Italy’s famous Amalfi Coast is one of the most picturesque coastlines in the world. It offers stunning Mediterranean vistas around every corner, bright pink bougainvilleas framing postcard-perfect photos, luxury hotels boasting Instagram-worthy views, colorful villages perched on the side of rocky cliffs, and miles of sunny beaches and turquoise Mediterranean waters. There’s something for everyone to love, especially for luxury travelers seeking glamorous hotels and fine dining. We spent a week discovering the best 5 star hotels on the Amalfi Coast and its surrounding area, from Sorrento to Amalfi and even nearby island Ischia. If you’re wondering where to stay in Amalfi Coast for ultimate luxury, here’s our pick of the best hotels Amalfi Coast has to offer.

Where to stay in Amalfi Coast for ultimate luxury

1. Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria, Sorrento

Although Sorrento is not technically on the Amalfi Coast, it is known as the “gateway to the Amalfi Coast” and makes a great place to begin your Amalfi Coast itinerary. We started our Amalfi Coast road trip in Sorrento at the Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria. As soon as we drove down the long driveway, hotel staff greeted us by name and opened our car doors for us. The hotel truly shines on customer service, where the staff treated us like family and went out of their way to make our stay flawless. Our waiter Giovanni even took us on a tour around Sorrento on his moped during his break, which was incredibly kind.

Besides exceptional service, the hotel boasts unparalleled views of the Bay of Naples from its grand terrace and guest rooms. We could see Mt. Vesuvius from the private balcony of our suite, where we enjoyed our welcome gift of Italian wine and cheese. Our stay was perfectly complete with dinner at the hotel’s Michelin star restaurant Terrazza Bosquet, where the food was almost too beautiful to eat. You can read more about our stay in our review of Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria.

2. Le Sirenuse, Positano

We made our way along the coast to the colorful and famous town of Positano. Arguably the most glamorous Amalfi Coast accommodation is Le Sirenuse, a family-owned boutique hotel that gained fame when John Steinbeck stayed there and wrote about it in 1953. Since then, Le Sirenuse has been featured in Condé Nast and numerous luxury travel magazines as a must-visit Amalfi Coast hotel. With breathtaking views, a Michelin chef, and outstanding service, Le Sirenuse is one of the best hotels on the Amalfi Coast.

Le Sirenuse offers sublime views of Positano and the Tyrrhenian Sea from its sun-kissed terraces, including its chic champagne and oyster bar where a DJ spins tunes. Antiques and original artwork collected during the family’s travels decorate the hotel. Once you check in to this oasis of tranquility, you won’t want to leave. The hotel offers guests an exciting array of complimentary activities, including excursions on their private boat, tours of a local limoncello factory, guided scenic walks, and more. However, you might not be able to peel yourself away from the champagne brunch or the lemon tree-lined pool overlooking the colorful houses perched on the cliff.

A luxury Amalfi Coast vacation should include a stay at Le Sirenuse, one of our favorite hotels and in our experience one of the best hotels in the world. Read our review for more details and photos of this exceptional Positano hotel, which scored a perfect 10/10 for us. You can also learn how we stayed there for free in a $1,900 suite, what breakfast at the Michelin Star restaurant La Sponda is like, and what to expect on the complimentary boat trip for lunch and swimming.

3. Hotel Santa Caterina, Amalfi

Further along the beautiful Italian coast is Amalfi, another of the best places to stay in the Amalfi Coast. Hotel Santa Caterina is perched on the cliffs offering jaw-dropping views of the sea from its flower-filled terraces, gardens, and saltwater pool. This Amalfi hotel has welcomed famous guests for decades, including Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Kim Kardashian, Elizabeth Taylor, and Hillary Clinton. It’s not surprising that with so many celebrity guests, the hotel has perfected the art of hospitality and service while maintaining privacy and discretion.

We spent hours meandering the hotel’s beautiful grounds, which include gardens full of delicious Amalfi lemons and pink bougainvillea flowers framing epic sea views. The cliffside heated seawater pool is the best place to spend a lazy day. For a refreshing dip you can jump into the sea and float your worries away on one of the hotel’s inner tubes as the waves lull you into deep relaxation.

