7 Best Hotels in The Amalfi Coast, Italy

This well-run little hotel is a good deal for those who prefer absorbing rays on the beach to hiking the highlands; ask for a room with a sea view and private terrace. The Aurora is on the Spiaggia delle Sirene near the fishing harbor, amid a greenery-filled setting. It's a flat and easy 10-minute walk from the Duomo, but crowds rarely venture to this nook.

Cetara's leading hotel is set in a white stucco building that seems to have emerged right out of the rock in the cliffs above the beach; an on-site seafood restaurant has a breathtaking terrace; and guest rooms have vibrant Vietri ceramic-tiled floors and sea views.  

True to the word "gold" in its name, this bright, burnished, wedding-cake of a hotel shines brightly from its hillside perch amid a citrus-filled garden and terraces; guest rooms have chintz fabrics, antique furnishings, boldly patterned floor tiles, ceiling fans, and balconies that overlook the sea. There's also a broad, casual dining veranda and a private stretch of beach.

Named after the Holy Grail, as in Wagner's opera Parsifal, this inn might not be a Ravello grand dame (owing to its functional modern decor), but it is blessed with a wonderful terrace pool and views. The outside walls are adorned with the work of Roman artist Bruno Canova, with colorful tiled murals outside, and paintings inside. Hovering over the water on the Via della Repubblica, near the Auditorium Oscar Niemeyer, with a nearly unobstructed view of the breathtaking bay, this hotel possesses one of the friendliest staffs around, the panoramic restaurant A Ristoro del Moro, a pretty pool area, and whirlpools and fancy baths. In the dining room, meals from a family kitchen are delivered to tables that are dressed in linen and set near large, arched windows.

With much the same views as the multimillion-dollar villas nearby, this small family-run Praiano pad is a great-value option. True, you're right on the main road, but the tile-floor guest rooms are white and clean, the private balconies are spacious, and the informal, vine-covered restaurant serves up tasty fare with sublime vistas.

Occupying a 19th-century villa up the steps from Atrani's harbor, this hotel has unrivaled beach vistas and a pop-art design-theme, evident in both the modern lobby and in the colorful, individually designed guest rooms, each one dedicated to a movie actress. The star attraction, though, is the Nel Blue beauty center, with its mosaic walls, infused lighting, and selection of massages. Climb to the top-floor solarium for a 180-degree view over Atrani.

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.