Perched on the edge of the fabled Amalfi Coast, newcomer Borgo Santandrea is carving out a dazzling reputation

Words: Jonathan Whiley

Seduction on the salt-kissed, citrus-scented Amalfi Coast is one part bedazzling natural beauty and one part heady nostalgia. This fabled stretch of Italy’s Campania region – where lemons grow to the size of small children – turns even the weariest travellers into hopeless romantics.

It’s a place for dreamers; the myths and glamour of yesteryear – la dolce vita! – never far from the imagination, eternal as the glittering sun-soaked Mediterranean. Grand dame hotels on this hallowed coastline are plentiful, but occasionally handcuffed by their own legend.

Newcomers can play more loosely with their canvas and Borgo Santandrea, just outside Amalfi, is a modern-day masterpiece. The site was bought by two Italian hotelier families in 2017 (it was previously a four-star hotel dating back to the 1960s) before a radical, four-year renovation. It now sprawls across eight floors with 29 rooms and 16 suites (eight have private plunge pools) built into the sheer rock face with idyllic views overlooking the pretty pastel-hued hamlet of Conca dei Marini, a favourite of Jackie Kennedy.

Borgo elegantly walks a tightrope of tradition and modernity with a mid-century style ensuring an effortlessly chic aesthetic. It’s a celebration of Italian craftsmanship; from the staff’s handmade blazers made in Naples to the 31 different types of geometric hand-painted tiles inspired by nearby Pompeii.

Modern-day luxury exists in perfect harmony; Aqua di Parma products, Smeg coffee machines and a mini bar that spans Ruinart to Negronis with room service ready to deliver ice, garnish and canapes.

While the hotel’s corridors are forever perfumed by giant diffusers of ginger and lime, outside jasmine scents the walkways and Instagram-friendly bougainvillaea frames them. The sense of space, even at near capacity, is impressive and facilities include a saltwater pool, gym, sauna, spa and – best of all –  Borgo’s own private beach and beach club.

A rarity in this revered part of the world, it’s the jewel in the crown with a beachside restaurant serving killer cocktails – from a white peach bellini to a classic spritz – alongside wood-fired pizzas, Caprese salads and particularly delicious plates of vivid Fusilli alla Nerano.

As night falls, Michelin-starred Alici serves up a creative showcase of regional cuisine or make for Amalfi with a complimentary shuttle service on offer for the seven-minute journey.

The exceptional breakfast is one you will want to linger over; encouraged into the kitchen to help yourself to a vast array of beautiful produce to be enjoyed on Alici’s panoramic terrace.

As you sit there, remember the words of novelist John Steinbeck, who said of nearby Positano: “It’s a dream place, that isn’t quite real when you are there and becomes beckoningly real after you have gone.”

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