19 Best Hotels in The Amalfi Coast, Italy

This fabled medieval monastery was lauded by such guests as Longfellow and Wagner, and after a luxurious overhaul by the esteemed Anantara hotel group, it still retains its historic charm and features, including a celebrated Arab-Sicilian cloister and Baroque church. Once-stark monk cells are now comfy contemporary guest room cocoons, some with vibrant artworks and terraces (one suite features a vaulted ceiling with a 700-year-old fresco) and two restaurants provide fine dining and gourmet pizzas. The stunning terrace promenade, more than 1,000 feet long, holds the small yet glorious infinity pool, narrow herb gardens, and lemon groves, and time-burnished columns and clouds of bougainvillea frame timeless views of Amalfi's harbor. There's also an Anantara Spa with indoor and outdoor treatments, and staff can arrange visits to the neighboring town of Ravello, as well as sunset boat excursions along the coast toward Positano.  

Favored by the glitterati, the San Pietro is several leagues above town (a shuttle bus whisks you back and forth), far from the crowds and paparazzi but camera-ready nevertheless, with seven levels of gardened terraces and a stunning interior that mixes the modern (the hotel was built in the early 1970s) with the magnificent (great antiques, elegant Vietri tilework). Who can resist idling away hours on the majolica benches of the grand terrace? Before you is a god's view of Positano and its bay, magnificently framed by gigantic urns of flowers. Most of the elegantly furnished rooms come with terraces (most look out to the sea, not toward Positano) and plate-glass views; guest-room decor mixes chic and charming in the best country-style manner. The pool on an upper level is not large, so most guests opt to take an elevator fit for James Bond through hundreds of feet of mountainside to the private beach and bar. The proprietors organize boating excursions for those who want to roam farther afield. Don't leave without trying the hotel's incredibly delicious signature drink: Elephant's Milk, a mix of almond milk, mineral water, and lemon juice. The bartenders here also make a mean Bellini.

As legendary as its namesake sirens, this 18th-century palazzo has long set the standard for luxury in Italian hotels: it opened in 1951 with just 12 rooms (John Steinbeck stayed here while writing "Positano" for Harper's Bazaar in 1953) and now sprawls over eight floors, where extravagantly stylish guest rooms are accented with antiques and fine linens. Stunning vine-entwined terraces overlook town—the poolside terrace, the most beautiful on this coast, is the place to have lunch. Fine Campania cuisine is also served in the La Sponda restaurant, which is lit by 400 candles, and in the Champagne and Oyster bar where contented patrons toast the good luck that brought them here. Other perks include a private yacht, Eau d’Italie toiletries, and a designer spa.

One of Italy's most exclusive retreats—in a 17th-century monastery on dramatic coastal cliffs—this boutique hotel has just 20 rooms, all with vaulted ceilings, Italian antiques, modern amenities, sumptuous bathrooms, and dazzling views framed by Mediterranean gardens. With so few people around and so much space, you're likely to feel like a guest at a private villa—one with a fully equipped spa and an astounding infinity pool. The world-class restaurant serves innovative Mediterranean cuisine in a historic dining room or on the terrace, and the spa has a 750-square-foot Thermal Suite set within the ancient walls of the monastery.

Once home to the aristocratic Sasso family, this 12th-century palazzo—replete with a marble lobby (the former chapel), rooftop hot tubs, and a waterfall—once hosted a Parsifal-absorbed Wagner and was a 1950s hideaway for Ingrid Bergman and director Roberto Rossellini. Formerly part of the adjacent Hotel Palumbo, the property was opened in 1997 as Palazzo Sasso by Sir Richard Branson—the first guests were Placido Domingo and his entourage. Traditionalists might find this much glitz in quaint Ravello an affront, but no one will complain about immaculately furnished guest rooms, with the latest computer-operated lighting and air-cooling systems. With its Clubhouse by the Sea, Palazzo Avino offers what no other hotel in Ravello can: those gorgeous clifftop views along with private sea access, a swimming pool, and seaside dining.

