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An Affordable Boutique Hotel in Positano, Italy
In April, we decided to join friends that were planning to visit Greece in June. I always book flights on miles so after a few weeks of searching, it ended up being easiest to fly into Naples instead of Santorini. We figured we might as well experience the Amalfi Coast and planned our trip to include four nights in Positano.
POSITANO
Positano is about an hour and a half drive from Naples Airport. We booked a car service through our hotel, which was 120 Euro each way. You might be able to find this slightly cheaper through a third party service, but after traveling for 20 hours, I wanted to know a car would be there to pick us up. You can also train from the airport for substantially less but the route requires multiple train changes. Again after 20 hours of travel, lugging my 49.8lb suitcase through multiple train stations didn't seem appealing.
We learned very quickly that Positano is expensive. Three star hotels range from $250-$500 a night in high season which is June through September. I think mid to late May would be an ideal time to visit since the prices are more affordable. It might be a little on the cooler side but it could be worth the savings!
By the time we were ready to book a hotel we were only six weeks out and accommodations were limited. I had so many of you guys reach out with hotel recommendations but, unfortunately, they were all booked. I even looked at AirBnB, Home Away, etc. Booked. What we were left with was hotels ranging from $1000 to $2500 a night and apartments for $100 a night and, frankly, both options scared me.
We ended up booking four star (personally, I think it was more of a three star) Conca d"Oro Hotel for $425 USD a night in June, which is high season. It was the only mid priced hotel available and I was skeptical but we took the plunge. We consider $425 a night to be expensive and I wasn't convinced this place was worth the risk BUT we decided 4 days in Positano would absolutely be worth it.
EARRINGS: GRACE AND CHARM
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I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised with this hotel. Breakfast was included in the rate and we definitely took advantage of that most mornings. It was fairly simple but I can't complain about free. There were plenty of pastries, cereals, meats, cheeses, yogurt, fresh squeezed juices and coffee. I had cappuccino every morning and it was included, too! The restaurant terrace is lovely with a wonderful view of the bay.
Photos by Conca d'Oro Hotel
Our room was very nice, as well. The decor was traditional Italian style with ornate tiles. The bathroom was large and the shower was huge with dual shower heads. We stayed in the Deluxe Sea View Room with a Terrace. The best part of this room was the view. Upon arrival, we had a bottle of Prosecco waiting for us!
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When booking hotels, I typically use Expedia because they often offer free cancellation and paying upon arrival. I also earn points with their loyalty program.
When booking with Expedia, my rule of thumb is to sort by Guest Rating and scroll until I see a price in my budget. From my experience, hotels over a 4.3 rating are great and by sorting my search this way, I get the best hotel for the price I can pay.
If you don't book a hotel with free cancellation and you need to cancel last minute, we always book and pay with our Chase Sapphire Reserve card that has built in trip insurance.
WHAT WE LOVED
There are several great restaurants near the hotel and it's in walking distance to city center/Spiaggia Grande.
Our balcony was a dream. I sat out there day and night.
The mini bar prices were reasonable. After a long day of walking, I sometimes needed a snack before dinner...and maybe a glass of wine on that terrace!
The complimentary breakfast was a nice amenity. As I mentioned before, Positano is just expensive so getting something for free was welcomed.
The room was spacious and the air conditioner worked very well.
The property grounds were lovely. We felt like we were local residents of Positano instead of tourists staying at a large hotel. This hotel is comprised of multiple villas, which we loved.
WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER
The WIFI. I know, you don't go to Positano to play on your phone but if you're traveling for work or have to plug in while you're there, just know this hotel's WIFI was very bad. I actually think it was more of a Positano problem than this hotel specifically but consider traveling with a Global WIFI device.
The beds are on the firm side. This is typical for European beds, though.
There are no irons in the rooms. Again, this is common in Europe but some hotels offer it. I had one dress ironed and it was only 4 Euro.
Positano has A LOT of stairs and uphill walking. While I mentioned this hotel is in walking distance to city center, it is most certainly on the outskirts. It's about as far West you can go before it being too far to walk. It took about 15 minutes to walk down to the beach. With that said, we thoroughly enjoyed our walks back to the hotel. There was so much to see and if you get tired, you can always stop for gelato or a glass of wine with a view! Because this hotel was further out, it forced us to explore more of the city and we found some great restaurants. For us it was a plus but I see how the location could be a negative.
TIP: Avoid the stair pathway from the beach to the main road (maybe do it once to experience it!). It's narrow and there has to be about 1000 steps. We much preferred taking the long way around by staying on the main road. The uphill walk was much less labor intensive.
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Overall, I would recommend Conca d'Oro Hotel. The staff was extremely helpful and kind, the views were beautiful and we were thankful to not pay $1000 when booking last minute.
Other hotels in or near Positano:
Maresca Hotel Praiano - This hotel is in Praiano, which is about a 25 minute drive from Positano. It is much more affordable than Positano but you'll need to arrange transportation to get to Positano. Renting a car isn't recommended since the streets are extremely narrow and traffic is heavy along the coast. Taking the bus is an option.
Montemare - In city center. We visited the hotel bar on the walk home one evening. It was so cute overlooking the ocean but very quiet.
Hotel Poseidon - Luxury hotel in Positano, Italy.
Villa Franca - A little more expensive but it's a beautiful hotel. This hotel is more modern than most hotels in this price range.
Le Sirenuse - If money is no option, stay here! At $2000+ a night you might meet a celebrity.
If you're not particular about what hotel you stay at, check Hotwire. You can choose the area and hotel rating and book a hotel for much less because they don't disclose the hotel name until after the purchase is complete. AirBnb, Home Away, VRBO, etc. While you won't have amenities like complimentary breakfast and baggage service (with all of the stairs I was thankful to have my bag carried to and from the car!), there are amazing apartments and villas at affordable prices - just book well in advance.
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I hope this article provides some insight into what to expect for your stay in Positano.
Don't miss my other posts about the restaurants and beach clubs of Positano, too!
CIAO for now,
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