Who's Going
Gary Lineker, Jackie Kennedy, Greta Garbo
Reason to Stay
Luxury Hotel, Infinity pool, Orient Express Hotel
Hotel Type
Luxury Hotel
It could easily be said that its roost atop one of the Amalfi's most dramatic peaks is one of the most spectacular in the entire world. Hotel Caruso finds its home in the former- Marquis D'Afflitto's 11th century palace that was purchased and refurbished by former-Orient Express Hotels in 2005. Today, it's easily one of Italy's top hotels, accessed via a hillside of olive trees and grapes vines facing a southern view of the Amalfi Coast in the town of Ravello known for it artsy history of writers, poets and luminaries. Entrance to Caruso is an impressive experience, through a stone motorcade and stucco-white exterior passing into a gleaming lobby with arched-beam ceiling and windows framing a Tyrolean blue landscape enjoyed on plush, fluffy lounge furnishing with a breath of gilded decadence.
The hotel is home to two restaurants, including signature Caruso Restaurant located on the first floor and connected to a dramatic outdoor terrace framed in Roman columns and deco-detailed railing overlooking the Amalfi for dinners of traditional Italian feasts. At the center of the resort is the main pool deck, the grand draw of warmer Ravello summers, with terracotta tiles and exposed ruin at the end of an infinity pool overlooking the nearby hillside and adjacent coastline. Guests sprawl-out on terrycloth towels while enjoying complimentary I-Pods preloaded with music in between wellness rounds at the Caruso Spa with outdoor treatment rooms and fitness center.
The Room
Spacious, newer rooms impress in style and servce details even in the Double Village room with its less than ideal first floor location with garden views, but with a private patio and grassy play area well-suited for families or nannies sharing with children. Double Deluxe Sea Rooms, the smallest with a sea view, offers similar décor of Queen-size beds with canopy of silk fabric and cozy two-person sofa but with small balcony offering not-quite head-on sea views. Junior suites is where the true architecture of the building can be enjoyed, with dramatic buttressed ceiling and jaw-dropping windows from Venetian-arched windows. Try to land a Junior Deluxe if given the opportunity, with large terrace and more spacious bathroom with bidet and rain shower. Suites are a bit lackluster compared to nearby Palazzo Sasso’s top-level offering, with more-compact balcony and missing the oomph of floor-too-ceiling windows amongst quirky décor that feels all too dark.
Preferred Room
Junior Suite
Special Features
Celebrity Clientele, Wedding Hotspot, Gourmet Eatery
Amenities
Restaurant, Bar, Lounge, Piano Bar, Spa, Fitness Center
