Le Sirenuse hotel, Positano, review: Exclusive luxury and intimacy

In a nutshell: A rare gem where the very best in exclusive luxury and service meets the intimacy of a family vacation home.

The neighbourhood 

If you’ve ever seen a photo of southern Italy’s Amalfi Coast, more likely than not you were looking at the colourful cliffside of Positano. But arriving into the port by boat, it’s quickly apparent that photos don’t do justice to the true charm of this village. Multi-coloured houses of all shapes and sizes greet you from their positions stacked up on the hillside among fertile lemon and olive trees. The tiles of Santa Maria Assunta’s opulent dome glistens in the sunlight as the chime of the church bells fill the air. Rolling mountains hug the picturesque town, while the azure blue Mediterranean Sea stretches out for miles in front. Quite simply, it’s one of the most alluring places in the world.

Once a quaint fishing village, today this charming town epitomises Italy’s la dolce vita lifestyle. So, it’s no surprise that Positano is now the most popular holiday destination on the Amalfi coast. Down by the port and the volcanic sand beaches (courtesy of Mount Vesuvius), tourists flock from nearby southern Italy holiday hotspots to spend the day here. But don’t let the crowds put you off. Walk just minutes up from the port and you can get lost in the network of small alleys, winding stairs and passageways meandering up the cliffs. Shop for that signature Amalfi resort look in the boutique stores, take home some handpainted family-style serving plates or buy that all-important lemon-themed memorabilia (did you even go to Positano if you didn’t buy something lemon-related?).

Everywhere you look, there’s a new breathtaking view and a new hotch-potch of houses and villas that perfectly clash and complement each other all at the same time. While, by day, Positano is full of day trippers, after the last ferry leaves in early evening, the island takes on an entirely different vibe. There aren’t a load of hotels – and those that are present can be pricey – so the hustle and bustle of the daytime transforms into a much calmer, quieter affair, perfect for a relaxing night dining on local seafood and pasta dishes, washed down with an aperol spritz, Peroni or a shot of limoncello.

While you can easily spend your entire vacation never leaving Positano, it’s also the perfect base…