Latest news with #HotelSantaCaterina
Forbes
5 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Hotel Santa Caterina Adds New Suites and Rooftop Dining in Amalfi
A stone's throw from Amalfi, Hotel Santa Caterina has been a fixture of Italian hospitality for more than a century. Originally built as a private residence in 1850 by Giuseppe Gambardella, a local landowner on the Amalfi Coast, the villa was transformed into a hotel with six rooms in 1904. Still family-owned and now in its fourth generation, the iconic property boasts 66 rooms and continues to honor its historic roots while building on its legacy for the future. As you drive along Italy's most iconic coastline, you can't miss the stately villa perched upon the hillside. Set on 5 acres dotted with lemon trees, Santa Caterina captures the essence of the Amalfi Coast with hand-painted tiles, elegant wooden furnishings and seaside views from its sunny terraces. Part of the Leading Hotels of the World collection, the Liberty style property is classic Italian: with a traditional revolving entrance, vintage wood-paneled reception and a hospitality team that has worked at the hotel for decades. More than staff, they're family — creating an atmosphere that feels like home rather than a hotel. Santa Caterina's rooms and suites are plush and elegant, featuring Vietri's famous majolica tiles, artisanal headboards and early 20th century furnishings. Many include private terraces or balconies with views of the sea or surrounding gardens. Chalet Giulietta & Romeo Courtesy of Hotel Santa Caterina Although the property prides itself on catering to families of all ages, two of the most beautiful suites are ideal for couples. 'Follia Amalfitana' features a unique shell-shaped bed, a hydrotherapy bathtub and a private outdoor pool, while 'Chalet Giulietta and Romeo,' an intimate cottage with vaulted ceilings and a garden terrace, offers a secluded pool with panoramic coastal views. Just a short walk away, Villa della Marchesa is a five-bedroom retreat ideal for larger groups. Complete with a lap pool, spacious kitchen with wine cellar and an expansive dining terrace where guests can enjoy private meals prepared by the chef. Villa della Marchesa Alessandra Farinelli This year, the hotel has added seven more suites in a refreshed, contemporary style to meet growing demand. Rather than expanding the footprint, the hotel has continued its longstanding practice of restoring existing structures — a necessity in a region where new development is tightly regulated. Dining at Santa Caterina is another unforgettable experience. Glicine, the hotel's Michelin-starred restaurant, is set on a romantic terrace and named for the iconic wisteria draped over the property each year in April. Here you can order dishes à la carte, or a tasting menu, featuring creative spins on local recipes such as roasted squid stuffed with stuffed with zucchini, potatoes, and Provolone del Monaco cheese, or Wagyu beef with tuna, capers and anchovy sauce. Glicine Courtesy of Hotel Santa Caterina Ristorante Al Mare, located at sea level beside the pool, takes a more relaxed approach to the region's beloved comfort food. Enjoy tagliolini pasta with a creamy lemon sauce, eggplant parmesan or oven-baked pizzas alongside grilled seafood and decadent desserts — accompanied by the sound of waves lapping below and live mandolin performances. The newest addition, Senzafine, is a rooftop Mediterranean grill and raw bar that pairs elevated dishes with cocktails and sunset views. Signature plates include amberjack carpaccio with citrus and ponzu, Fassona beef tartare with hazelnuts and black truffle, and smoked eel yakitori with rosemary potatoes. Open Wednesday through Sunday, it's a stunning spot for an aperitivo as golden light bathes the coast. Ristorante Al Mare Courtesy of Hotel Santa Caterina While the sun shines, most guests spend leisurely days down at Santa Caterina's beach club. Reachable by a panoramic glass elevator or a scenic stroll down a lemon grove-lined path, the cliffside sundeck and saltwater pool are carved into the rock — making it one of the coast's most unforgettable retreats. There's also a small dock to catch a boat ride to Capri or along the coast. If you need to unwind, the hotel's spa offers treatments using ingredients grown on the property, including lemons, rosemary and olive oil. Don't miss the signature 'Amalfi Gold' massage which uses a lemon-infused oil to nourish both body and spirit. Santa Caterina also has a sauna, Turkish bath, hydrotherapy shower and fitness room with views of the sea. Whether you plan to stay at the property or explore the coast, Santa Caterina offers a prime location. Amalfi is a scenic 15-minute walk downhill, with a complimentary shuttle available around the clock. Ravello is just 20 minutes by car, while Positano is a picturesque 40-minute drive away.
