not as nice as the website)

Eden Roc
(Fear: run down? no recommedations appear anywhere)

Thoughts about my probable erroneous fears?

Thanks. : )

Mally

opps. masquerading

In the doghouse? What about my

My fears: she's going to be like this for the rest of my life...

toby

You couldn't find a more romantic hotel
than Hotel Villa Franca...yes more deluxe hotels may offer more but in this price range it is beautiful, has stunning views and a great terrace...you can walk down the hill into the picturesque town. Just a few yards down the hill is the bus that goes into the hill town of Ravello--do go there! The pool on the top with its wonderful views is like being in heaven.

celine

Mally,
I've booked the Hotel Villa Franca for the last four nights of my honeymoon to Italy this July. My travel agent highly recommends it.

Toby, I'm delighted to hear your good review of this property. I haven't seen much feedback on the site for the property, so I'm glad you give it a 'thumb's up!'

Take care. Good luck, Mally!

howard

If you mean Cove dei Saraceni, I would recommend it highly. A beautiful hotel right on the water!
I still vividly recall arriving in Positano in the evening, parking the car and walking down the hill to the hotel, checking in, walking up the circular staircase to our second floor, room, opening up the shutters, looking out the window and seeing that famous magnificent view of Positano hillside. It was thrilling!
P.S.: The restaurant in the hotel was fantastic.

igor

Howard, if we won't have a car, do you
think getting to Positano and especially
to the hotel that you recommend would be
difficult?

thanks,
Igor

meg

We stayed at Buco di Bacco three years ago. Its position, right on the waterfront is great, the restaurant (seafood) is excellent but you need to make sure you get a room at the front. Ours was quite small and on the side of the hotel with no view except the wall the house opposite. Very friendly & helpful manager though.

Lourdes

Just stayed this past June in a junior suite at the Poseidon. It was beautiful. Great view. Private. Service was wonderful. I recommend it.

howard

Igor, I'm not sure, but I would think that there is bus service to Positano. I'm sure there are some people out there who can give a more definitive answer. One thing I do know is that no matter how to get there, you can't park anywhere near the beachfront hotels. You have to park (or be let off) and then walk down to the hotel with your luggage. So, pack accordingly! (However, I'm sure that, in season, some of the hotels must accommdate their guests with luggage service!)

igor

Lourdes,
Some people on this message board mentioned how hard it is to walk to the hotel with luggage (especially if we'll
be pretty heavily packed for our honeymoon). did you have any such problems at Poseidon?

Brian

Mally,

You have several good choices among the ones you listed. With a June honeymoon, I have been seriously researching this since early December. Le Sirenuse is booked from mid-April on. Two nights at 1.1M Lira was all I could get. You would do well at Le Agavi, Le Fenice, and Covo. Le Agavi is lesser known, but has received outstanding reviews. Its not inexpensive. Covo is right on the main beach and has recently been remodeled. Travel agent feedback has this property has been good. Fodors also rates it well. La Fenice is just outside of town, has cottages on the water, and is more reasonably priced. I'd start with this one.

igor

Brian,
I have looked at La Fenice Web site.
Unfortunately, they don't have a quick
reservations link and I am worried that
when I call them directly there might
be some misunderstanding (since owners
of B&B in Italy usually speak very little English).

Igor.

Mally

Hi. And thanks to everyone who offered their advice. We're trying to decide between Hotel Villa Franca (superior room L380,000) and Buca Di Bacco (jr. Suite - L500,000, room 10, according to the Karen Brown website, is supposed to have the best view in Positano (!)). Additional thoughts? Villa Franca just opened a wellness center while Buca Di Bacco has a great restaurant. Hmmm (eat or exercise?)

By way, I think the best way to reach La Fenice is by fax in the AM: 011-39-089-811309; owners are Angel & Costantino Manadara...Good Luck! I sent a fax in Italian (copied out of a guide book) but they answered me in English.

By the way, anyone know the best way to travel to Positano from Naples train station? Should we hire a car...or are their frequent trains to the coast? Thanks again for your most helpful responses.

igor

We have a similar question about traveling to positano from Naples airport in case we'll decide to fly to Naples? Do we have to hire a car? Or
there is another easy way to get to Positano?

Thanks,
Igor.

A Weir

We stayed in Positano on our honeymoon, July '97. Buca di Bacco was wonderful. Perfect location relative to beach and little shopping strip (very quaint and unintrusive). Strongly recommend the hotel if you can get a room. Ours had a balcony that overlooked the beach and Sea and was truly magnificent. Breakfast is servied on a patio that also overlooks the beach and Sea. The restaurant is outstanding, though our best meal was at a restaurant just down the beach a few steps, but I'm afraid I can't recall the name so that's probably not all that helpful.

As far as travel from Naples, we rented a car. It was the right choice, but two cautions: driving out of Naples is a pain, but manageable. Arriving in Positano the road snakes downward and is one way. If you miss your cutoff you have to continue all the way to the bottom and back out again then circle back and start over. If you stay at the Buca di Bacco or anywhere else right on the main beach you must leave your car at a lot several blocks away (blocks in Positano run vertically as the town is literally embedded on the side of a cliff - has to be seen to be believed). So you'll need to get a local's help carrying bags down the long stairs to the beach, but there are lots of people willing to help for a few bucks. Having said all of that, car is definitely the best way to go. The drive along the coast is spectacular, if not a bit tense. You may want to take some side trips from Positano to other Amalfi coast towns in both directions. On the way back to Naples we stopped briefly in Pompeii, but only for a few mintes because we didn't want to leave our luggage in the car. (On a trip this past year to Portugal our luggage was stolen from our car.) If you do it as a side trip you can leave your luggage back at the hotel and not worry.

Hope that's helpful. Thanks for the chance to relive that part of our honeymoon.

amalfilover

Positano is awesome-beautiful views, great food and wonderful people. I would not recommed a car for the Amalfi Coast. Travel is easy by bus and very inexpensive. Leave the driving to the bus drivers who do it all the time so you can enjoy the views. Plus, parking in Positano or any othe coastal town is at a premium and expensive. You can't drive in Positano so to speak, but take the bus from the lower stop to the upper stop and walk down to really appreciate it. A bus to Sorrento is nice for a day too. Enjoy. I wish I were there!!

elaine

Another vote for Covo dei Saraceni. We were in Positano April 2000. The staff was very helpful; not at all impersonal, the restaurant, excellent and the views outstanding. The renovations, at that time were 90% complete. Covo provided a service to transport our luggage from the parking area to the hotel. The people, area, food, ambience....wonderful!

Mally

Hi. Thanks for all the great comments. We have booked a room at the Hotel Villa Franca.

kk

Mally, I notice you picked the hotel that Howard recommended from personal experience. I've followed his advice on several places and his batting average is 1.000. Based on that, I'm sure you will be delighted with your hotel. Happy honeymoon.