Hotel Il San Pietro, Positano

In short… Old-world elegance in the most beautiful location on the Amalfi Coast

The surroundings… On a promontory about five minutes past Positano sits this iconic property, built onto and into the cliffs. Terraced gardens flank it on one side, with the cliffs above the charming da Adolfo restaurant on the other, and nothing but sea in front of it. Even if you’re in a very touristed area you feel nothing of it here, unless you choose to go into town, which you can get to by either car or boat shuttle.

The backstory… This promontory was a lifelong dream of its founder, Carlo Cinque, who opened it in 1970. He was a great visionary, and you can feel his influence in everything from the big picture to the tiny details.

The vibe… Timeless, classic, with a very sexy beach club. Throughout the hotel, everything and everyone feels very familial–of course, it makes sense given that it is family-run. Virginia Cinque, the 90-year-old proprietor who runs the hotel with her sons (the third generation), took over the hotel when her uncle, founder Carlo Cinque, passed away in 1996, and it was so sweet to see her around the property with her dog, Stella. Many of the staff have been working there since they became adults (or younger!)—our shuttle driver to Positano told us that he started working as a young boy at Il San Pietro when it opened—helping his father, who was an employee—and he was deputized to be the elevator boy. Clearly they do a great job making their guests feel that this is their home, as they have a 41% return guest rate. Guests are definitely on the well-behaved special occasion side of their personalities—it isn’t a party place.

The rooms… All of the rooms have private terraces and sea views.  We were in room 19, which is in the “elite” category and approximately 40 sq meters, whereas the “classic” entry room is around 22 sq meters—but honestly, if you have a terrace and a bed, how much more do you need? We spent most of the time on the terrace looking at the boats below! The bed/sheets/pillows were great as you’d expect—all the decor and art was very tasteful. The bathroom had a tub and separate shower, and I really liked their products, which had a great scent. They use refillable bottles, so you’re not taking them home with you, but at checkout they give you a parting gift, a box of their hand soaps.

The food & drink… We ate lunch and dinner at Carlino, their seaside restaurant, and absolutely loved it. We’ll never forget it as the first place we had pasta alla Genovese, which may sound like it’s from Genoa, but it’s actually Neapolitan—a slow-cooked onion and meat sauce that is divine, served with casarecce pasta. The club sandwich was also stellar! I don’t know if there’s a prettier place to have a cocktail than at the Terrace Bar—the views are outstanding, and the bartenders are as well. (A special shout-out to Michelangelo!) And while I’m normally just a coffee/maybe a yogurt sort of person in the morning, the breakfast here isn’t to be missed. It was quite a challenge to stay away from their pastries and tarts—they are just beautiful. Instead, I tried their buffalo ricotta, which was so good, alongside the micro-greens from their garden, which are incredible. The only other time I’ve had greens that are so good you don’t want to put a thing on them, and want to eat each one individually, was at a hippie farm in Northern California. 

The wellness… I love nothing more than an outdoor gym, especially one that is covered by trellissed lemon trees, looking out towards the sea. There are several bikes, treadmills, and a rowing machine outside, as well as some weights, kettlebells, and a TRX system. There’s also an indoor gym, and every day at 9am there’s a pilates or yoga class outside near the sea. While I didn’t do any spa treatments, a quick look at the menu makes me wish I’d done a Sublime Skin facial, which uses Kobido techniques. There’s also what I’d say must be the most beautiful tennis court in the world, and Matt took a tennis lesson with Francesco and loved it! When we checked out, we were surprised to see that a lesson was only 60 euros.

Is it kid-friendly? The hotel doesn’t accept children under 10.

Extra tip goes to… Andrea Zana is the general manager and is truly the most present GM I’ve ever encountered at a hotel. So often I’m at a hotel and never meet the GM, or they come out to say hello when I arrive, never to be seen again. They’re often in suits and very formal. Andrea is anything but. He’s omnipresent—no matter the time of day, you run into him and he finds a way to chat even for five seconds with everyone who walks by, without your feeling like he’s constantly being interrupted. It’s a great skill. Most of the time I saw him he was hugging guests, either as they were arriving or leaving. Truly a passionate person who loves his job, which is a joy to see.

Be sure to… Take the stairs (approximately 400) to the beach. It will bring you through their beautiful gardens filled with herbs, peppers, tomatoes and citrus, etc. It’s absolutely divine. They also have great programming that’s included in the stay—from a two-hour coastal boat tour to Italian lessons, to cocktail master classes. Andrea the GM told me that many guests start their first Italian lesson during their stay, go home and continue, and come back the following year actually speaking with some confidence. 

Parting words… At 55 years old, this hotel has had plenty of years to become many guests’ favorite. I finally got to stay, and I have to say it’s now my favorite hotel in the world!

Date of stay… September 7-9, 2025