In a nutshell: A rare gem where the very best in exclusive luxury and service meets the intimacy of a family vacation home.
The neighbourhood
If you’ve ever seen a photo of southern Italy’s Amalfi Coast, more likely than not you were looking at the colourful cliffside of Positano. But arriving into the port by boat, it’s quickly apparent that photos don’t do justice to the true charm of this village. Multi-coloured houses of all shapes and sizes greet you from their positions stacked up on the hillside among fertile lemon and olive trees. The tiles of Santa Maria Assunta’s opulent dome glistens in the sunlight as the chime of the church bells fill the air. Rolling mountains hug the picturesque town, while the azure blue Mediterranean Sea stretches out for miles in front. Quite simply, it’s one of the most alluring places in the world.
Once a quaint fishing village, today this charming town epitomises Italy’s la dolce vita lifestyle. So, it’s no surprise that Positano is now the most popular holiday destination on the Amalfi coast. Down by the port and the volcanic sand beaches (courtesy of Mount Vesuvius), tourists flock from nearby southern Italy holiday hotspots to spend the day here. But don’t let the crowds put you off. Walk just minutes up from the port and you can get lost in the network of small alleys, winding stairs and passageways meandering up the cliffs. Shop for that signature Amalfi resort look in the boutique stores, take home some handpainted family-style serving plates or buy that all-important lemon-themed memorabilia (did you even go to Positano if you didn’t buy something lemon-related?).
Everywhere you look, there’s a new breathtaking view and a new hotch-potch of houses and villas that perfectly clash and complement each other all at the same time. While, by day, Positano is full of day trippers, after the last ferry leaves in early evening, the island takes on an entirely different vibe. There aren’t a load of hotels – and those that are present can be pricey – so the hustle and bustle of the daytime transforms into a much calmer, quieter affair, perfect for a relaxing night dining on local seafood and pasta dishes, washed down with an aperol spritz, Peroni or a shot of limoncello.
While you can easily spend your entire vacation never leaving Positano, it’s also the perfect base for day trips exploring the other Amalfi Coast towns of Amalfi and Ravello, the luxury island life of Capri, the ancient ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum, the active volcano of Mount Vesuvius or the rough and ready city of Naples.
Le Sirenuse’s ‘Pompeii red’ facade greets you as you arrive into Positano by boat— (Courtesy of Le Sirenuse Photographer/Credit Brechenmacher & Baumann )
The vibe
Nestled in the heart of the eye-catching colourful landscape, Le Sirenuse’s ‘Pompeii red’ facade instantly greets you as you arrive into Positano by boat. While Le Sirenuse is then just a five-minute walk from the hustle and bustle of the busy port and main tourist streets, you would never know it. As soon as you’re inside, it’s serene and quiet – a sanctuary of calm with breathtaking views of the cliffside homes, the church dome, the beach and the ocean beyond.
The service is impeccable from the get-go. Attentive and efficient Swiss-trained staff welcome you and cater to your every need – while nothing is too much trouble it never errs into the overbearing either. The best way to sum up the vibe here is feeling like you’ve stumbled upon a rare gem, where the very best in exclusive, private luxury meets the intimacy of a family vacation home. Classy but not pretentious, right away it feels (in a good way) almost like you’re visiting a (very privileged) friend’s family villa than staying at one of the top five-star hotels in the world.
It’s a vibe that’s clearly an ode to Le Sirenuse’s history. Originally from Naples, the aristocratic Sersale family first began spending their summers in Positano between the two World Wars. The Villa Giulietta offered a tranquil escape from city life and they would often welcome friends and guests to join them at the seaside retreat. The four siblings Anna, Aldo, Paolo and Franco Sersale found themselves falling in love with the town more and more over the years (so much so that Paolo became mayor of Positano from 1944 until 1960). During the Second World War, the Villa Giulietta then welcomed US soldiers as an Allied army rest resort. It then wasn’t much of a leap when the family decided to make their love of hospitality and desire to share their breathtaking vacation retreat with others by turning the villa into a hotel in 1951. Since then, the hotel has welcomed everyone from Princess Margaret to Mike Tyson and has expanded from just eight to 58 rooms.
Sweeping views of Positano’s colourful cliffside from the terrace— (Courtesy of Le Sirenuse Photographer/Credit Brechenmacher & Baumann )
Despite the years passing, and both the hotel and Positano evolving, to this day, Le Sirenuse is still very much a family affair. The hotel is now run by Antonio Sersale – the son of co-founder Franco – along with his wife Carla and their two sons Aldo and Francesco. At least one of the family members is always present at the hotel, and they can be found discreetly but warmly mingling with guests in the communal areas, chatting to first-timers and welcoming back repeat visitors.
