Head to Palazzo Avino for an impossibly glamorous and romantic stay on the breathtaking Amalfi Coast
Words: Jonathan Whiley
Golden hour in the Italian hilltop town of Ravello and at Palazzo Avino – ‘the pink palace’ – cinematic magic hangs in the summer air. On the martini and lobster bar terrace, cold crisp martinis – many with artful twists of Amalfi lemon – are served as we gaze out on the tumble of immaculate hotel gardens and the verdant cliffs of the Amalfi Coast that stretch into the horizon. Plates of antipasti arrive as a black tie pianist plays out genteel covers of Hollywood’s best-loved film scores – La La Land meets La Dolce Vita – and for a moment in time all is well in the world.
While this may be a touch saccharine for some – the candy pink striped palette is an influencer’s wet dream – the romantic ambience never strays into Disney twee. It’s simply a blissful cocoon, created by three sisters who were born and raised on this famous coastline. They took over the reins from their father, Giuseppe Avino, who founded the hotel (a former 12th-century private home) in 1997.
The five-star splendour has been enhanced with pops of colour throughout, but the breathtaking view (the hotel sits at the highest point in Ravello) remains equally alluring alongside an eternal currency of old-school charm and bags of personality.
It’s fitting in a town that is renowned for its rich artistic and cultural history; it was here that DH Lawrence wrote Lady Chatterley’s Lover, where composer Richard Wagner’s writing block was cured (a street now bears his name) and Gore Vidal spent 30 years of his life, becoming an honorary citizen.
“La citta della musica” – the city of music – Ravello continues to host a prestigious annual summer music festival (first founded in 1953), while 13th-century Villa Rufolo and the gardens of 11th-century Villa Cimbrone (one-time favourite of the Bloomsbury Group) are unmissable.
Back at the palazzo, enjoy the spoiling facilities – from a 20-metre heated pool to a spa, outdoor gym and rooftop with two jacuzzis – or make for the hotel’s own private beach club (a 30-minute shuttle is provided) with direct access to the water’s edge.
As night falls, navigate an extraordinary drinks list that includes more than 100 martinis (Wasabi Tuna or James Bond martini, sir?) before settling in for a very memorable
Michelin-starred dining experience at Rossellinis that begins with vintage champagne, live music and canapes in the hotel’s gardens. It’s merely the curtain-raiser ahead of a magical evening in this fairytale film set that masquerades as a hotel.
