If you’re looking for a classic, family-owned luxury hotel on the Amalfi Coast, Il San Pietro di Positano may just fit the bill. Just a few minutes drive from the center of Positano, the property was one of the first luxury hotels on the coast and is still owned by the same pioneering family who built it. The land was purchased in 1962 and the hotel opened its doors in 1970. You’ll probably spot the owners and the hotel boxer Zarina, around the property overseeing every little detail.
Bougainvilleas and vines trained to grow inside and outside of the hotel create a magical atmosphere. The hotel is situated on a rugged point with a fabulous terrace and view of Positano. It’s a great place to sit and take in the view along with a cocktail on the iconic terrace, which you might recognize from a Tom Ford beauty campaign from a few years ago. At night there are normally live musicians to create a romantic Italian atmosphere.
The hotel has an elevator down to the sea with a beach club, as well as tennis courts and an outdoor gym. It was a bit stormy during our stay, so we stayed inside. However, this hotel would be the perfect place to spend the day at the private beach club in the sun. The hotel also offers a number of complementary activities including a pizza-making class, cocktail classes, and boat tours.
Our favorite experience at Il San Pietro was their restaurant Zass. It’s a beautiful yet unpretentious one-Michelin star restaurant. The mood is set with candles and live music every night. We started with a slice of wood-fired pizza as an amuse-bouche followed by a seven-course tasting menu. The wine list and pairings are unusual for the Amalfi Coast, including lots of smaller production wines from all over Italy that you won’t find anywhere else on the coast like this or this.
Their kitchen is also the star of the show at this property. Belgian Chef Alois Vanlangenaeker gave us a private tour of the award-winning kitchen. Designed by Chef Vanlangenaeker himself, it has almost every innovation you could imagine and countless improvements that make everything easier for the team. He even dries the freshly made pasta in his office.
Every night, the kitchen is sanitized by ozone, similar to what they use by NASA and hospitals to really insure the cleanliness of the area. They’ve even created a system to lower the amount of trash and waste from the kitchen and redirect kitchen waste into compost for the organic gardens.
Il San Pietro is one of very few original iconic properties on the Amalfi Coast and ideal for travelers looking for a unique experience in a historic property. For our insider tips on how to have a positive experience in Positano, check out The Positano Edit here.
Il San Pietro di Positano, Via Laurito, 2, 84017 Positano SA, Italy
Note: Il San Pietro di Positano provided support for the reporting of this story.