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| Santa Caterina's elevator tunnels through the cliffs to the pool and the sea (Santa Caterina) |
Arriving
by
car from Positano, Santa Caterina appears to be
little more than a gleaming white façade at a curve in the road to Amalfi. From the Amalfi side, it looks more like a
hotel. A lovely hotel, to be sure, but
not nearly as majestic as it is in reality.
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| A deceptive entrance masks the awaiting pleasures (Taylor) |
It
was at Santa Caterina in the 1960s that Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton
began their tumultuous relationship while filming Cleopatra. Decades later,
when Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie were captivated by each other’s charms, Santa
Caterina cast it’s magic spell once again.
On a tamer note, First Lady Hillary
Clinton and Chelsea were even guests during Bill Clinton’s presidency.
So
what is it about the Santa Caterina that makes it so infectious?
Like
most places along the Amalfi
Coast village of Amalfi
on a hillside overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea .
In 1904, Giuseppe’s son,
Crescenzo, redesigned the property with six guest rooms. Today, the resort features 66 rooms and
suites, most with southern exposure that peer out to views combining mountains,
gardens and the sea.
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| Santa Caterina's lemon grove meanders from the hotel to the pool. (Santa Caterina) |
Day-to-day operations have
since yielded to Cescenzo’s daughters, Giusi and Ninni Gambardella, along with
other family members, who delight in taking personal interest in the comfort
and enjoyment of their guests.
Visitors come, and visitors go,
yearning to return, but the staff remains virtually intact to preserve the
hotel’s trademark style and service. As
one staff member said, “when you live in paradise why go anywhere else?”
The result? No matter when guests return, familiar smiles
greet them, and that continuity has major appeal.
 |
| The enchanting village of Amalfi (Taylor) |
Resting at the summit of an
expansive stretch of land along the Amalfi road, Santa Caterina is deceptive in
its spaciousness.
Once inside the white tiled
lobby, a short walk past the restaurant to a lovely balcony that overlooks the
sea, reveals a series of landscaped terraces, a serpentine citrus grove and
jagged rock-bound cliffs that plunge into the water a thousand feet below.
With its southern exposure,
Santa Caterina points a perpetual face to the sun, taking advantage of every
ounce of daylight from sunrise to sunset.
So familiar do guests become with the peaceful stream of liquid stars
that dance across the water during the day or night, that the hotel has adopted
the phenomenon as the symbol of the property.
Just down the hill, Amalfi
buzzes with the same daily routines that have endured for centuries. The hotel offers regular drop-off and pick-up
service to and from the village, on the half-hour, for guests who choose to
ride rather than walk into town.
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| The tiny hillside village of Ravello has arguably the best views along the Amalfi Coast (Taylor) |
Less commercial than Positano,
its sister city down the coast, Amalfi offers superb restaurants, lively
ambience, plenty of shopping and easy access to Capri, Ravello, Positano, Maori,
Minori, Atrani and Vietri. Not quite as
accessible, but easily arranged for day trips, visitors can also do tours of Pompeii , Herculaneum and Paestum
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| Santa Caterina points a perpetual face toward the sun (Taylor) |
Passageways to Santa Caterina’s
rooms are miniature labyrinths leading to accommodations that offer
individuality in each chamber.
Most bedrooms feature balconies
with a sea view and brightly colored tiles from nearby Vietri. Many travelers enjoy an excursion to Vietri’s
shops where they can purchase unique souvenir tiles as mementos of their trip.
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| Santa Caterina's citrus grove and elevator as viewed from the sea (Taylor) |
Santa Caterina’s kitchen is
arguably the best in the area, which makes dining a delight for guests.
The menu features a wide range
of classic Amalfi
Coast
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| Dining is exquisite at Santa Caterina (Taylor) |
Dual elevators burrow through
sheer rock before opening into a small grotto that leads to the exercise room
and pool.
Santa Caterina is open
year-round and rates vary according to season. Breakfast and service are
included, but there is a 10% VAT.
One cautionary note when
traveling along the Amalfi
Coast
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| Take time to explore all the nooks and crannies. If you get lost, just savor the experience (Taylor) |
The staff and hospitality at
this little gem of a hotel nestled atop the craggy hills of Amalfi are a
sure-fire guarantee that one day you’ll be back. It even works better than throwing a coin
over your shoulder at Trevi Fountain in Rome
Best of all, no matter when you
do return, chances are those newfound friends on the staff will be right there
waiting to greet you again.
Read more travel stories at: Magellan Travel Club
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