Positano/Amalfi Coast - Le Sirenuse?
 

Hello. My fiance and I are planning our honeymoon, and we've decided to go all out and stay at the finest hotels. I know that in Positano this means Le Sirenuse...but we are having trouble stomaching the 780 Euro price for a room with a view. I know that views are the reason people go to Positano... but we were wondering whether it is worth it to stay at Sirenuse in a much less expensive room without a view (since we will be out and about and will have plenty of opporunities to see the vista). I guess our question is: Is Sirenuse without a view still worth it?

Depends on how much the room with no view is. If it's not much less than the 780, go for the room with the view. If it's about half, go for the no view room and enjoy the views from the pool, bar and restaurant. 780 is pretty high for a room though. I've stayed at the Sirenuse several times, all in double deluxe rooms with views. The last time was two years ago and we paid 500 or so Euro in July.

Rooms without a view and without a balcony are 420 euro/night at Le Sirenuse. This is significantly less, but still a lot for a room with no view! However, we have heard nothing but superlatives for Sirenuse, so we are torn... We have looked at other hotels such as Villa Franca, but people have told us they just don't compare.

I would personally not give up a "room with a view" in Positano. Le Sirenuse is certainly the most expensive hotel in Positano, but there are other fantastic hotels that offer rooms with views/terraces. True that you won't spend all of your hours at the hotel, but I guarantee you that you'll want the opportunity to relax on a terrace with a bottle of wine and your new spouse and just enjoy your surroundings in a private setting. Breakfast on our terrace in Positano (Miramare room 210) is still one of our honeymoon highlights!

I've also heard wonderful things about the Miramare

Did you try the Hotel Poseidon? It's just up the hill from Sirenuse, and has very nice jr. suites with terraces that offer sweeping views all the way down to the town below. We've stayed there a couple times and always hated to leave. The hotel is one of my favorites for its fine service, FOOD (!!!) and unbelievable views.

>..we've decided to go all out and stay at the finest hotels.<

In which case you shouldn't balk at 780E.

Should you decide to change your mind, you might want to look at the AC portion of my trip report.
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34451044

((I))

As just one more suggestion, we are staying at Albergo California Positano in a double room with sea view balcony and private jacuzzi for 165€ per night in Positano this coming May.

We stayed in hotels of this class on our honeymoon in Italy last summer and we were very pleased. We COULD HAVE paid much more to stay in the 5 star hotels, but by staying in nice but not outrageous places we were able to go to Germany for Valentine's Day and back to Italy for 2 weeks for our 1 year anniversary :-) We were also able to do LOTS of shopping with the extra money!

Not said to deter you, but to offer a different persepctive...

%%-

Thanks for all of the suggestions! I actually stayed in Positano once before, a number of years ago when in my mid-20's and backpacking with a friend, and stayed at Villa Rosa, which was great. I remember how beautiful it was to wake up to the view and a balcony. I guess it's just that I'll be on my honeymoon this time, and so I feel like I should try to improve on that experience and stay somwhere nicer. But it's a tough decision if I need to give up the view to do it!

Kemf513, I know how you feel about wanting to splurge on your honeymoon. That's what we did, many years ago, and stayed at the Hassler, the Villa San Michele and the Villa d'Este. If you really want to do the destination hotel thing, then pay the 780. Sure, it's an unreasonable amount to pay for any hotel room, but that is what these places can get for rooms. The Cipriani and Spendido are even more. Or, you could book the no view room and then show up, tell them it's your honeymoon and they might just upgrade you. If you are going in June,July or August, there might not be any availability, but any other time, it's worth a shot. How many days will you be spending in Positano?780E will add up quickly, but if you are only staying two or three nights, you could bite the bullet, take the room with the view, and get slightly less expensive rooms at your other destinations. Where else are you going?

We are jumping around a bit on the honeymoon - starting off with 5 days in Santorini (staying at Katikies). Then one night in Athens (Hotel Bretagne), 4 nights in Positano, and 2 nights in Ravello (prob at the Palazzo Sasso). There is a chance we might do Capri instead of Ravello though. (Any thoughts?) My fiance has already been to the Greek Isles, and I've previously been to the Amalfi Coast, so we decided to split the difference!

kem513, we spent the last five days of our honeymoon in Positano, and it was the best part of our visit to Italy.

