Le Sirenuse, Positano. Is it worth the hype?
 

Sorry, I know this question has been done to death on this board but I was wondering if anyone could shed yet more light on the subject. My husband and I are travelling to the Amalfi coast in July 2007. We like small, charming hotels, with happy staff. We cannot stand resorts. To give you an example, I made the mistake of booking us into the Blue Palace on Crete once and we really didn't enjoy the experience at all: IMHO too big, too impersonal, a monstrosity that should never have been built.

Le Sirenuse appeals, for obvious reasons - it does look absolutely stunning, the spa, the pool, everything. However, the prices do make me gulp. In some cases, they want the same or more as the Four Seasons or Mandarin in London!!

I am looking at the Poseidon where I can get a 'mini suite'. Also not cheap but cheaper than Le Sirenuse. If I can be persuaded, I might just book L.S. and duck my husband's swings at check-out!

We want a pool, a terrace for sipping wine and for the hotel to be reasonably quiet...

Looking forward to any extra advice!!

Thank you in advance..

It's not what I'd call small & charming, it's very grand & formal.

We honeymooned there, and went back for several years. My parents had been going for more than a decade at that point, so we were very well treated. It's elegant but I would not say formal. Yes, there were some stiff necked Germans around, but mostly it's a shrine to the sybaritic, and you lounge by the small pool and have your first drink at ten in the morning. Maybe you wander down to the beach or take a cruise on the boat. You're staying with your friend the Marquis and life is good.

The restaurant used to be the best in the area, although one recent report panned it.

Not everyone loves it. One couple we met while there much preferred the glitzier San Pietro. I think that describes the difference though; glitz vs old money.

However, these days you need a great deal of new money to stay there. We used stay demi-pension in a deluxe room for considerably less than they now charge for a standard room with breakfast only. We may go back some day, but presently we sputter in indignation at the thought.

Also, this was a while back. Now they accept tour groups and business meetings, and have a line of merchandise. Manager Luigi retired, and bon vivant Aldo is gone and his boat takes guests on schedule, not as a treat. So it may all be different now. If you go on the boat look for the brass bell by the companionway. My mother gave it to Aldo on one of her visits, many years ago.

Hi E,

>We like small, charming hotels, with happy staff.<

Scratch Le Sireneuse.

Take a look at www.lesirene.com in Praiano.

See my trip report for details:http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34451044

((I))

The Sirenuse may charge more than the Four Seasons and Mandarin because it is worth more than those large, chain hotels. I've stayed in Four Seasons' all over the world and none compare to the Sirenuse. Over the past 25 years, I've stayed there several times, once changing to the San Pietro which was a huge mistake. The staff has always been friendly and helpful to me. A terrace with an ice bucket and prosecco at the Sirenuse is where I picture myself when I get too stressed and need a vacation, if only imaginary. It is the type of hotel where I walk through the front doors, let out a contented sigh and feel at home. The Sirenuse isn't small but neither is it huge and impersonal. So is it worth the hype? To me, of course.

There is really only one way to answer a question like this IMO and that is go and find out for yourself even though I agree the question has been done to death.

Different places appeal to different people and usually an establishment gets only one chance to make a great impression.

Endless summer:
Sirenuse, as Ira so succinctly puts it ain't small and charming. We prefer the boutiquey, smaller establishments at half or less of the tariff (in my late 70's, I'm still a depression-era kid). Altho in Positano we once selected the Bucca di Bacco and were very happy with it (smack on the beach, a bit noisy, but also quite elegant)(around $200). We would return there.
Stu T.

Now wait a minute -- it may not be small, but it's plenty charming. It's also -- or at least it was -- friendly and unpretentious.

The only problem is the cost. You won't object to the atmosphere!

I'm a bit amazed you're able to find a room there. I looked in May at the possibility of going in September, and not only were they completely booked at that time, they were also booked up a year ahead!

BC

With all due respect to Ira, you cannot compare Le Sirenuse to Le Sirene.

Based on Pausanias posts and having visited and dined at Le Sirenuse, I would chose it. Especially if you are used to the Four Seasons, etc.

Thanks everyone. Their booking system gives me all the room categories! I haven't had a problem with availability for any of the hotels so far but i'm booking quite far in advance because I want to nail this!

Pausanias/Grinisa, thank you for sharing your experiences. I guess what I meant about comparing it to the 4 Seasons is that being such a huge operation, their overheads must be significant compared to Le Sirenuse. Can you believe that I am renting 'Only You' so I can check it out? I know the movie is quite old but I want a *feel* for the place.

One more question: is there a huge difference between sea view and partial sea view? I don't mind not having a sea view in exchange for a town view..

Thanks SeaUrchin - to be honest, I'm not really a 4 Seasons person myself, I was just using that whole group as a reference point for LS's room rates. I personally would always choose something more individual. LS looks so damn beautiful - much more so than all the others I have looked at. It has a spa that I may or may not use and I guess jacuzzi's that are a great novelty for the first night but after that I don't bother with. I read somewhere that they serve buffalo mozzarella at breakfast - is that just them or do all the hotels serve that? If it's a case of all the little things making the difference, then I might just splurge...