Holding onto this heritage and sense of family tradition can be difficult as a hotel grows, expands and evolves with the times, but Le Sirenuse appears to have done just that. One of its secrets seems to be the way it has expanded into new ventures that fits with the family’s own passions and love of the island, whether that be expanding into resort wear with the Emporio Sirenuse boutique or the launch of a new week-long wellness retreat (something that Aldo explained was born out of the family’s own love of spending time together doing yoga). The retreat – much like the hotel – is today’s reimagining of the same move by the founders to open their family holiday to guests.
During our stay, Aldo welcomed us like a friend into his home, proudly but modestly chatting about his family’s villa-turned-hotel, while offering tips to make the trip memorable. It’s this connection between family and place and the feeling of a home away from home that draws guests back year after year to Le Sirenuse. One couple from Belgium proudly told The Independent they had been every summer for the past 22 years – something that clearly isn’t lost on the Sersale family, who were seen welcoming them back like old friends. While children over six are allowed at Le Sirenuse, we didn’t notice any during our stay. Instead, expect to see honeymooners, couples – and sometimes the odd famous face.
The reception and lobby area includes some of the hotel’s curated collection of antiques and artwork— (Courtesy of Le Sirenuse Photographer/Credit Brechenmacher & Baumann )
Bed and bath
At Le Sirenuse, no room is the same. We stayed in one of the sea view rooms with a private balcony – which blew us away with its view overlooking the tiled church dome and across the colourful cliffside. The room itself fit perfectly with the vacation villa style that Le Sirenuse has clearly perfected over the years – from the handpainted Italian tile flooring to the crisp white walls and bedsheets and embroidered bed curtains.
The bathroom is an oasis of marble, more handpainted tiles and a Jacuzzi bath bigger than we’d ever seen before, stocked up with exclusive in-house Eau d’Italie products (made by Antonio’s sister) with their signature scent (a refreshing break from the lemon-themed products you can’t escape at the tourist stores in the town).
Once again, personal touches make all the difference, from the handwritten card from Antonio welcoming you to the hotel, the cute Le Sirenuse beach bag to use during your stay, and textile-bound book on John Steinbeck’s article about Positano in the May 1953 issue of Harper’s Bazaar. “We went to the Sirenuse, an old family house converted into a first class hotel, spotless and cool, with grape arbors over its outside dining rooms. Every room has its own little balcony and looks out over the blue sea to the islands of the sirens from which those ladies sang so sweetly,” he wrote. Fast forward 70 years and Steinbeck’s description still holds true today.
Each of the 58 rooms is also a gallery showcasing carefully curated artwork, antique pieces of furniture and local artisanship. Here, it’s an ode to co-founder and art collector Franco, who is honoured by the next generations of the family as they continue to showcase local contemporary art installations at the hotel. Art-lovers are encouraged to ask if they want any information about the gallery that is their room (and enjoy a self-guided art tour of the uniquely selected pieces dotted around the hotel).
None of the 58 rooms at Le Sirenuse are the same— (Courtesy of Le Sirenuse Photographer/Credit Brechenmacher & Baumann )
Food and drink
In a corner of the world famed for its food and drink, Le Sirenuse is home to some of the best on offer. There are four restaurant and bar outposts in the hotel – including restaurant La Sponda, Aldo’s cocktail bar with its unrivalled views of the Positano cliffside, old-school hotel bar Don’t Worry and the chilled-out pool bar. Outside the hotel, there’s also Franco’s bar – a contemporary al fresco bar.
Included in the stay is a breakfast buffet like no other. Freshly baked breads, handmade sfogliatelle pastries (a must-try Italian specialty), whole mozzarella balls, smoked tuna, a treasure trove of fresh fruits… you name it, Le Sirenuse has got it. As well as the buffet, there’s also an a la carte menu for flavourful omelettes, made-to-order egg dishes and sweet treats. Seated at white-cloth-covered tables by the pool terrace, we enjoyed breakfast with a view while sipping freshly brewed coffee poured from delicate silverware.
An added perk is that non-hotel guests can only access the bars, restaurant and the hotel in general during the evenings, so it retains that exclusive, private vibe. By night, there’s the intensely romantic restaurant, La Sponda, where guests can dine on chef Gennaro Russo’s curated menu of seafood and pasta dishes, all the while being serenaded by musicians Franco and Andrea on the guitar and mandolin. Aldo’s bar, meanwhile, offers what is arguably the best view in town with sweeping views of the Santa Maria Assunta’s twinkling church dome, the vast Mediterranean Sea and Positano’s colourful stack of houses from its outdoor terrace. There, we dined on champagne and bar snacks while losing hours taking in the sunset and nightfall, when the cliffside transformed into a glittering sea of lights.
