I’d been staring at the Slim Aarons prints framed in my kitchen in Clapham for far too long so decided to finally book that trip to the Amalfi Coast I’ve been fantasising about.
From star-studded Capri all the way down to Salerno, Amalfi’s world-renowned towns and villages have become the holiday choice for Hollywood stars, European royalty and even backpackers. But unlike those with the entire summer to traverse the Amalfi Coast (I see you, Leonardo DiCaprio), I had just four days to savour a flavour of La Dolce Vita.
As a pair of frazzled new parents looking for a taste of the Amalfi coast without a plethora of tourist-ridden early morning boat trips, we decided to shun Positano and Sorrento in favour of Monastero Santa Rosa, a tranquil 17th-century former Dominican monastery-turned-hotel - and it’s the best decision we made since booking those flights to Naples.
The show-stopping hotel, which is three miles from Amalfi and a 30-minute drive from Ravello, has just 20 rooms but thanks to the four levels of terraced gardens, you can go hours without seeing another guest. It offers a delicious slice of the Amalfi Coast without the hustle and bustle of the oversaturated tourist ports.
Our arrival immediately set the scene for the sensational stay to come. In a nod to the hotel’s time as a working monastery, the staff ring a welcome bell whilst serving you the most thirst-quenching fresh lemonade and cold towels to be enjoyed on a charming balcony. Looking out across the hotel’s Insta-famous ‘floating pool’ to the epic Mediterranean sea felt v. White Lotus.
“Imagine nuns cloaked in black and white wool attire busy baking delectable cream-filled pastries within the kitchen of a sky-swimming 17th-century monastery perched on the most dramatic promontory of Conca dei Marini,” the hotel manager said passionately during our welcome tour.
It’s easy to imagine thanks to current owner, Bianca Sharma, who bought the property in 2000 and spent a decade restoring it to a luxury boutique hotel, all whilst keeping many of the monastery’s original features in tact. Our favourite nods to the hotel’s history were the ‘confession booth’ - now used for guests to leave feedback - the in-room sfogliatelle (a pastry treat originally made at the monastery that’s now famous all over the world) and the spa’s rustic vaulted ceilings.
The rooms are charming and subtly luxurious. Whilst they aren’t sprawling and it's only the suites that have mega views, the attention to detail is impeccable. The bathrooms have sand-coloured Jerusalem stone with underfloor heating, beds are plush and made up of the finest white Italian linens and the slippers were so damn fluffy I had to sneak them into my case (sorry not sorry).
I found myself wanting to set an alarm to get out and make the most of the hotel’s sensational surroundings every morning - as any new parent knows well, you don't sacrifice a lie in on a child-free holiday for just anything. If you can bear to tear yourself away from that pool, the spa is worth a visit; it houses a traditional sauna, herbal steam room, thermal pool and rather lovely foot spa.
My husband enjoyed the al fresco gym before we spent close to two hours enjoying a lazy breakfast with the most Instagrammable feast (think Italian pastries, made-to-order fresh herb omelettes, and superb coffee all housed in locally made ceramics emblazoned with the words ‘Buongiorno’). I think about that breakfast most mornings as I tuck into my below-par bagel at my desk.
The food at Monastero in general is truly exquisite. The hotel has its own Michelin-starred restaurant, Il Refettorio, which offers a seven-course tasting journey celebrating the ingredients of Campania. The kitchen is helmed by Chef Alfonso Crescenzo, who uses his passion for the area’s bounty and wide knowledge of the Campanian kitchen to offer dishes such as mafalda pasta rolled with ricotta and ‘Moscione di Agerola’ cheese, stewed eggplant and meatballs covered in a “ragù Napoletano”; oil poached lobster served with a cream of Controne beans and zucchini “alla scapece”, and piemonte ‘fassona’ beef cheek with potato and pepper mousse and red wine-poached yellow peach tartare. Salivating yet?
Much like how the Amalfi Coast juxtaposes luxury with soulful local flavour, Monastero Santa Rosa strikes the perfect balance of seclusion without solitude, and luxury without pretentiousness. You'll struggle to find another spot on the coast that captures the area’s rich history whilst also offering quintessential luxury Italian hospitality quite like this.