We, too, spent a lot of time mulling over the question you are now: Is the Sirenuse worth it? Back then (a year and half ago), a partial sea view was only (only!) 510 euros, but the dollar was also a bit stronger then. Also, the Sirenuse has a beautiful website, and I would literally check in everyday to look at the pictures, including the live cam from the hotel's website.

We did not make it to the Sirenuse. As with beanweb, we stayed in Room 210 of the Miramare.

You have been to Positano before, so you know how breathtaking it is. If you are you going anytime between now and late October, I think you and your spouse will want to spend many happy hours on a terrace, watching the views or enjoying breakfast or a drink. Nothing could be better.

On a dollar-for-dollar basis, I think the Miramare wins hands down. While you may give up some of the amenities that the Sirenuse has (pool, restaurant, bar, gym, spa), as a ROOM, 210 can't be beat. The best part: a grand, enormous terrace (probably a good 90 sq. ft.) with a table, two chairs, and two chaise lounges. The views are unbeatable. We paid 270 euros, I believe, and I think it had gone up only slightly since then. At the Sirenuse, even if you splurged for a deluxe full sea view room, the balconies are miniscule and, from what I could gather from looking over at the Sirenuse from our terrace, had no furniture. It seemed as if only the suites had sizeable terraces.

Keep in mind that your honeymoon, you'll want privacy as well. I'm not sure that I would have enjoyed our stay as much if we had to share our space with others.

I am all for splurging on a honeymoon--you only do it once--but the idea of paying almost three times more for a comparable room at the Sirenuse just didn't sit that well with me.

My recommendation--go over to Sirenuse for dinner or a drink, but stay at the Miramare. We had no regrets that we switched over from the Sirenuse.

For more details on the hotel and the room, check out my trip report:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34459078

Congratulations, and good luck.

Wow! Room 210 at Miramare must be great to get so many recommendations! I may call them up to see if it is available during our dates... Also, does anyone know anything about Villa Franca? Is it nice? It seems like a hike from the center of town... coffeeaddict - thank you for your especially good advice. It sounds like your thought process at the time was very similar to what we are going through now!

These are not my pictures, but a visual aid may be helpful:

http://www.pbase.com/bigsac/positano_2004&page=all

(I am almost certain that these are pictures of Room 209 at the Miramare--the one with the windowed bathtub.)

This picture shows you the Miramare from afar:

http://www.pbase.com/bigsac/image/37106662

(Room 210 is the one in the upper left hand picture of the salmon-colored building--the one with the wall of windows to the room and the chaises).

It's really all about the view and the terrace!

http://www.pbase.com/bigsac/image/37106398

(This really is the view from the Miramare's terraces--except that you have unobstructed views of the water to your right.)

Hi Kem513. Last summer, on our honeymoon, we also went to Santorini and Positano (among other places) and stayed in the same hotels you're talking about. See my trip report for lots of detail about the hotel experiences.
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34520103

In our experience, Katikies was the absolute best. We went straight from there to Sirenuse, and found that it seemed louder, more crowded, and more expensive by comparison. It also seemed overrun with Americans, who made it nearly impossible to get a spot by the pool by "reserving" lounge chairs all day with a newspaper (but sometimes only showing up for an hour to sit in them!). The pool area is small, relative to the number of rooms they have, and this turned out to be a problem if you didn't get up early enough to get a chair. We love Positano, and this was our second trip there. On our first trip, we stayed at the Miramare (yes, room 210). For our honeymoon we chose Sirenuse with a view for the same rate you were quoted. We had a good experience, but we both agreed it probably wasn't worth the money to us. We just weren't blown away by it like we were by Katikies (see the trip report for more on this). By comparison, we stayed in the honeymoon suite at Katikies for slightly less than our Sirenuse room, and thought it was SO worth it.

Finally- to chime in on your Capri/Ravello question- we LOVED Palazzo Sasso (not on our honeymoon but the year before). The setting of that hotel is stunning and it is quiet, romantic, and very honeymoonish. We loved Capri, but if I were going back I'd revisit Ravello before Capri. Good luck!

