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Ravello's Hotel Caruso: Closer To Heaven Than To Earth
Occupying what is certainly in one of the most beautiful locations in the world, Hotel Caruso Belvedere treats its guests to panoramic views of the Amalfi coast as no other hotel can. That's because, at 350 metres above the sea, Hotel Caruso sits on the coast's highest point in the village of Ravello, a storybook town with a long history of wealth and sophistication whose legacy continues to exert an influence to this day.
A member of the distinguished Orient-Express group, Hotel Caruso Belvedere is a charming establishment where guests are welcomed with heartfelt warmth in the classic manner of Italian hospitality. If the demeanour of the employees is a reflection on the quality of an establishment, Hotel Caruso ranks as one of the best in the world since everyone from the handsome porters to the debonair general manager, Mr. Franco Girasoli—whose very name conjures an image of happiness and sunshine (girasoli means sunflowers in Italian)—exhibits an unbridled enthusiasm for this special place.
A former palace built nearly one thousand years ago, Hotel Caruso Belvedere is set in lavish gardens where the infinity pool tips over the edge of the cliff on which the hotel hangs like a balcony. Don't take my word for it; see for yourself here and sigh with a mixture of disbelief and envy. As is typical in a historic building converted to use as a hotel, rooms and suites vary in size and configuration, though they all share the same good taste in decor. Some suites have their own verandas to enjoy the scenery in private.
Among the most wonderful restaurants in Italy, the hotel's Belvedere open-air pavilion is a treat as much for its affable maître d' as for its fine cuisine, served of course with abundant smiles and wit to accompany the vino. The food is classic Southern Italian cuisine, prepared to perfection to match that extraordinary view, so much a part of the Hotel Caruso experience.
Ravello's splendid setting has attracted a number of British nobles, clever artists, and heartsick writers over the centuries. From DH Lawrence to Virginia Wolf, Richard Wagner to MC Escher (whose famous staircases to nowhere are based on the many staircases in Ravello), there has never been a shortage of interesting characters around town.
One of the most unique extras offered by a hotel anywhere is Hotel Caruso's daily boat excursions offered on a complimentary basis to its guests. How many hotels offer boatrides on the Mediterranean? The boat goes past Amalfi as far as Positano and gives guests some time for a dip in the sea or a stretch in the sun. To explore further afield, the hotel can arrange private excursions to Capri or helicopter tours of the region, which is home to everything from ancient Pompeii to modern mozzarella farms.
Hotel Caruso Belvedere
Piazza San Giovanni del Toro 2
84010 Ravello (SA)
Italy
tel: +39 089 858 801
hotelcaruso.com
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