I recently returned from the most incredible vacation to Italy’s Amalfi Coast. We stayed at the most dreamy of hotels: Borgo Santandrea Amalfi and loved every second of our time there. This was a special trip – a babymoon – to celebrate our last international trip before we become parents.
I have long dreamt of visiting the Amalfi Coast like many of you. After the past few years of seeing crowds of people and influencers flocking to Positano, I was apprehensive to go somewhere so crowded with tourists as I worried how our experience would be. I’m so glad I came across Borgo Santandrea, a true hidden gem on the Amalfi Coast. It’s one of the only hotels to offer a completely private beach and beach club right along the shore. We were able to enjoy a relaxing vacation to Italy without the crowds!
I’m excited to share my Borgo Santandrea hotel review so you can learn some insider tips before your visit or maybe be inspired to plan your honeymoon, babymoon, or romantic getaway!
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Before I dive in, I want to say this post is (as always) completely my own opinions. We paid for every cent of this trip ourselves and were in no way compensated for a review. I truly loved staying here and thought it was worth every penny (especially after seeing firsthand how crowded Positano and Amalfi were)!
How to Get to Borgo Santandrea
First things, first. What is the best way to reach Borgo Santandrea and the Amalfi Coast? The hotel is located on the beautiful Amalfi Coast in Amalfi, Italy. It’s about a 10 minute drive from the main Amalfi town and 30 minutes to Positano. From the larger cities in Italy, it’s 3 hours to Rome and 1.5 hours to Naples via car.
Driving
The best way to reach the Amalfi Coast is to fly into Naples. From there, it is a 90 minute drive to Borgo Santandrea. The distance is not that far, however, the winding roads of the coast plus traffic make this a solid drive. I recommend splurging for a private transfer as this will be a long journey especially if you are arriving on an international flight!
Leisurely tip: We booked with Cammartota Travel company for our arrival transportation and had the hotel arrange departure – they ended up costing about the same.
Boat/Ferry
Secondly, you could take the train or drive into Salerno, then FERRY to your hotel. If you get carsick easily, this might be a good idea. It sounded like a lot of trouble, but I think would be my preferred method next time. There is a public ferry or you could hire a private boat transfer. Borgo has its own private dock to accommodate your arrival/departure via boat hire. On the other hand, the public ferry would take you to Amalfi where you would then need to drive/boat over to the hotel.
Train
You could also take the train from either Naples or Rome. It will bring you to Salerno, then you will need a car (or ferry) transfer to the hotel. Personally, we took the train to Rome after our stay at Borgo. We had the hotel arrange the car transport to the train station which ended up taking a 1 hour drive then we had a 1.5 high speed train to Rome. We booked train tickets via Italia Rail – book business class!
Helicopter
If you have the option, helicopter is definitely the easiest and most comfortable way to arrive to Amalfi.
Rooms at Borgo Santandrea
The main event: the gorgeous rooms at Borgo Santandrea. No doubt, if you’ve come across photos of the hotel, you were drawn to the immaculate guest rooms and suites. Each room features a unique hand painted, Italian tile floor! The bold blue and white prints are a main feature throughout the rooms and entire property. It’s truly stunning.
Borgo Santandrea offers 29 guest rooms and 16 suites so you can choose the perfect accommodation for your stay. We booked the superior room, but were graciously upgraded to the deluxe rooms which are slightly larger offering direct ocean views plus a balcony. If you can splurge on a suite with plunge pool, I would 100 percent recommend it as they looked amazing!
Each deluxe room features comfortable beds, sitting area, and balcony overlooking the sea. My favorite in-room amenities were the DYSON hair dryer and towel warmer in the bathrooms! Unfortunately, I now feel like I HAVE to have a Dyson hairdryer! 🙂
You will enjoy all the expected amenities of a 5 star hotel like coffee, tea, mini bar, and turn down service each night.
Amenities at Borgo Santandrea
A few amenities you will enjoy while staying at Borgo Santandrea!
Complimentary Shuttle to Amalfi
There is a complimentary shuttle to Amalfi either by boat or by car. I recommend to have dinner and explore Amalfi one night. It is a charming little town and fun to get to see some of the coast while you are there!
Alternatively, you could also book the boat or car to take you to Positano for a day of shopping, beaching, or dining!
Fitness Center
The hotel has a nice fitness center overlooking the sea. It is well equipped with treadmills, bikes, free weights, and more!
Private Pool and Beach
Of course, you will want to spend ample time at the pool or down at the beach club!
Dining at Borgo Santandrea
When you are splurging on a luxury hotel like Borgo Santandrea, you will want to soak up as much of it as possible. Thankfully, there’s not really a reason to leave Borgo Santandrea with several amazing places to dine!
La Libreria (Fine Dining)
La Libreria is the hotel’s onsite fine dining restaurant and honestly was some of the best food (and service) we had during our visit. Even compared to some of the Michelin starred restaurants. The Amalfi Coast has TONS of Michelin rated restaurants, but feels kind of like some get the distinction for the views and atmosphere over the actual dining experience.
That said, I would put La Libreria up there in Michelin star status! The restaurant is designed with mid-century modern decor with a Mediterranean flare to it. The views from the arched windows are breathtaking as you dine on carefully crafted courses designed by Chef Crescenzo Scotti. Speaking of the chef, he has earned a Michelin star himself and I imagine he’s got another one on the way with La Libreria. *Update: they earned TWO Michelin stars following our stay!