Euronews
31-05-2025
- Euronews
Why you should save your Amalfi Coast visit for spring
Beneath the hot May sunshine, lemon groves, their winter hail-protection netting just removed, perfume the air with their sweet, zesty flowers. The trees, already laden with pale yellow fruit, crowd the narrow footpath that climbs along the cliff above the town of Amalfi. I haven't seen anyone else for the last hour since leaving the single main street of the namesake settlement of the Amalfi Coast and taking the turn for the steep Valle delle Ferriere hiking route. The summer crowds are by now notorious along Italy's most famed coastline, a marvel of nature and of human ingenuity to squeeze precipitous villages onto its cliff faces. But coming here in spring is not just a way to escape the peak season crush. For me, April and May are the prime months on the coast, when you can catch local religious festivals, take breezy, blossom-filled hikes, and eat special Easter treats. Hotel Santa Caterina is a storied Amalfi property still owned by the family who transformed their home into guest accommodation in the late 19th century. The hotel champions shoulder seasons on the coast; they are one of the first to open in mid-March and last to close in October. The property lies on the coastal road just out of Amalfi, its buildings perched high on the cliffside with precipitous plunges to the glittering sea below. My airy, white-washed room paved with sunny coloured tiles from the nearby ceramic-making town of Vietri recalls the quiet 1950s glamour of the coastline. The rock face below the hotel is carved into terraces filled with an arboreal extravaganza, which is at its prime in spring, tended by an army of gardeners. The beach club, several hundred metres below, can be reached by lift. But much more pleasant is the narrow staircase that zigzags down the cliff beneath the lemon groves and boughs of bright bougainvillaea. Back up on the cliff top, the terrace bar is shaded by a canopy of wisteria, the pendulous purple blossoms in full bloom before summer arrives. The coastlines' hiking trails are also at their best in spring, plus the cooler weather makes the endless stair climbing more agreeable. One such route begins at the upper end of Amalfi's Main Street, after you leave behind the garish yellow lemon-themed souvenir shops and overpriced restaurants. The starting point is opposite the Paper Museum, a small exhibition well worth stopping into to learn about Amalfi's prestigious, centuries-old history of paper making. The Valle delle Ferriere, as the trail is known, begins along the aptly named Via Paradiso running through the heart of the lemon terraces. You often pass bundles of long wooden poles leaning against the walls, ready to be heaved manually up the hillside to make the supporting pergolas. The route then delves deep into the shaded woods of a long crevasse, passing the occasional eerie ruin of a mill that once churned out Amalfi's high-grade paper. During the ascent, you pass temptingly clear, albeit icy cold, streams and waterfalls that are particularly abundant in spring. You can follow the trail all the way to the Valle delle Ferriere nature reserve, a lush, humid gorge with giant spongy walls of dripping moss and prehistoric ferns. Timing your visit with Easter means getting the privilege to witness deeply felt local religious festivities. On Good Friday, the lights of the city are switched off and an evocative procession of hooded figures singing and bearing a statue of the Dead Christ takes place after dark, illuminated only by flaming torches. Over the Easter period, you can also try a seasonal Neapolitan speciality available at most bakeries. The pastiera is a fragrant, creamy tart made with ricotta cheese, cooked wheat, orange blossom water and orange zest. Sadly, peak season on the Amalfi Coast now comes with a side of fighting for beach spots and sun loungers, booked-up restaurants and uncomfortably crowded hotels. But in May, I wander the lemon-shaded paths of Hotel Santa Caterina almost alone, get a front row sun lounger at the beach club each day, and a table with a dreamy coastline view at breakfast. Upon my departure at the end of the month, I walk out to the terrace for one last vista of the coastline. The tiles are scattered with fallen wisteria blossoms, shaken free by the morning breeze. 'It means summer has come,' remarks a waiter, sweeping up the purple petals and with them the last vestiges of a serene spring.
