About accommodation in Positano
Unlike Amalfi, which has a tight-packed historic centre and a busy road along the waterfront, Positano consists mostly of hotels and villas spread around a curve of steep slopes above the sea. Consequently almost every hotel room in Positano looks out to the most stunning views of the town and water. The geography also means, though, that there are lots of steps to climb: from the beach to the main streets high up the hillside, from your hotel to the ferry, from your hotel to restaurants. If you are fit and prepared to walk (and climb) it is a great place to stay, with views you won’t ever forget. But if the effort daunts you, it would be a good idea to read carefully about hotel location (for example, you could stay on a road accessible to transport, but that would still mean a long descent to the sea) or consider staying in Amalfi or one of the Amalfi Coast’s resort hotels, generally equipped with lifts.
Positano isn’t the cheapest place to stay, but it’s a lovely place to wander in the evenings, and ideally does merit more than a daytrip. While some of the hotels here are famous for their luxury, it’s worth remembering that just about every hotel room in Positano has a fantastic view and most have balconies. You can have a very comfortable stay without paying a five-star price. We’ve stayed at two hotels in the town, the two-star La Reginella and the Royal Prisco (see listings below). Both were cheaper than the average Positano hotel but were comfortable and offered us what really mattered – a private terrace/balcony and views over the town and sea. We’d be happy to return to either, and wouldn’t pay more for any extras. Although cheaper hotels will have fewer facilities, with a beach nearby and good restaurants in town you shouldn’t feel the lack.
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Selected hotel and B&Bs
Hotel Eden Roc ****
This is one of the smarter hotels in town and is popular even with the more hard-to-please international guests. The four-star Eden Roc has an outdoor swimming pool, a sun terrace and the usual famous Positano views. It is situated on a main road high above the sea, but most guests feel the views and professional standards of service compensate for that possible drawback.
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Hotel Buca di Bacco ****
Another Positano hotel which is highly-praised for its facilities, the service and the food (including an evening restaurant). There are decent cheaper options in Positano but this hotel has really delighted its guests. In a good but busy location above the beach, the hotel has no pool but does have loungers for sunbathing on a terrace; many rooms also have lovely panoramic private terraces.
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Palazzo Murat ****
This is a four-star hotel which is a bit different to the usual Amalfi Coast hotels. Most are in smart, fairly modern whitewashed buildings, but Palazzo Murat is a lovely and genuinely historic palazzo right in the heart of Positano, not far from the beach. The location is great for wandering around Positano, but does mean that the views are limited compared with hotels up the cliffs, and there is no pool. Rather pricey but much-loved by past guests. Good for a romantic holiday; it’s the sort of hotel where other tourists peer enviously in the gate while passing on their way to or from the beach.
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Royal Prisco
The Royal Prisco is quite a new establishment, categorised as a B&B but with good hotel-standard bedrooms. We stayed there a few years ago and thought we had very good value for money. Our room was spacious, light and elegant (perhaps with a touch of fairy-tale about it). We had air-conditioning, a fancy jacuzzi shower and an extra single bed in a curtained area. We ate breakfast on our private terrace, with views over the village and sea. The location is close to the lowest part of winding Via Pasitea, and thus very handy for the heart of town and the seafront (about ten minutes walk downhill).
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Palazzo Talamo
With excellent views from the bedrooms and balconies and a decent breakfast buffet, the Palazzo Talamo scores highly with past guests. It has just eleven rooms and visitors praise the staff for their friendly helpfulness.
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La Reginella **
La Reginella is a two-star family-run hotel in a panoramic location, simple but comfortable. It’s good value if you’re not looking for anything fancy. We’ve stayed here too, years ago on our first trip to Positano, and were enchanted by the balcony and wonderful views we had got for relatively little money. The location is convenient and reasonably peaceful, but be prepared for bursts of early-morning street noise. When we visited we also heard live Neapolitan music from the panoramic restaurant-bar on the corner, but this only added to the enchantment. We found another excellent restaurant just a few doors away. We could choose between eating breakfast (basic) at foyer tables or on our balcony.
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