Distance from airport - The distance between Positano and Naples Airport (NAP) is 25 miles but the road distance is more like 50 miles. If you don’t fancy hiring a car and navigating the winding roads, the best way to get from Naples Airport to Positano without a car is by train which takes 1h 47m and costs between €45-€60. The quickest way is to get a taxi which costs around €65 - €80 and takes 1 hour.

J.K. Place Capri, Capri

J.K. Place Capri is one of the loveliest boutique hotels on the Amalfi Coast and the best luxury hotel on the island of Capri (just a 45 minute hydrofoil ride from the port of Naples). This exceptional hotel is where the the art of hospitality and attention to detail is second to none. The 22 rooms and suites are immaculate from top to toe with every mod con a discerning traveller could wish for including a complimentary soft drink mini bar, bespoke bedlinen and bath products and massive beds. Falling in love with a boutique hotel has never been so easy. Normally there is a minimum stay though following the Covid-19 pandemic this may have relaxed a little, nonetheless book early to avoid disappointment as this gem really does get booked up.

Book J.K. Place Capri here.

Casa Angelina, Praiano

From one perfect hotel to another.. Casa Angelina will make even the headiest romantics swoon. It’s one of the most romantic boutique hotels on the Amalfi Coast. Contemporary and modern with a timeless elegance it exudes an intoxicating warmth as soon as you arrive. Sitting high on the cliffs on the Amalfi Coast in Praiano, just a little outside Positano (25 minutes), Casa Angelina offers a whiter than white piece of designer minimalism on the Mediterranean. The 42 white rooms and suites can be small and therefore seemingly expensive but believe me when I say they’re pretty close to perfection as are the stunning views of the blue sea, a dazzling contrast to the white on white palette throughout Casa Angelina.

Whether you’re enjoying a light lunch at the poolside or a tantalising menu at the glorious rooftop restaurant Un Piano Nel Cielo with breathtaking sea views of the Amalfi Coast, every meal at Casa Angelina is extraordinary.

Book Casa Angelina here.

La Minervetta, Sorrento

In contrast to Casa Angelina, boutique hotel La Minervetta is alive with colour. This design masterpiece is 40 minutes from Positano in Sorrento. La Minervetta was built in the 1950’s originally as a restaurant and has been in the same family since then. In 2006 it was restored and brought back to life by Marco de Luca, the grandson of the Giovanni Cacace Sorrentine and Wanda Schwartz who fell in love with Sorrento and had the vision to build this stunning clifftop hideaway. Marco’s eye for detail and architectural perspective is evident in the witty and colour interiors, making La Minervetta one of the coolest places to stay on the Amalfi Coast, perfect for a sunny summer holiday or la dolce far niente.

Book La Minervetta here.

Le Sirenuse, Positano

Another luxury hotel on the Amalfi Coast with a longstanding family history. Le Sirenuse opened in 1951, when four Neapolitan siblings, the Marchesi Aldo, Paolo, Anna and Franco Sersale decided to turn their family summer house into a small, charming hotel. Today this 58-room hotel with restaurant, pool and spa, is one of the best seaside hotels in Italy, let alone the Amalfi Coast and is the most sought after luxury hotel in Positano. The feel of a private residence still remains and the the sophisticated and elegant interiors have a signature style much of which was defined by Franco, an art connoisseur. Still very much a family affair, Franco’s son Antonio and wife Carla look after the running of Le Sirenuse and Carla’s boutique the Emporio Sirenuse. Paolo’s daughter Marina created Le Sirenuse’s fragrance and skincare line Eau d’Italie (available online if you can’t visit in person) with her husband Sebastián Alvarez Murena, while her sister Giulia designs Le Sirenuse’s much-admired outdoor landscape and indoor greenery.

Almost all of the rooms, suites and junior suites look over the bay of Positano and most have a private terrace or balcony. All of the traditional, yet luxurious rooms feature whitewashed walls, vaulted ceilings and handmade tiles from the Amalfi Coast, as well as antiques and artworks from the family’s own private collection emanating the feel and atmosphere of a private home.

I must admit, I have only been for lunch, a long, luxurious event with my dear friend and journalist extraordinaire Maria Shollenbarger (now Travel Editor of the FT How To Spend It) and it surpassed every expectation. The Mediterranean cuisine of Le Sirenuse’s romantic La Sponda restaurant is based on fresh local and seasonal ingredients and dishes are inspired by the ancient culinary traditions of the Amalfi Coast and Naples. Possibly the most romantic restaurant on the coast La Sponda is illuminated, every evening with four hundred candles.

If you’re after a luxury hotel on the Amalfi Coast with Positano on its doorstep and an intimate atmosphere look no further than Le Sirenuse.

Book Le Sirenuse here.

Palazzo Murat, Positano

A home from home has never felt so good as at Palazzo Murat. You’ll find this darling little palazzo on the main road, Via dei Mulini that leads to Spiaggia Grande, the large beach. Shaded amidst charming scented gardens this 19th-century building was once where Gioacchino Murat – king of Naples and brother-in-law to Napoleon spent his summers. Intent on making your stay as memorable as possible, anything and everything is made possible by the team at Palazzo Murat.

Al Palazzo restaurant is where chef Giuseppe Forte creates traditional dishes from the area using local ingredients and specialties including buffalo mozzarella from the Lattari Mountains, artichokes from Paestum and fragrant herbs from the hotel’s own kitchen garden.

Each room at Palazzo Murat is unique but what they all have in common is dazzling views of Positano, a rarity not found in other boutique hotels in Positano. The king of Naples fell in love with this charmer and I think you will too.

There’s a minimum 3 night stay, book Palazzo Murat here.