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It’s an odd thing, entering a hotel at the top floor. But then Positano – where three generations of the Sersale family have looked after Le Sirenuse since 1951 – is no ordinary town. Built, seemingly impossibly, into the rocky Campania coastline, this ‘vertical city’ is the crown jewel of the Amalfi coast, as famous for its colourful buildings and sunset vistas as it is for the crowds that clog its narrow, winding stairways to enjoy them. The necessarily unconventional layout means that Le Sirenuse is easy to get lost in, so it’s just as well that any wander through its twisty, vaulted, brightly tiled hallways ends in either a gobsmacking view, a prime spot to sit with an aperitivo or, often, both.
Le Sirenuse delivers everything you’d expect from a five-star boutique hotel in a luxe location, plus plenty that you wouldn’t, with genuinely warm and wonderful staff ensuring the sense that you’re somewhere truly special lasts right the way till checkout.
What are the rooms like at Le Sirenuse?
Elegantly appointed, with one-of-a-kind furnishings and none of the templated samey-ness that comes from existing under a multi-national corporate overlord. Given the cliff-hugging layout of the building, most of the hotel’s 58 rooms come with a sea view and a balcony, where you can sit, sip your welcome fizz and fantasise about early retirement. The queen-sized bed made nodding off a breeze, appeasing this fussy sleeper with a minimum of pillow swapping and plumping. It was also thoughtfully pointed right at the aforementioned balcony – the ideal place to come to terms with the earliest stages of a hangover as the sun poked over the sea.
In the bathroom, toiletries are the hotel’s own Eau d’Italie range, the hair dryer is a sleek, punchy Dyson and the shower comes equipped with more jets and nozzles than your local car wash. Frankly, they’re doing a terrible job of upselling the spa.
What is the food like at Le Sirenuse?
Singletons be warned: fine-dining option La Sponda – a destination in its own right – may well be the most romantic restaurant in the world. Climbing plants form a canopy over the vaulted ceiling, with candle-lit chandeliers leaving the room dim enough to enjoy both the view over Positano and the gigantic grin on your date’s face each time food arrives. Music comes from a duo of guitar-toting old-timers playing covers of just about anything you care to request, which may sound cheesier than a parmigiano toastie, but in the context is simply heart-meltingly perfect.
It helps that the food’s great too, of course – you could go a la carte and try the likes of beef carpaccio and blue lobster ravioli, but really, the four- or six-course tasting menus (drawing, as you’d expect, on local produce) are the way to go. Anyone with a passing interest in wine shouldn’t hesitate to bolt on a pairing option, the sommelier stopping by for a short intro to each glass without hanging around long enough to dampen the romance.
From there it’s on to Don’t Worry bar, named for a Martin Creed neon that hangs from the ceiling – one of several pieces by art world A-listers dotted throughout the hotel. Here, a DJ spins vinyl while you pick from a list of classic and signature cocktails in surroundings so genuinely vibey it’s all too easy to talk yourself into dropping €100 on a premium old fashioned. I regret nothing.
What is the service like at Le Sirenuse?
Put it this way: when I smashed a water bottle in my room (attributable not to some dark desire to test hotel staff with ‘Squid Game’-style challenges, but more likely a second post-dinner limoncello), a clean-up crew was at my door inside 60 seconds of my sheepish call to reception. Then there’s the time I got caught in a storm on a hike to a much-hyped viewpoint in nearby Nocelle: a few quick Whatsapp messages to the concierge later I was in a cab back to my room to ring my socks out.
These minor acts of heroism aside, there’s a general sense of warmth and sincerity at Le Sirenuse that no level of training can ever fully take credit for. And it’s not just the way in which staff interact with you, but also the way they interact with each other. Never once did I sniff a sense of confusion or discord among the ranks of immaculately turned-out waiters, porters and valets, who go about their work with what can only be telepathic precision. It’s a level of efficiency that’s hard to appreciate until you experience it first-hand, and it’s what separates good hotels from the exceptional. Bravissimo, one and all.
What are the facilities like at Le Sirenuse?
Plentiful, and geared towards a good time. Yes, there’s a lovely spa and sure, there’s a beautiful pool terrace. But the hospitality here goes beyond four walls – included in your stay are a Champagne boat cruise at sunset each evening (sadly cancelled due to aforementioned storms during my visit), wine- and olive oil-tasting sessions, mixology classes, guided hikes and more (all subject to availability – make sure you reserve your spot in advance). There’s also Le Sirenuse Mare beach club, 25 minutes away by boat, with its own seafood-focussed restaurant and waterfront cabanas. There’s often a sense of mild shame, or at least laziness, in not leaving the five-star bubble. Here – especially during the peak-season crush – you’ll be too blissed out to care.
What’s the area like around Le Sirenuse?
Positano itself is a joy to explore at any time other than peak season, when visiting crowds turn the staircases and slopes that zigzag its narrow streets into human gridlock. If hiking’s your bag, there are numerous fruit-tree-fringed trails up to clifftop villages where panoramic views await. For less exertive exploration, the coastal SS163 road that runs all the way from San Pietro in the west to Vietri sul Mare in the east is one of the most scenic drives in the world, with rock-cut tunnels through limestone cliffs, viaducts over lush ravines and gut-churning vertical drops. It’s also notoriously tight and twisty in places, so ask your rental company for the smallest car they’ve got for any chance of getting your deposit back, or go town hopping by boat and lap up the view from the water instead.
Why you should book a stay at Le Sirenuse
There are so many little things that mark Le Sirenuse out as somewhere special. The way the keycard for your room comes in a luxe leather wallet. The way the hotel bar switches out nuts and olives for chocolate-dusted treats after dinner. The fact that there’s so much to big up here that I’ve nearly reached the end of a hotel review without even mentioning the breakfast (fantastic, as long as you’re not on a diet). There’s an attention to detail and a sense of occasion about absolutely everything and, together with beautiful rooms, lounging areas straight from a lifestyle mag and spotless service, it all adds up to a flawless five-star experience.
Naturally, all of this comes at a price, but the team at Le Sirenuse never loses sight of the fact that being a blowout option means holding up their end of the bargain. There’s a tactful appreciation of the fact that you could have bought a mid-range family car for the price of your stay; that you may never have spent this sort of money on a hotel and may never again. And as once-in-a-lifetime experiences go, Le Sirenuse is just about perfect.