Our favorite spot to drink in the views while sipping on an Amalfi spritz (a local specialty cocktail that you must try) is the terrace just off the lobby, shown below. We enjoyed drinks there while chatting with other travelers equally enchanted by the beauty of the Amalfi Coast. Even if you’re not staying in Amalfi, make sure to stop by Hotel Santa Caterina for an afternoon drink in this picture perfect setting. Read our full review of Hotel Santa Caterina here.

4. Palazzo Avino, Ravello

Any Amalfi Coast tour would not be complete without a stop in Ravello. Home to the Ravello Festival of music in the summer, this charming medieval village is one the best Amalfi Coast towns to visit. Hotel Palazzo Avino sits 1000 feet above sea level, offering sublime panoramic views of the Amalfi Coast. The 12th century palace was once the home of a noble Italian family. Now the pink palace welcomes guests as the only member of the Leading Hotels of the World in Ravello.

When you enter this historic gem, you feel like you’re in a fairy tale. The views from the lush gardens, terrace, and rooftop solarium simply take your breath away. If you feel like taking a dip in the Mediterranean, the hotel’s private Clubhouse by the Sea is a 15 minute drive away. The luxe clubhouse offers loungers steps away from the sea, a pool, beautiful gardens, and a fantastic restaurant.

The hotel also serves up delicious food with a view at its Michelin-star restaurant Rosselinis. The Palazzo Avino is an oasis of serenity and relaxation. Whether getting treatments at the full-service spa, taking in the views from the terraced gardens, or soaking in the rooftop whirlpool, you will leave feeling completely relaxed. Read our thorough review of Palazzo Avino for more details on one of the best hotels on the Amalfi Coast.

5. Mezzatorre Hotel and Thermal Spa, Ischia

While Capri is the famous island off the Amalfi Coast, it’s neighbor Ischia is somewhat of a hidden gem that should be included in your Amalfi Coast travel. We stayed at Mezzatorre Hotel & Thermal Spa for a few days of divine tranquility. The hotel sits on the most scenic cove of the island overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea. Much of the hotel is housed inside a 16th-century historic watchtower that was used to watch for pirates centuries ago and now spoils guests with breathtaking views.

If you’re looking to pamper yourself, you can opt for a couples massage outdoors overlooking the sea and mountains, soak in thermal waters from the hotel’s private spring, or opt for a treatment with the spa’s volcanic mud. Or laze the day away in the cliffside seawater pool that is thermally heated by the volcanic hot spring.

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We also enjoyed wandering around the hiking paths in the pine wood forest surrounding the hotel and watching the sunset from our private terrace. Mezzatorre Resort & Spa is a great place to fully unwind and connect with nature and with your travel companion. It was a perfect romantic getaway at the end of our kid-free Amalfi Coast holiday. Read our full review of Mezzatorre Resort and Spa for more details and photos of this luxury Ischia hotel.

How we stayed for free at the best Amalfi Coast luxury hotels

Of the numerous 5 star hotels the Amalfi Coast towns and surrounding area has to offer, these five are our suggestions for the ultimate luxury vacation. They all are members of the Leading Hotels of the World, a collection of outstanding luxury hotels with the highest standards of quality. Thanks to our membership in the LHW program, we enjoyed complimentary stays in most of these hotels by using reward certificates earned through paid stays at other Leading Hotels across the world. You can learn more about how to experience luxury travel for less in our affordable luxury travel guide. Check out this guide to the Amalfi Coast for more help planning your trip.

Best time to visit Amalfi Coast

The Amalfi Coast is extremely popular and gets very crowded in the summer. To have the best experience you’ll want to visit outside of peak season. So when is the best time to visit Amalfi Coast? We recommend visiting in late spring or early fall to avoid the crowds but still enjoy perfect temperatures. May and September offer less tourists and temperatures in the 70’s and 80’s. Avoid visiting in July and August when the crowds and heat are overwhelming. We visited in early June and found the weather and crowds to still be tolerable. May would be our ideal month to visit when lush flowers are in bloom all along the coast.

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