I will agree with the previous posters that you absolutely do NOT want to pass up getting a room with a view while in Positano. Positano is all about the view.

I would check out both the Miramare and the Poseidon, which are nice hotels but less than Le Sirenuse.

I was in Positano in September of 2004 and we stayed at the Villa La Tartana. We had a room on the top floor, and eating breakfast every morning on our balcony overlooking that incredible view of the Mediterranean was one of the highlights of our trip.

We also visited the poolside bar at the Poseidon and wanted to stay all night b/c the view was so spectacular! If I could afford the Poseidon that is where I would want to stay on my next visit.

I stayed 5 days last June. With the exchange it cost around $900 a night. I love this hotel, have stayed there 4 times, and will always love it, but that was just seemed too high. If you can afford it, you probably won't regret it, but I think next time I go, I will stay in a room without a view and enjoy the view from the many public areas the hotel has to offer. That said, if you want the finest, go there. I put my daugher and her husband there for the first two nights of their marriage and they really appreciated it. If you stay there, be sure and take the boat ride that is complimentary -- that is worth at least $100 - $200. Plan one special meal in the restaurant and then maybe eat at less expensive places to save some $$s there. BTW, the breakfast is so extensive, you won't want to have lunch so you save on lunch too! I think I am talking myself into going back again!

If you go for the view, be sure to specify that you want a Positano, sea view room. The view of Positano with the water in the background is what is so special.

I also stayed at the Miramare and can highly recommend it. Also, you might consider their sister hotel, The Murat. It is much more luxurious than the Miramare BUT the views are not as good. IMHO I'd rather have an amazing view from my own room, alone with my new husband, than to stay at the top hotel with no view.

Another thing to consider is that the Murat and the Miramare also have a hotel boat which is complimentary for their guests. We had a fantastic boat ride -- went out to an island, swam for 25 minutes, got showered down by the captain -- no, he wasn't some young, handsome captain, BUT he did offer us fresh sliced fruit and wine for the ride back. Ahhh...

We also had a drink at the Poseidon. They have a gorgeous poolside terrace bar, and the hotel is lovely. I still think the views are better at the Miramare, though.

The Marincanto seems to have wonderful suites (with views!) at a fraction of the cost of Le Sirenuse.

Once again, thanks so much for the amazing advice! Europhile - you've made me very excited about Katikies and Palazzo Sasso! As for Positano... I contacted Miramare and, alas, Room 210 is already booked for the days we plan to be in Positano. Are there any other rooms at Miramare that compare to 210? As for the other recommendations: Murat I remember being lovely, but almost at sea level, so no views... is this true? And as between Poseidon and Villa Franca (my travel agent is pushing this one), any thoughts? What about Hotel Ancora?

Room 210 at the Miramare has the best terrace, although you really can't go wrong with Room 201 (which is directly below 210 and has the second largest terrace, I believe) or any of the other rooms. What you could do is contact Rosita/Niccola at the front desk and ask them, 210 aside, which available room has the largest and best terrace. They should be very helpful.

The Murat is above sea level, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't have unobstructed sea views like the Sirenuse and the Miramare. I think the Murat is set a little bit more back into town.

europhile: your honeymoon trip report was simply amazing.

Thanks, coffeeaddict. Kem513- another place to consider is Covo de Saraceni (sp?). We peeked in the lobby while we were there because the proprietors of Max restaurant said it was their favorite place and where they always booked rooms for visiting friends and family. The hostess (who's American and married to the chef) said they have rooms with outdoor jacuzzis on the terrace that are spectacular. It might be worth looking into.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Il San Pietro. It's considered one of the best hotels on the Amalfi Coast along with Le Sirenuse and Palazzo Sasso.

It's just 1 km outside of Positano and offers a free shuttle bus to the town. Because it's not located directly in Positano, the prices are lower than Le Sirenuse for comparable rooms. All rooms have jacuzzi tubs and sea views. I think you can get a deluxe double for around 500 Euro. I know some people have complained that it's a bit stuffy, but I found the staff to be gracious and accomodating.