Yes, it can be worth the hype. I prefer, however, Hotel Le Agave and its private beach. Check it out.

Oh, heck, if I could afford it I'd be booking Le Sereneuse in a New York minute. We 'accidently' wandered up some back steps from the beach on our way up the hill to Villa Rosa and wound up wandering through Le Sereneuse. Wow. That's how the other half lives!

endlessummer --

We've always stayed in the sea view rooms so I can't comment on the partial or no view rooms. I suspect those are the rooms under the pool level.

The views from the Sirenuse are spectacular. We used to have breakfast on our terrace so we could enjoy them. It can be hypnotic -- sometimes a haze forms over the sea and you lose the horizon. Then Li Galli, the small islands offshore, seem to float like clouds.

Hmmm . . . thinking I may have to go back sooner than planned. Oh well.

My two cents -- if you're going to splurge, splurge. I don't think you will regret the extra expense very long, but a disappointing room or view might spoil your memories.

endlesssumm (I wish it were true, an endless summer...but I digress), look at my photos I took from the terrace at Le Sirenuse. On this page it is the "Duomo" picture and the "hotel view".

hmm, the link might help!

http://www.pbase.com/seaurchin/posit...4&page=all

My husband and I stayed at Le Sirenuse in 2002 for four nights and we loved every minute! I would definitely return. We had a deluxe double room with a sea view, and it was pricey but worth every penny. The views over the cathedral of Positano are spectacular,and the breakfast terrace overlooking the ocean was a beautiful way to start the morning. The breakfasts were included in the room rate and were bountiful - usual breakfast foods plus fresh mozzerella, marinated tomatoes, local salames, crusty breads. Our room was quite large and the bathroom as well. The staff was very friendly and the public rooms very charming. It was quiet as well. the pier for getting the boats to Capri, Sorrento, etc were just a few hundred feet away. Well-located in terms of proximity to the beach and great restauranrs, not to mention shopping.

I'd give my eyeteeth to be sitting on the Sireneuse terrace right now watching the sun set....

I'd give my eyeteeth to be sitting on the Sireneuse terrace right now watching the sun set

Amen, sista!

wow, they will wonder about all of these toothless women sitting on their terrace, lol.

Last June we were unable to book at either Le Sireneuse or San Pietro (which we actually prefer) as they were sold out. We decided to try the Poseidon and were not disappointed. It's a lot less actively swanky but still a top flight hotel at about half the price: we paid about $350/night at the Poseidon and had paid about $750/night at Le Sireneuse the year before. I'm not much of a penny-pincher, but still...The other nice thing was that there were so many lovely Italian "tourists" at the Poseidon and mostly loud Americans (of which I am one) at LS. Fabulous views seem to come with much of the territory in Positano, and buffalo mozzarello seems to come with breakfasts all over town.

"I'd give my eyeteeth to be sitting on the Sireneuse terrace right now watching the sun set"

Well that's the deposit on your room taken care of. How are you going to pay the balance?

First born child?

I love Le Sirenuse enough to have stayed there 3 times, the last time in 2001 (we even got a free upgrade to a suite as there were vacancies).

But last year we found the prices had exceeded what we were willing to spend, so we went to the Miramare and actually thought the views were even better (we were in the famous room with the full length window in the shower...I think it was room 210).

And the breakfast also has great views as it clings to a cliff above the town and sea.

Granted, the rest of the hotel is not quite Le Sirenuse, but it is still really nice, and they give a complimentary boat ride that was wonderful. Wine, fruit, swimming in the warm Mediterranean...not a bad way to spend an afternoon!

I have fond memories of lunches on our room's vine-covered balcony. And drinking Rosa Regale there at night while the lights of Positano twinkled and the full moon reflected in the water.

If you can afford Le Sirenuse, go for it, but if not, I'll cast my vote for Hotel Poseidon which is just uphill from Sirenuse.

The jr. suites are quite nice and have gorgeous views from their terraces overlooking town.

The hotel itself offers some of the best service ( and food!!) that we've ever had at a European hotel. And because it's very small, as I've posted before, the staff treats customers like returning houseguests.

Definitely try to have lunch at The Poseidon while you're in Positano. The food is usually outstanding, and the views from the restaurant terrace are unforgettable.

Hi SU,

>With all due respect to Ira, you cannot compare Le Sirenuse to Le Sirene. <

I didn't, nor would I.

The OP stated, "We like small, charming hotels, with happy staff".

I think that Le Sirene fits.

BTW, the sea view from Le Sirene is almost identical to that from Le Sirenuse - shifted about 10 degrees.

((I))

I am the king of researching everything to death but why people don't accept the fact that they will never KNOW about a place for certain until they actually go there is beyond me.

And then there's the so-called "vibe" you get when you do finally go there and one person's great vibe is another's nightmare sometimes.