We had the pescatarian tasting menu and it was divine. It was supposed to be 6 courses, but with all of the “surprise” courses it was closer to 10! We left quite full. Some of our favorites things were the crystal bread for its uniqueness, red mullet, and of course the dessert featuring fresh Amalfi lemons!
Alici Kitchen (Breakfast Buffet)
Alici is the most magical place to dine on the large terrace overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea. This is where you will begin each day with the complimentary breakfast buffet or you can order from the menu. The buffet is the most incredible spread with freshly baked breads, coffee, tartes, yogurts, omelet station, fresh fruits, crepes, croissants, fresh squeezed juice, and even prosecco! After breakfast, it’s open throughout the day for you to enjoy other meals while the chef’s work in the open kitchen.
Beach Restaurant and Bar
We ate many lunches at the Beach Restaurant and Bar! You can dine inside or out on the patio or even in your beach chair. They serve up the best pastas, life changing pizzas, salads, and more. I loved that there were healthier options like the salmon poke bowl for when you need a break from the heavy carbs.
Plumbago Bar
The most charming bar area located right off from Alici with indoor and outdoor options. Stop in here for happy hour cocktails before dinner and welcome in the evening with its sunset glow.
Wine Cellar
Another great spot is the Wine Cellar. Visit with the sommelier for a tasting of the many wines she’s curated for the property!
Private Beach Club at Borgo Santandrea
One of the best parts is that the Borgo Santandrea has its own private beach which is unheard of on the Amalfi Coast! Most hotels have pools or decks built into the cliffs, but this one offers a beach with easy access to swim! Skip the busy crowds at Positano beaches and truly get to relax in peace at the Beach Club while people serve you a nice spritz!
I had a couple glasses of wine during our trip and tried a few mocktails. The green apple collins was so good and refreshing! My husband had an alarming amount of the Amalfi Coast Spritz – it has limoncello, Amalfi lemon juices, and Prosecco. I tried it and it was dangerously good!
Activities at Borgo Santandrea
You might be wondering what other activities you can do while at Borgo Santandrea. The concierge can help arrange anything you want to do on or offsite! Here are few of the things we loved or would recommend:
Boat Cruise
I always love to get on the water in any destination. It provides such a different perspective of your surroundings. Amalfi is definitely one of those places you HAVE to view from the water! You are here for the amazing coastline after all and this is how to see it.
Borgo has its own boat and awesome driver that will take you around for the day. You can book by the hour, half day, or full day. We did 2 hours along the coast including a trip by Positano and it was perfect! The team also had the boat stocked with drinks, beer, or Prosecco.
I would recommend a day trip to Capri if you have time! We did not because we only had a few days there and wanted to enjoy the hotel during our time. I do look forward to returning and seeing Capri one day!
Spa
No vacation is complete with a spa treatment so be sure to book a time at the relaxing spa at Borgo Santandrea!
Wine Tasting
The sommelier is amazing and you can join her in the wine cellar for a special tasting. What a fun way to learn about Italian wines while you are in Italy! This is a great idea for honeymoons or if you are traveling with other couples/family. We didn’t do this because I’m pregnant, but it would have been right up my alley!
I did have a glass of wine at the beach club once or twice and our favorite was the Cantina Crateca – must try!!
Explore the Gardens & Terraces
The property is more amazing than pictures can capture. You HAVE to wander around the facility up and down the 360+ steps! Since it’s built into a cliff, there are a lot of stairs and a few elevators. They’ve designed each terrace with immaculate gardens and secret hideways to relax. The flowers and landscaping were gorgeous with things like sprawling bougainvillea, jasmine, lemon trees, olive trees, and more!
Service and Hospitality
A quick note to brag on the staff at Borgo Santandrea! When staying at a Relais & Chateaux property, you can expect great service, but this team was exceptional. They were truly wonderful and you could tell how much they all loved their jobs. The managers were not stuck behind their desks, but rather out at breakfast and throughout the day to talk with their guests. They were so kind and made it feel like they truly cared. We were on our babymoon and after talking with one of the managers the first day, he remembered my due date as they wished us farewell.
At the breakfast buffet, the servers help you carry your plates out to your table. They would not let you carry your own plate and would rush over if they saw you doing it!
At any meal if I ordered a raw fish, they would respond with a “we’ll have it cooked” since you can’t have raw things while pregnant.
During dinner, the sommelier came over to offer champagne as we got settled at the table. She offered me several options for non-alcoholic wines right out the gate.
I feel like they really went above and beyond here. It’s some of the best hospitality I have seen (and I work in the tourism industry!)
FAQ & Tips
Answering some of your top questions about Amalfi and the hotel. Drop any other questions in the comment form below and I’ll be happy to get back to you! 🙂
The best way to reach Borgo Santandrea is to fly into Naples. From there, I suggest hiring a private car transfer to reach the coast.
The best time to visit Amalfi Coast is during the summertime which is also the high season. I recommend planning a trip during the shoulder months of April/May or September. It will still be warm enough, but with way less crowds and better hotel rates.
Yes, the beach club is completely private for hotel guests only! We saw a couple come over from Le Sirenuse and they were able to have lunch inside the restaurant, but were not allowed to sit in the beach chairs! Guess Le Sirenue wasn’t that great, afterall?
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