In a grand palazzo on the highest point of Ravello, with some buildings dating from the 16th century and with a Bay of Salerno panorama that's incomparable and timeless, this member of the exclusive Belmond hotel brand has been a slice of hospitality paradise since the 19th century; today it shimmers with modern luxuries amid its frescoes, Norman arches, and beautifully terraced garden. Fans rave about the rooftop dining area and heated infinity pool with views so stunning it feels as if you're swimming between sea and sky. The lush hillside garden includes an herb garden that provides seasoning for the renowned Belvedere Restaurant, poolside bar, and the cocktail and piano bar, where happy guests can savor a great Bellini with a side of stellar views. Rooms are truly sumptuous—most have a sea view, and some have a private garden. The bar's patrons are welcome to wrap up the evening by joining the pianist for a song.

Clinging to a cliff, this little house is beloved for its homey restaurant; its owners, the Cinque family; and its Italianate charm, complete with rooms that have high ceilings, tile floors, bright fabrics, and sea and coastline views. Car or motorboat excursions to surrounding towns and attractions can be arranged. You can't drive your car to the doorway, but porters will ferry your luggage.

From afar on the Amalfi Drive, this 1960s structure looks like a shimmering white palazzo, and although its interior isn't decorated palatially, it nevertheless offers unfussy, light-filled charm—not to mention flagstone terraces and gardens set amid rock pinnacles that take full advantage of the dizzying location. The seaside bathing area, accessed by an elevator excavated through 1,000 feet of rock, is jaw-dropping and complete with private beach, rocky tunnels, buffet, and bar. Not jaw-dropping, however, are the public and guest rooms, all very standard-issue and staidly traditional in style. Still, they are comfortable and come with grand views of the sea and nearby Praiano. All in all, this is a delightfully low-key and relaxing place. Should you wish to give thanks for the region's natural wonders, a grotto on-site contains a small rock chapel.

Set in a grande-dame villa—featuring salons top-heavy with overstuffed sofas, a ravishing seawater-pool area, and a rocky beach—the tranquil Belvedere is equidistant from Conca dei Marini's lagoon and Saracen Tower and can arrange shuttle service for trips to Amalfi. The decor may be dated, but then this is the sort of place where guests ask for the room their great-grandparents favored. Happily, everyone, not just regulars, is treated like family here, and you'll find it difficult to say goodbye to the remarkably friendly and helpful staff.

Above the Spiaggia Grande, a fisherman’s tavern later converted into a guesthouse—where some of the airy guest rooms have sea views and others overlook the majolica dome of Santa Maria Assunta—has long held center stage, as evidenced by the photos of glitterati guests (Steinbeck, Hemingway, Jackie Kennedy) that line the walls. Spacious upper floor rooms with terraces are worth seeking out. The breakfast and dining terrace is a wonderful sunny spot for eating and gazing at the views, while the restaurant features such specialties as homemade scialatielli ai frutti di mare and gambaretti alla Clark (named after the American general who docked here during World War II and promptly requested a prawn cocktail). There's no pool, but who needs one this close to the beach?

Founded as a convent in 1222, allegedly by St. Francis of Assisi himself, the hotel has coved ceilings, graceful arches, marble columns, Flemish artwork, religious artifacts, antique furnishings, and mosaic flooring—all of which blend seamlessly with modern comforts. Past guests include Otto van Bismarck, Benito Mussolini, Ingrid Bergman, and Tennessee Williams. One of the restaurants and its bar are in the 15th-century Saracen tower, perched on a rock over the sea, providing a view that spans from Capo dei Conca to Capo d'Orso. The famed southern Romanesque cloisters and the beautiful Baroque chapel form the heart of the hotel, which has been owned by the Barbaro family since 1822. Below the tower is a solarium and seawater pool. Ask for a room in the renovated wing, and try to get one with a balcony over Amalfi's bay.

This hotel graces a coastal promontory, once the site of fisherman's cottages, in Amalfi town itself, so many of the rooms and the breakfast terrace have dreamy views. The heavily trafficked seaside road in front might seem like a deal killer, but because the Marina Riviera is on a bend, traffic is never too fast. By the time you ascend to the hotel's second floor, you might even imagine that you've escaped into a cocoon, one that's decorated with antique furniture, 18th-century ceramics, and vintage photos. And you'll feel right at home, thanks to the Gargano family, who greet you in the welcoming coved-ceiling reception area. Owner Antonio prides himself on his buffet-style breakfast. Each guest room is different, with ceramic fittings in the bathrooms. A thalasso pool and steam bath has recently been opened on the third-floor solarium.