They have a complimentary boat ride every day for guests to explore the coastline. There's also a private beach and sun deck with bar. An elevator built right into the cliff on which the hotel is situated takes you down to the beach area (no steps to go up and down like Le Sirenuse). It is a truly unique hotel with outstanding views of Positano from its beautiful and expansive terrace.

I just wanted to point out that Room 203, not 201, is the room directly below 210. We stayed in Room 203 last summer. You can see the room and terrace on the hotel's website, or partially see it since they don't seem to be too generous with the photos on the website.

Room 203's terrace is wonderful and large, and the room is pleasant. However, Room 209 is in the same room category as Room 210, and it is a much bigger room than 203. Rosita, the manager, was kind enough to let me see it. It has a separate sitting area from the bedroom, and it is similar to 210 in that it has that glass wall and gorgeous view in the bathroom. It doesn't have as large a terrace, though, as either 203 or 210.

I agree with MLT. San Pietro is a beautiful hotel and we would consider staying there sometime. I've been there for drinks and dinner, and have found the service different depending on who you talk to. The reception staff was warm and gracious; the bar service was rude and arrogant, but perhaps they are nicer to guests. The facilities are really lovely, and the view of Positano from afar is also nice. It is definitley the next best thing to Sirenuse in terms of luxury level, and some people prefer it for its privacy (hey- it was good enough for Julia Roberts).

Hotel Poseidon is much nicer than Villa Franca in almost every way. I don't even think they're comparable, to be honest.

As for Il San Pietro, yes, there's a shuttle, but there's something to be said for being right IN town, with easy access to restaurants, shopping, and miniscule beach. We did find it stuffy when we visited my husband's clients there, and didn't think the food was very good at all.

So much great advice! Thank you! So, I think we have abandoned the idea of Sirenuse. Impressive though the hotel may be, it nevertheless seems like it may not warrant the huge discrepancy in price. 780 Euro, with the current exchange rate, just feels like too much, especially when there are so many other beautiful spots in Positano. Plus, you are all right in suggesting that cozying up on our own private terrace, even at a hotel that may not be as swank, would be a more valuable experience than staying at Sirenuse, sans view/terrace. Plus, from what you say, the pool scene sounds brutal! (Living and working in NYC, when on vacation we try to get away from aggressive type-A personalities jockeying for position!) But seriously, thanks for all the suggestions. (europhile - your honeymoon journal was amazing! so helpful! I printed it out for future reference.) As for us, I think we are going to choose between Miramare (not room 210) and a suite at the Poseidon. One thing that really intrigues me about Miramare is the private boat. It doesn't seem like Poseidon has one. If we stay at a hotel without one, does anyone know if it's possible to charter a boat for an afternoon excursion?

How rude! I would be kicking the newspapers off of the chairs i'm afraid!

I stayed at the Domina Royal which had great sea views, but I did find myself staring down the hill at Le Sirenuse and dreaming. Good to hear that it is not all that after all!

Have a great honeymoon! As you know it's a beautiful place!

Kem513- the boat tour from Miramare was great- a highlight of our stay. However, we did wish they had a pool. Since we had room 210, with 2 lounge chairs, we still got to lay in the sun and look at the view, but one of their "normal" balconies would not give you that same opportunity (having just chairs and table). One more suggestion- have you looked at Hotel l'Ancora (www.htlancora.it)? It's the sister hotel to Covo dei Saraceni, and has access to all their facilities (including the pool areaa), but it is located next door to Le Sirenuse so it obviously has the same view and the same elevation. We looked in the doorway and were impressed with the decor and style, and their website looks great, too. They have rooms with lounge chairs (like room 210 at the Miramare) and outdoor jacuzzis on the terrace, which would be a pretty great way to enjoy a bottle of wine with the view! I have an ofoto.com album on-line with pics from our honeymoon if you'd like to see pictures of the hotels. You can email me at [email protected] and I'll give you the link if you're interested. Good luck!

Salvatore's boat tour gets mentioned here on the forum quite a bit.Check previous posts for more info on him. I think you can find him down at the dock in Positano, along with other vendors who will also be happy to sell you one day tours of the coast and Capri.