Aldo’s bar offers arguably one of the best views in town— (Courtesy of Le Sirenuse Photographer/Credit Brechenmacher & Baumann )
Public areas
From the pool terrace, guests can also enjoy the same breathtaking panorama of Positano while taking a dip in the water or peacefully lounging poolside. Once again, the area feels more like you’re relaxing around a (very wealthy) friend’s pool terrace than around a hotel pool. Plush sun loungers are nestled in among potted lemon trees on the tiled floors, while flower vines delicately wrap around the pillars. Expect the same attentive but subtle service poolside as around the rest of the hotel, with insanely colouful smoothies (which we boldly described as the best we’ve ever tasted) and local wines as well as bites to eat – all without any need to get up from your sunbed.
Beyond the pool terrace, there’s also the decadent Aveda spa designed by renowned Italian architect Gae Aulenti, with clean white marble and teak wood. There, enjoy treatments and use the saunas, ice room and steam bath, or – for those who feel the need for a workout after overindulging on too much pasta – there’s also a small gym.
Over the road from the hotel is Le Sirenuse’s boutique stores – Emporio Sirenuse for all your Positano resort wear needs, and Eau D’Italie where you can take home the unique scents from the in-house fragrance and bodycare product range.
Restaurant La Sponda treats guests to an intensely romantic evening— (Courtesy of Le Sirenuse Photographer/Credit Brechenmacher & Baumann )
Beyond all this, it’s the diary full of complimentary activities and excursions that really sets Le Sirenuse firmly in a league of its own. On arrival, guests are handed an on-brand book revealing all the events on offer during their stay. Each day, you can take your pick from waking up with an energising pilates class or a guided hike up the 1,865-step hill to Nocelle village to joining the master gardener on a tour of the hotel flowers or kicking back with a luxury wine tasting session in the evening. There really is something for everyone. The best part? Almost all of this comes at no extra cost.
A particular highlight is the outing on board the Sant’Antonio, the very same luxury wooden fishing boat that co-founder Aldo used to entertain his own friends and guests on board several decades earlier. During our stay, we joined the afternoon boat trip to Nerano – a tiny, little-known fishing village and one of the Amalfi Coast’s best-kept secrets. After a short boat ride with just four other guests, we were dropped off at our chosen restaurant, booked by the hotel. Stepping off onto a restaurant tucked away in a cove, it was a setting that wouldn’t have been out of place in a James Bond movie. Extra touches and exceptional service from Le Sirenuse’s dedicated team made the boat trip even more special – from champagne for the onward journey to fresh fruit and limoncello on the return voyage, all the while savouring the up-close views of the unspoiled Amalfi coastline.
There’s also a sunset cruise option, and the hotel can arrange private trips to visit the likes of Capri and Pompeii for an additional cost. Not only is it a big perk to have a broad range of activities already planned out for you to take advantage of as you wish, these experiences are a far cry from joining the masses piling onto a sold-out boat cruise from the port. Ultimately, Le Sirenuse has found a way to continue its unique vibe even when you leave the hotel. Indeed, the activities and excursions are very much an extension of that impeccable service coupled with a more exclusive, private, intimate, relaxed side of Positano, away from the hustle and bustle. All in all, it’s tempting not to do anything beyond the hotel’s offerings.
Guests can lounge poolside by the potted lemon trees while taking in the incredible views— (Courtesy of Le Sirenuse Photographer/Credit Brechenmacher & Baumann )
Nuts and bolts
Room count: 58
Freebies: Breakfast, daily calendar of activities and excursions.
Wifi: Free
Extra charges: City tax of €5 per person per day
Disability access: Due to its many stairs and steps, it is not wheelchair accessible.
Pet policy: No pets allowed
Bottom line
Best thing: The impeccable service, exclusive yet familiar vibe, and the calendar of boat trips and activities showcasing Positano’s best assets.
Worst thing: A stay will never feel long enough.
Perfect for: Honeymooners or couples looking to enjoy a relaxing, luxury and exclusive trip away from Positano’s hustle and bustle.
Not right for: Families with children under the age of six.
Instagram from: Take your pick! Aldo’s bar, the pool terrace and room balconies all offer breathtaking views of Positano’s colourful facade.
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Rates provided by Booking.com
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