Fodor's Expert Review Il San Pietro di Positano

Favored by the glitterati, the San Pietro is several leagues above town (a shuttle bus whisks you back and forth), far from the crowds and paparazzi but camera-ready nevertheless, with seven levels of gardened terraces and a stunning interior that mixes the modern (the hotel was built in the early 1970s) with the magnificent (great antiques, elegant Vietri tilework). Who can resist idling away hours on the majolica benches of the grand terrace? Before you is a god's view of Positano and its bay, magnificently framed by gigantic urns of flowers. Most of the elegantly furnished rooms come with terraces (most look out to the sea, not toward Positano) and plate-glass views; guest-room decor mixes chic and charming in best country-style manner. The pool on an upper level is not large, so most guests opt to take an elevator fit for James Bond through hundreds of feet of mountainside to the private beach and bar. The proprietors organize boating excursions for those who want to roam farther afield. Don't leave without trying the hotel's incredibly delicious signature drink: Elephant's Milk, a mix of almond milk, mineral water, and lemon juice. The bartenders here also make a mean Bellini.