Have a great stay in Positano! If you don't stay at the Poseidon ( although why wouldn't you?? Sorry- I just love the place!) try to at least have lunch or dinner on their gorgeous restaurant terrace. The food is some of the best I've ever had in Italy.

Also try to have dinner in Montepertuso, a small mountain village 15 min by car from Positano. We liked IL RITROVO,but DONNA ROSA is also quite good. Many of the restaurants in Montepertuso will arrange roundtrip transportation for guests, so check with your hotel to see what the arrangement is.

I just contacted Gennaro and Salvatore yesterday. Their day tour of the Amalfi Coast is 75€ per person including lunch, drinks, etc. I think you're out on the boat from approximately 10:30am - 5pm. They alos have trips to Capri and other locations, and you can arrange private tours if you don't wish to go in a group (the other tours only run if there are at least 4 people going).

I will be in Positano in about two weeks and I'm planning on staying in Room 209 of the Miramare. I really hope that we made the right decision. I read somewhere that there is not a pool there. Does anyone know if we could have access to another hotel's pool? Are they really strict about that? Also, can anyone recommend a romantic restaurant in Ravello? I'm planning on attending one of the concerts at Villa Rufolo and would like to have a nice dinner beforehand. Thanks!!! :)

Ah... our room plot thickens. My travel agent just called to inform me that she was able to get a really good rate at Il San Pietro. I'm not as excited because it is not in Positano proper, but it's supposed to be very luxurious, and has its own private beach. Hmm. We also contacted Hotel l'Ancora, and can get one of the rooms with the private jacuzzi on the terrace! So, we now have 4 choices: a double room at Il San Pietro, a suite at Poseidon, Room 203 (the one under 210) at Miramare, or the jr. suite with outdoor jacuzzi at l'Ancora. Any final input/advice? I almost wish we had fewer options (easier to decide that way)! :) Anyway, thanks for the recs on the boat trips. I will definitely contact Salvatore!

Although the San Pietro will definitely give you bragging rights ("We stayed at the San Pietro on our honeymoon") and may be the best hotel amenities-wise, I agree with the other posters that it's a bit too out of the way--you can't easily walk into town so you'd have to cab it back and forth. One of the nice things about a picturesque town like Positano is that you can stroll around, particularly around sunset, so I would stay in town.

I just looked at the pictures at the l'Ancora's website. My reaction: as much as I love the Miramare, if you can get that room with the outdoor jaccuzzi featured on the website, take that one! It looks great.

If I were to return to Positano (and boy, would I), my primary considerations would be:

1) view/location
2) terrace
3) privacy

in that order. Obviously you will have to decide whether a pool is important to you--it wasn't for us, but then again we were there in late October. I think most people go to Positano for the view and the romance, and the food/pool/pampering is just gravy.

Doesn't seem like you can really go wrong!

OK, I've already admitted that I don't think much of San Pietro ( location, stuffy atmosophere, mediocre expensive food), but I rememebered that a post yesterday or the day before suggested that San Pietro also has beachfront construction going on. Whether that will be an issue during your stay, I don't know. But that may be why your travel agent is able to land a decent room price there.

As mentioned earlier, I am a big fan of the Poseidon. Every stay we've had there ( 4 and counting) in their jr. suites has been heavenly. And I like the intimacy of a small hotel. However, Miramare has also gotten raves. So I guess I'm saying that I don't think you could go wrong with either Poseidon or Miramare.

I disagree about the food at San Pietro being mediocre and expensive. I thought the food was excellent (very fresh as they grow their own produce on the grounds) and reasonably priced compared to other places I've eaten in Italy. Our first night there, I wasn't feeling very well so we decided to have dinner in our room. The staff was kind enough to bring our dinner course by course, so we had a very intimate, candlelit dinner on our balcony (which was roomy and well-furnished). Also, we could hear opera from the neighboring town of Praiano from our balcony as we were enjoying our meal. It was truly the most romantic dinner I've ever had. When we did take dinner at their restaurant, the waiters told us (without us asking) that we could order anything we wanted, even if it wasn't on the menu, and the chef would do his best to accomodate us.