I have to add my 2 cents to this post. I've stayed at Le Sirenuse 3 times, most recently in 2004 on my honeymoon. It is quite beautiful and very refined, but the price has doubled over the course of my stays there and I have to say that it is no longer worth the hype for us, when you balance it against the expense. While we definitely enjoyed it on our last stay, DH and I said we would not likely return (unless money were really, truly no object).

We paid top dollar in 2004 for a room with a wonderful view and small balcony (it ended up being a jr. suite on the 7th floor). But even though we were willing to pay the price, I have to say that money was on our minds and our experience at the hotel was flawed. I found myself thinking, each time something was not perfect, "how much are we paying for this???". For example, the first room they gave us was a deluxe double on the 2nd floor, which had a great view but was located directly below the restaurant. We could not sleep that night for the very loud noises of chairs and tables scooting on the tile floors above us- both late at night and early morning when breakfast started. For the money we were paying, we felt we had to complain and were then moved to the second, much quieter room. If we really, truly didn't care what things cost, then we may have been happy to stay put, but under the circumstances, we couldn't imagine paying 800 euros and not getting a good night's sleep. After we moved, we were much happier, but we did meet another couple who were checking out early because of the noise in their room as well (traffic noise, in their case). We didn't mind paying top prices in the restaurants and bars of the hotel- you really can't nickel and dime here and I believe the setting is worth a premium on the prices. But we were annoyed at the lack of available space around the pool (Americans reserving lounge chairs with magazines but not returning for hours). We were also not impressed with the concierge service, which was indifferent at best. These are service issues, which should not be prevalent at these prices. Still, the setting is undeniably gorgeous and the facilities are the most luxurious in town. We enjoyed the spa and the poolside bar service, on the one morning we could snag lounge chairs (you have to get up early).

When we return to the area, which we absolutely will, I think we're more likely to book a return visit to Palazzo Sasso. We loved this hotel, and found it as beautiful as Le Sirenuse but much quieter. True, the town can't compete with the stunning Positano, but the hotel can, in my opinion. We may try San Pietro next time if we really want to stay in Positano. San Pietro is slightly out of town and we've been there twice for drinks/dinner. They do have a shuttle into town for guests. It may be worth a try. It's your call ultimately whether the expense of the place will make you disappointed if it's not the idyllic experience you have in mind. As I said, if money were not an issue at all, I would have had fewer issues with the hotel in general. As it was, I didn't feel that it was an experience worth the money we were paying. Hope that helps.

Europhile, what time of year did you stay in Ravello ? I stayed in June & found it rather cold, presumably because it's high up. It was OK in the sun, during the daytime, but cold in the shade & at night. When we couldn't take any more sun by the pool & wanted to lie in the shade, we had to cover ourselves with towels like invalids' blankets !

Endlesssummer, you don't really get 'town views' as opposed to 'sea viws' in Positano. Because the buildings are all built into the hillside, it's basically just view or no view at all.

Thanks to Europhile and Ira, we have decided against Le Sirenuse. Perhaps we'll have dinner there one night. I just kept hesitating pushing the 'send' button on the reservation page. Europhile's latest experience echoed too much the experiences I have had in other top notch establishments and I'm just not prepared to risk €800 a night for a room there and then have to do the early morning sun lounger grab!

Thanks to Ira's comments on view, we had a look at Praiano and were delighted to find Casa Angelina. Have booked a lovely room there for half the price of LS. Happy to do the boat transfer to Positano for dinner and back!!

Thanks again everyone!!

Good call. At well over $1,000 US a night including dinner, it just isn't worth it.

Hi E,

>..were delighted to find Casa Angelina. ....Happy to do the boat transfer to Positano for dinner and back!!<

Good for you.

There is no ferry service between Praiano and Positano.

Both the Orange bus and the SITA bus go between the towns.

If you will be stayaing out beyond about 8:00 PM, plan on taking a cab.

((I))

Not sure if you know this, or if it is applicable, but if you have a Visa Signature rewards card, you can avail yourself of a deal where you will get one free night at Le Sirenuse for every two paid nights. So if you stay 6 nights, you only have to pay for four.

Same deal is valid on "over 100 participating hotels" affiliated with Leading Hotels of the World.

Thanks all! Unfortunately I haven't got a VISA signature card but thanks for the tip anyway. Ira, sorry I should have specified that the hotel has a little boat which they say we can take to Positano and back, which is what I meant. But thanks for the tip on the bus because we'll be sure to use that too.

I can't tell you how excited I am about this trip! Why didn't I go sooner???

Caroline- we were at Palazzo Sasso in early September. We were also in Ravello in June years ago (at Villa Cimbrone) and the weather was great. I guess it just depends on the year.

Have great visit, E.

((I))

I've been following your post as I, too, struggle with hotel choices when I travel. A vision implants itself in my mind of what my expectations are...then when I juggle that against the cost, it's time to decide the value of a stay. That said, I hope you enjoy the Amalfi Coast as much as we did this past October.