From her own archives- co-founder Bryce revisits her time spent at Hotel Santa Caterina in Amalfi.

When my husband and I were planning our trip to Italy, Hotel Santa Caterina was the center of our planning. Having studied abroad in Italy in college, Amalfi was a place I wanted to revisit in a more refined way. I had photos saved of Santa Caterina on every vision board and dreamed of spending days by the beach club but was nervous about staying further from Positano and the 'center' of it all and could not decide which hotel to book. However, when we found out we were expecting and realized I would be four months pregnant during our stay, I knew a quiet seaside escape centered at Santa Caterina was just what we needed. 

Why I loved it: What made our stay at Hotel Santa Caterina SO amazing was that to experience what you travel to the Amalfi Coast for- you do not ever really need to leave the hotel. I knew the hotel was going to be beautiful, I knew the service would be exquisite, I knew our room would be an escape but what I did not expect was how much of the culture I would feel from the hotel.

The Food: The hotel has so many options for dining, from a six course Michelin star restaurant, to aperitifs on the terrace, to pizza by the pool and pasta at the seaside restaurant and the endless olives at the beach club. Most of food was grown right on property. If you forgo to glass elevator ride to the beach club, you can take the walking path which takes you through rows of winding lemon groves, fresh grown peppers and gardens of flowers and herbs, all while taking in the views of the sea. 

The Room: We booked a partial sea view room and while the view was great and I am happy we did not have a view of the land side- I think I would go for the most economical room option for a future stay. Not because the view is not worth it, but I would rather spend more on the dining and potentially more days at the hotel (I never wanted to leave). The room had everything we needed (it even had a dyson airwrap?!)- the shower was comfortable and the bathroom was spacious and there was plenty of closet space. To be honest- the only time we spent in the room was when I experienced morning sickness (hello first trimester) and the hotel even let us stay past check-out until I was feeling well enough to travel. 

The Beach Club: This is honestly the highlight of our trip to Italy. When I had traveled to the Amalfi Coast in college- I remember how difficulty (and honestly dirty) some of the beach clubs were and knew when I returned I wanted a better experience. The private beach club at Santa Caterina is straight out of a dream. Any chair you get has a beautiful view and the staff keeps you company with never ending snacks. There is a full bar and food service. The pool was warm and the sea was refreshing. Any moment the beach club was open and we were awake- we were there. 

The Location: The hotel has complimentary transportation to and from Amalfi town- where you can access ferries and cab stands. We ventured out twice- once for our boat tour (which we later realized we could have taken from the private docks at the hotel!!) and once to ferry over to Positano. The ferry was easy and inexpensive but expectedly crowded. It was only about an hour trip and beautiful. After our time in Positano we chose to take a cab back (the ferries were no longer running) and it cost us $150 and took about 40 minutes. 

Who would I recommend it to? Santa Caterina is the perfect coastal Italian destination for couples. Amalfi Coast in general is not accessible and I would not return with kids in strollers therefore I am so happy we chose to take the trip when we did. 

How long would I stay? As long as you can!!! Honestly I could have spent days at the beach club and wish I could have tried everything on the menu. We stayed three nights and I wish we had added a fourth. 

When would I go? We traveled in September and were lucky half of the days with weather. The season is typically from June- Early September.

Book with our travel curators to receive (complimentary service)

• Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
• Daily buffet breakfast for up to two guests per bedroom, served in the hotel restaurant
• $100USD equivalent Food & Beverage credit utilized during stay
• Early Check-In / Late Check-Out, subject to availability
• Complimentary Wi-Fi