36 Best Hotels in The Amalfi Coast, Italy

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.

At this working farm about 3 km (2 miles) from Paestum's Greek temples, befriend the resident dogs so they will accompany you on country walks or bike rides, and opt for half board to enjoy home-produced mozzarella and rich buffalo stew. You'll dine at a table with other guests before withdrawing to your charming wood-beamed guest room in one of the 19th-century baronial buildings. The Baronessa Cecilia herself presides over all, aided by sons Ettore and Massimino. Cookery courses and visits to the family's nearby cheese-making farm (meet the buffalo!) can be organized, and bicycles may be borrowed.

A 10-minute walk from the Piazza Duomo, this secluded hotel with a garden is family-run and shares the same exhilarating view of the Bay of Salerno as Ravello's most expensive hotels. Rooms are generally small (some feature an outside space with a table for two) and have modern furnishing; suites are in a different league.

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.

Built into the rocky shoreline just outside Atrani, this small, friendly, family-run hotel with fresh blue-hued rooms has the feel of a private villa hideaway, one with peaceful lemon- and flower-scented terraces that tumble down the cliffs and access to the Mar Tirreno waves.