As far as transportation goes, their shuttle bus in on demand and runs late into the night (maybe even 24 hrs). We never had to take a cab, and we even walked the distance a couple of times with no problem.

The more remote location means it's a lot quieter than staying in town, and provides much more privacy which I think is nice for a honeymoon. The private beach is a huge plus IMHO because there's no fighting over space. People found their own little rock ledges for sunbathing, or could use the well-appointed lounge chairs on the sundeck. Service at the bar was very good as well -- they brought bottled mineral water, fresh fruit, and lunch right to our chairs everyday. As for the pool, we practically had it to ourselves the couple of times we used it.

Also when we first arrived, we were struck by how stunning the grounds were -- flowers, lemon trees and vines growing everywhere. San Pietro's architecture is unique (built right into a cliff) and has a very organic feel to it. If you haven't already done so, I suggest you take a look at their website, especially the photo gallery (www.ilsanpietro.it).

To me, it has a more exclusive feel than Le Sirenuse, or any other hotel in Positano, precisely because of its location. But if there is indeed construction going on (I would have your travel agent check), then it would definitely take away from the ambiance which makes San Pietro so special.

I've promised myself that the next time I go to Positano, I will divide my time between Il San Pietro and Le Sirenuse. But it looks like you can't go wrong with any of your other choices. Good luck with your decision and congrats on your upcoming marriage.

Having stayed in room 203 and enjoyed it, I still have to agree with coffeeadict to take the room at l'ancora with the outdoor jacuzzi -- How fun!! And then you have access to the pool at Covo, which might be a nice bonus.

But, I also think a suite at the Poseidon would also be wonderful. I haven't seen their rooms, but the public areas and the pool area are beautiful and more upscale than the Miramare.

Why don't you at least plan on having drinks or dinner at Le Sirenuse, so that you do get to enjoy that hotel a little bit.

I hope you do get to stay at Palazzo Sasso -- I've heard such wonderful reviews on that hotel. If or when we ever return to the Amalfi Coast, I would love to stay there.

If you do decide to stay in Capri rather than Ravello, I can recommend Caesar Augustus in Anacapri. The hotel is situated right on a cliff 1000 feet above the water. We stayed in one of their junior suites -- the j.s. terraces literally hang right over the water -- and inside the room, you have this amazing view of the water from the bed. The pool area is beautiful -- an infinity pool with views of the sea & Naples/Mt Vesuvius in the distance.

Texas Aggie,
(At risk of hijacking this thread) when will you be on the AC? We will be there for 5 days from the 23 May. We are taking one of Gennaro's boat trips - either the coast or Capri, but were told to wait until we arive to book it. I was afaid it would be all booked. Maybe May is not that busy?
[email protected]

Hi Brahmama,
We are in Sorrento from 5/14 - 5/18, and then in Positano from 5/18-5/20. My email from Valerie (with Genarro and Salvatore) indicated that they weren't sure they would even be running the tour the day we wanted to go (19th), as there had to be at least 4 people signed up. So my guess is that May is not super busy...

I sound repetitive, but once again, thank you all so much for your advice and thoughts! You are all so generous with your time and opinions. Before this week, I was so focused on the wedding itself, that I hadn't given much thought to the honeymoon. Now, thanks to all your enthusiastic comments, we are really looking forward to it! At any rate, my fiance and I have narrowed it down to a suite at the Poseidon vs. the room with the jacuzzi & terrace that is pictured on the L'Ancora website. While the L'Ancora terrace looks amazing, the Poseidon just seems like a nicer hotel overall. We haven't been able to find many reviews or pictures online of the Ancora, which makes the decision difficult. This might come down to a battle of the balconies! Can anybody give us an idea of how large the terraces are at the Poseidon? Are any big enough for lounge chairs (or are those just down by the pool)?

A jaccuzzi is both fun and practical. After climbing the steps of Positano, not to mention the hills Capri, I think that I would have paid 200 euro a night JUST for a hot tub.

I don't believe that there are any photographs that can capture the panoramic beauty of Positano. It's all about the many views from it's different vertical levels and parabolic perspectives.