SANTAVENERE HOTEL
SANTAVENERE HOTEL, with its stately Beaux Arts design, elegant grounds, and prime beachside location, is a five-star luxury experience with all the advantages of its Amalfi coast neighbor to the north, but without the teeming crowds. Instead, its position against a lush forested hillside just off the Basilicata shore overlooking the Mediterranean ensures a tranquil sojourn amid breathtaking natural beauty. Your options for relaxation and adventure are nearly limitless: enjoy a day of reading by the pool, book a snorkeling or boating trip, hike nearby trails, or lazily wander Maratea harbor, with its quaint shops and restaurants. While reserving a sun lounger and umbrella is often difficult at busy beachside resorts, they are in plentiful supply here, ensuring all guests equal time soaking in the sun and gazing at the turquoise-colored waters at the resort’s private beach.
Indulge yourself further with a treatment or two at the on-site Le Grotte spa and you’ll come away from your facial, mud bath, sauna, or massage feeling extra relaxed and rejuvenated. In keeping with the hotel’s period charm, many of the 34 rooms feature authentic 18th- and 19th-century furnishings. Others are decidedly modern. All feature air-conditioning and free Wi-Fi, fine linens, comfortable beds, en-suite bathrooms, and terraces or balconies with lawn or sea views—some also give you a glimpse of the Christ the Redeemer statue that graces a nearby hill. One of the great joys of vacation is an indulgent breakfast spread, and Santavenere doesn’t disappoint. This buffet of sweet and savory hot and cold items is complimentary and also lavish, and includes a variety of juices, teas, and coffees. The hotel’s summer restaurant, Le Lanterne, with outdoor seating overlooking the sea, excels in exquisite dinner dishes featuring freshly caught seafood. Le Lanterne is open for lunch and dinner in the winter (indoors, and also with a sea view). You may also request your meals be served beachside, by the pool, or in your room.