Amalfi Coast

Il San Pietro di Positano Wins Luxist's Editors' Choice Award for Best in Summer Travel

At the famous Royal Horticultural Society Chelsea Flower Show in 2006, the Queen of England traipsed through a garden of hibiscus and bougainvillea inspired by the terraces of Italy's Il San Pietro di Positano-and liked what she saw.

"The Queen appreciated the display at the flower show, but has never been at the San Pietro," says the hotel's Lorenzo Saprio. "Her sister, Princess Margaret, was a frequent visitor."

Fortunately for the rest of the world, that experience can also be enjoyed by people who aren't members of the British royal family. Perched on the cliffs above the bay of Postitano with sweeping views of the town John Steinbeck once described as "a dream place that isn't quite real when you are there and becomes beckoningly real after you have gone," Il San Pietro di Positano is our pick for the Editors' Choice Award in Best Summer Travel.

The hotel features 61 rooms hewn into the rock, each with its own spectacular view and unparalleled privacy. A staff of 127 people buzzes about the resort, looking after guests as they stroll from orchid-filled lobby to dichondra-decked terrace, spacious swimming pool to state-of-the-art fitness center, all the way down to an umbrella-dotted sun deck set just a few feet above the rocky shore.

Gallery: Hotel Il San Pietro di Positano

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San Pietro di Positano Wins the Luxist Award for Best International Summer Destination

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

The writer John Steinbeck once described Positano, Italy, as "a dream place that isn't quite real when you are there and becomes beckoningly real after you have gone." Fortunately for well-heeled travelers, the town is quite real-and the San Pietro di Positano hotel offers lodging worthy of a Luxist Awards Readers' Choice Award in the best international summer destination category.

San Pietro was founded in 1970 by Carlo "Carlino" Cinque. Carlino had been in the hospitality business since opening a smaller hotel in the heart of Positano at the age of 23, all the way back in 1934. He chose San Pietro's location for its enviable position high in the coastal hills above Positano, all visible from a 423 square meter terrace accessible to the inhabitants of the resort's 33 rooms.

Gallery: Hotel Il San Pietro di Positano

San Pietro di Positano quickly became the premier hotspot for glamorous visitors to the Amalfi Coast. Over the decades, high-profile guests have included Barbara Streisand, Sting and Julia Roberts; Keith Richards and Mick Jagger reportedly wrote the song "Midnight Rambler" while vacationing in Positano.

Tags: amalfi coast, awards-main, best international summer destination, Luxist-Awards, San Pietro di Positano, winners-summer-travel

Continue reading “San Pietro di Positano Wins the Luxist Award for Best International Summer Destination”

The Nominees For The Best in Summer Travel

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

The Yachts of Seabourn's Fabled Far East Cruise

Best Adventure Getaway
The first nominee offers an unforgettable trekking experience in Bhutan while the second offers an unparalleled safari in East Africa. The third nominee is located in one of the world's finest unspoiled havens, while the fourth features elephants in their natural habitat. The final nominee, located in the Montana Rockies, is known for its outdoor sports, from fishing to horseback riding.

Amankora Resort: Trekking in Bhutan
East African Safari with Abercrombie & Kent
Phinda Private Game Reserve
Savute Elephant Camp by Orient-Express
Montana's Triple Creek Ranch

Best Beachside Hotel
The first nominee is where to go when in search of a peaceful sanctuary while the second nominee is a tropical haven with a relaxed pace. The third nominee is located in a secluded natural sanctuary while the fourth offers an award-winning beach. The last nominee offers a beachside location that is idyllic and unspoiled.

Amanpuri Resort, Phuket, Thailand
Four Seasons Resort, Bali at Jimbaran Bay
Four Seasons Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo
Grace Bay Club, Turks & Caicos
The Oberoi, Mauritius

Best International Summer Destination
The first nominee is one of the world's most glamorous destinations while the second one was once the home of the Ottoman Sultans. The third nominee is the premier hot spot on the Amalfi Coast while the fourth offers chauffeured-driven tours of the Tuscan wine country. The final nominee offers a once-in-a-lifetime trip from Venice to Istanbul aboard one of the world's most luxurious trains.

