I Love Touring Italy - Discovering Hotels In Positano, Campania

Positano went from a major Sixteenth and Seventeenth Century port to a sleepy fishing village until about fifty or sixty years ago to the Amalfi Coast's number one tourist attraction. You may recognize this resort from the 2003 movie, Under the Tuscan Sun even though it is really quite far from Tuscany. Make sure to see the Thirteenth Century Romanesque Chiesa Santa Maria Assunta (Church of Saint Mary of Assunta) and its Byzantine wood painting of Madonna with Child known as the Black Virgin. The town's main beach, the Spiaggia Grande, boasts a walkway, Via Positanesi d'America, named for the thousands of locals who immigrated to the United States. Stroll on the walkway and look for the Torre Trasìta, a historic defense tower transformed into a residence. The city's finest garden is in the Palazzo Murat, once the residence of the King of Naples and Sicily and now a four-star hotel. For your convenience we have listed neighborhood hotels in approximate order of cost, starting with the least expensive. We have personally verified all hotel websites to make sure that they include English-language pages.

The three-star Hotel Savoia is located near the beach. It offers 39 single, double, triple and quadruple rooms, most of which have a private balcony or terrace with a view of the city or the sea. Enjoy breakfast on the terrace or in the breakfast room. Rent a bike if you can deal with the hills. The address is Via Cristoforo Colombo 73 Sorrento 84017.

The Bed & Breakfast Residence Venus-Inn is a few minutes walk from the beach. The building has thick walls and big rooms with a domed ceiling. Enjoy breakfast on the terrace. If you so wish, get a room with a cooking corner and a mini fridge. The entire property is non-smoking and has been recently renovated. The address is Via Fornillo Sorrento 84017.

The four-star Hotel Palazzo Murat is located in the town center near the beach. The property includes both a historic and a modern wing. Its terrace boasts a fantastic view and often features classical music concerts. During the summer a buffet breakfast is served outdoors amongst bougainvillea, palms, and flowers. The Al Palazzo Restaurant, exclusively a la carte, is nestled in a verdant botanical garden among rare and tropical plants and colorful flora. There is also a bar, a cafeteria, a TV room, and a reading room. By the way, when this hotel was really a Palazzo it was the summer residence of Joachim Murat, the King of Naples and Sicily, Napoleon's brother-in-law. The address is Via Cristoforo Colombo 73 Sorrento 84017.

The four-star Le Sireneuse Hotel can compete with an erstwhile king's palace. This too was once a palace. There are 51 rooms and 9 suites some of which are equipped with whirlpool baths. Of course, there is a gym, a pool, a bar, and a spa. Their beautiful restaurant is decorated with hundreds of candles. This is one luxury hotel and priced to match. The address is Via Cristoforo Colombo 30 Sorrento 84017.