Le Sirenuse
What We Love
- Living la dolce vita in a dreamy coastal setting that has inspired film directors, artists and musicians for decades
- Sipping cocktails in Murano glasses at one of hotel’s terraces
- Visiting the gothic and baroque churches, cloisters and catacombs in Old Naples, about an hour away
- Unwinding with a citrus-scented massage at the modern in-house spa
What To Know
- Children under the age of six are not admitted
- This is a seasonal hotel that closes from late October until early April
- Inner Courtyard rooms don’t have views of the Tyrrhenian Sea, a major attraction at Le Sirenuse
- WiFi is available throughout the hotel
Overview
The Lowdown
Le Sirenuse translates roughly as “dwelling of sirens,” a suitable name for one of the world’s most magical hotels. The meticulously decorated 18th-century residence, set high on the crags of the Amalfi Coast, is now run by Carla and Antonio Sersale, the charming and well-connected descendants of patriarch Franco Sersale. Inside, museum-worthy family heirlooms are offset by Moorish elements like domed ceilings and hand-painted ceramics, while each of the elegant guest rooms — all with distinct accents, some with postcard-perfect views of the Tyrrhenian Sea — complement a series of charmingly eclectic common areas that spill out onto open-air terraces surrounded by climbing vines and fragrant flowers, one of which features a pool with beautiful mosaic murals.
Rooms
All 58 rooms and suites are decorated with a harmonious mix of contemporary and vintage furnishings, some of them valuable antiques. Sea View Rooms are the smallest, at 258 square feet, but they have cozy balconies with lovely panoramas. Marble bathrooms are stocked with Frette towels and robes and luxurious “Eau d’Italie” products, created by the Sersale family specifically for Le Sirenuse.
Dining
The hotel’s main restaurant is the Michelin-starred La Sponda, which serves locally sourced Neapolitan cuisine created by chef Gennaro Russo. Fresh shellfish is the calling card at the candlelit Champagne Bar & Grill, while the lemon-tree-scented Pool Bar and Restaurant serves light regional fare at lunchtime. A recent addition, Franco’s Bar, named in honor of Franco Sersale, is the place to go for craft cocktails.
Location
Nestled in the cliffs of southern Italy’s famous Amalfi Coast, Le Sirenuse is just over an hour away from Naples and historic sites like Pompeii. The hotel can arrange transfers from Naples-Capodichino International Airport or from the Naples central train station.
How to Get There
Reviews
We did not have reservation but the hotel manager tried to get us into the bar on the dining patio He was terrific. From there it only got better our food was delightful and drinking wine over looking Positano and water was like living a dream. Our waiters did not rush us. Would definitely go back for a beautiful time.
This trip we stayed at Le Sirenuse and last visit we stayed at Il San Pietro. Quite a few people have asked us which resort do we prefer? A stay in a nice room at either of these properties is truly an investment in your enjoyment and the question is an important one.
Obviously both are world class hotels. My husband and I truly appreciate these incredible properties and are willing to put our budget dollars towards staying at them. We like to stay at beautiful properties and in the best rooms possible.
We use a travel agency out of New York City that frequently secures what we want.
But in days when our budget was smaller we knew that it can be best to stay in the least expensive room at the best property to gain access to all else that hotel may have to offer.
To get to the bottom line about the two hotels I would say the following...
ISP is without question more exclusive. This is where you will see politicians and celebrities. But does that type of exclusivity matter to you? The hotel is outside of town and you need to take the hotel shuttle in. But maybe you only need to walk and shop the town one or two afternoons? Then what this resort itself has to offer is spectacular (and you can read about that online but the facilities are amazing).
I would say ISP staff are a little more guarded and aloof and can come off as a bit snobby, whereas the staff at LS is extremely warm, welcoming and frequently funny. But in defense of ISP, everyone and their brother tries to get through the gates there and they protect their guests. So there is a small level of (probably justifiable) suspicion there whereas LS seems more open-armed in their demeanor.
There is something about the setting of ISP
that cannot be rivaled! But there is something about the location and the accessibility of LS that makes it a great choice as well.
On our next trip to the Amalfi we will stay probably two or three nights at each property because the decision is so hard to make. I would suggest maybe to stay in town at LS to enjoy the town and then transfer to ISP to enjoy that amazing resort. Yes, it’s not a lot of fun to pack and unpack but the experience at both resorts is worth the effort if you have enough time on your vacation. I hope this information helps anyone who is lucky enough to have this tough decision to make.
I also hope that LS reads this review because we have one suggestion. May be a small thing to some but it really bothered my husband and I.
We like to work out in the morning because we know we will be enjoying good Italian pasta and wine later in the day. LS does not allow guests to use the gym until after 8 AM. The time between 7 AM and 8 AM is reserved for private classes. If we start touring at 9 AM or 9:30 AM which we did most days, we were never able to enjoy the gym in the morning and really did not have the desire or energy at the end of the day to go work out.
Our suggestion to LS (in respect to those that want early private classes) is to alternate days. Let people not taking classes use the gym at 7 AM every other day so that everyone has a chance to use the facility first thing in the morning.
Our next stay on the coast will be at the Hotel Caruso in Ravello and we have heard wonderful things. We look forward to finding out how that property will compare!
View is absolutely amazing, we had visited for a drink which is very encouraged by the hotels (more exposure and $$$ for them) no one attended to us so we seated ourselves once we decided on a drink we asked a waiter older man who in essence made us feel like peasants in front of everyone as we had sat in the area of people staying at the hotel (there was no way of knowing unless seated by someone working there) it was quite uncomfortable after that I offered to move but he said “well you’re there now so stay” and walked off annoyed. I would have rather moved save the embarrassment, unless you have money expect to be treated like a peasant.
I can not recommend this hotel more!
My wife and I celebrated our wedding anniversary and we are so delighted we chose Le Sirenuse.
As with all hotels of this standard, the attention to detail is second to non. Spotlessly clean and beautifully decorated.
We expressed our concern about our room being near the pool and bar area, thinking it might be noisy. The staff went out of their way to move us when they could, and I’m pleased to say non of this spoiled our stay.
The only slight downside, and it is minor, the computers available in the business center are very old. I had to do some work briefly and the Mac & PC available we too old to use. That is the only criticism.
We will be back as soon as possible.
Many thanks to all the staff.
Le Sirenuse is without parallel. The most stellar staff bar none. This Amalfi property exudes true southern Italian hospitality. The accommodations ooze charm and Pepe never misses a beat. Both Carla and Antonio are genuine and make one feel as if they are the only guests in the world. If one happens to find themselves in Positano I highly recommend this delightful gem ... You will not be disappointed -- I promise!