Hotel Santa Caterina, Amalfi Coast
Kempinski's Ciragan Palace, Istanbul
San Pietro di Positano, Amalfi Coast
Tuscany Wine Tours
Venice Simplon Orient-Express Train

Best Luxury Family Vacation
The first nominee offers a luxurious barge cruise through Burgandy while the second offers an armchair safari suitable for the whole family. The third nominee is where families go for Scottish outdoor pursuits from falconry to golf. The fourth nominee is considered to be the jewel of Maui while the final nominee is unplugged and unpretentious.

Abercrombie & Kent's River Barge Cruise in Burgundy
Ebony Lodge, Singita Game Reserves
Gleneagles, Scotland
Grand Wailea Resort Hotel, Maui
Kona Village Resort, Hawaii

Best Summer Cruise
The first nominee offers an unforgettable cruise through the fabled Far East while the second nominee is the way to experience the Greek Isles and Turkey in complete luxury. The third nominee is an expedition to see the ice bears upclose while the fourth nominee takes its passengers down the Nile in style.

Fabled Far East Cruise by The Yachts of Seabourn
Greek Isles and Turkey Cruise by Sea Cloud Cruises
Land of the Ice Bear Cruise by Lindblad Expeditions & National Geographic
Oberoi Zahra Luxury Nile Cruiser: Down the Nile in Style
Mediterreanean Luxury Cruise on Cunard's Queen Mary 2

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Hotel Santa Caterina: One of the World's Most Glamorous Destinations

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

When it comes to fine hotels near the posh seaside town of Amalfi, Italy, none have a better history and pedigree than the Hotel Santa Caterina. For over a century, it's been one of the world's most glamorous destinations---small wonder it's a Luxist Award nominee in the Best International Summer Vacation category.

The Hotel Santa Caterina has always been a family affair. The resort was founded in 1880 by Giuseppe Gambardella and redesigned by his son, Crescenzo, in 1904. Crescenzo's daughters currently run the 66-room establishment with the help of their own children. With a seawater swimming pool, gym, decks and an open-air restaurant, the modern edition of the resort offers just about every amenity a guest could want.

Gallery: Hotel Santa Caterina of Amalfi

Somewhere between the time of Giuseppe and the era of his grandchildren, the Amalfi coast became a celebrity mecca, immortalized in song by the likes of Beyoncé and Jay-Z and actively frequented by dozens more. The stars come for the beauty of the sea and the charm of the town of Amalfi itself, which boasts a bevy of medieval architecture including St. Andrew's cathedral and the Chiosto del Paradiso, an elegant burial ground that now serves as a museum.

A room at the Santa Caterina---with its breathtaking views of Amalfi---will set you back at least 400 Euros per night, and more than 1,200 per night for one of the larger suites. But for a whiff of the salty sea air as the light of Amalfi twinkle in the distance, it's hard to feel you didn't get your money's worth.

Vote for the International Summer Vacation destination that you think is the best of breed. The winner will be announced on September 1st.

Tags: Amalfi Coast, awards-main, best international summer destination, Hotel San Caterina, Italy, luxist-awards

Relais Paradiso Hotel To Open In March

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Relais Paradiso Hotel is the latest luxurious destination on the Amalfi coast. The hotel, which is part of the Ragosta Hotels Collection, is in the Mediterranean town of Vietri sul Mare and offers 23 ultra-luxurious guestrooms and suites. Each room comes with a personal laptop computer, fresh flowers, complimentary items from the in-room minibar, iPod and docking stations and more. The hotel also offers complimentary daily yoga and pilates sessions and one 30-minute in-room spa treatment per person during each three-night stay. On the property there is an outdoor area with suspended gardens, a solarium and a swimming pool which has a snack bar. The hotel opens in March and individual room rates start at 300 euros or you can rent the entire hotel for 11,000 euros a night.

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