On a rock jutting dramatically above the tiny cove of Marina dei Praia and overlooking a Saracen tower and coastal ridges, this popular, picturesque hotel has gorgeous flower-fringed terraces, elegantly designed bedrooms, and public areas with panoramic glass walls and marble flooring; nearby is the plush Villa Corallium, which provides six additional gorgeous "modern classical" rooms, with either terrace sea or garden views.  A path winds down to the beach, where daily boat excursions leave for Positano, Capri, and Ischia.

The Poseidon is more than just another family-run hotel with an amazing view and a terrace thanks, in no small part, to the pergola-dappled panoramic terrace with restaurant, cocktail bar, and pool, and their Beauty Center L'Onda with its gym, Turkish bath, and treatments. All rooms have private terraces, most overlooking the bay—and a range of events can be organized, from boat rides to group excursions to weddings.

Owned by the Gargano family for generations, this quietly elegant, supremely comfortable hotel has long been one of the treasures of the coast; indeed, it once served as a romantic escape for Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. Just outside Amalfi proper, giving it a grand vista of the town, the Santa Caterina takes full advantage of its hillside location. There are vast, terraced gardens and orchards overlooking the sea, and down by the water is a luscious seawater-pool area, complete with an idyllic thatched-roof, open-air café. The lobby is charmingly coved, while decor is unobtrusively traditional, with Belle Époque accents. The luckiest guests are allowed to book the hotel's extraordinary, 19th-century hunting-box chalet, set at water's edge at the far end of the hotel's romantic orchards.

Suspended over the azure sea and set amid legendary rose-filled gardens, this Gothic-style castle was once home to Lord Grimthorpe and a hideaway for Greta Garbo; since the 1990s, it's been an exclusive if pricey visitors haven, with guest rooms ranging from palatial to cozy. A newer wing has a bevy of options with sea and pool views. Furniture, artworks, and vintage art books that belonged to the lord's daughter still grace the enchanting sitting room and 19th-century music room. Gourmet restaurant Il Flauto di Pan is well regarded.

A central-yet-secreted location, an infinity pool below the cupola of Santa Maria Assunta, and a magical bougainvillea-draped patio garden are among the things that make the Murat much coveted by hotel bucket-listers. The courtyard (part orchard, part terrace) is one of the most drop-dead-gorgeous settings in Campania—a sublime area for dining alfresco at the Al Palazzo restaurant on dishes created by the accomplished chef. The old (18th-century) wing is Positano's grandest palazzo, once the summer residence of Joachim Murat, king of Naples, with massive limestone walls, carved rococo delicacies, and wrought-iron balconies swimming in pink flowers. The many-arched Mediterranean-style new wing has clean, tasteful mainly blue and white Vietri-tiled rooms with shady room terraces overlooking the gorgeous gardens, pool and Positano's limestone cliffs.

If you're eager to settle in for a while, this charming villa, a private home for centuries, has a prime location overlooking Piazza Flavio Gioia (the Spiaggia Grande is but a hop, skip, and flip-flop away) and bright mini-apartments, each with a cooking area and a terrace or large balcony. The small garden, which hosts exhibitions by local painters, is a pleasant place to chill out as you watch the tourists and Positanesi trekking down to the beach.

Hued in glowing terra-cotta, adorned with gorgeous flowers, and fronted by a vast garden terrace, the Villa Maria offers more sunny warmth than Ravello's more formal hotels—not to mention a delightfully friendly staff (thanks to the hands-on management of the Palumbo family) and a convenient restaurant. All but two rooms are standard, and there's an airy suite that has a large balcony overlooking the coast. The views here are of the Vallone del Dragone, not the bay, but are memorable all the same. Also check out Maria's next-door sibling, the Hotel Giordano, a former 18th-century manor house, which shares facilities with the villa. The rooms are less desirable here, but the pool is closer.