Where to even start? My stay at I Giardini Dei Sensi was absolutely phenomenal.
Linda, Salvatore and the rest of the staff go out of their way to treat you like family. The hotel is tiny, with something like only 4-6 guest rooms. The grounds are absolutely stunning. This is indeed a 'garden of the senses' - there are fresh florals everywhere. They grow their own fruit, veggies and herbs on the premise and you can find these served at daily breakfast (which is included in your stay). Everything else at breakfast is also made in-house, from fresh baked breads and cakes to in-house smoked cheeses. Oh, and if you have early morning plans and are leaving before breakfast they will make you a to-go bag, which is the absolute sweetest.
The guest rooms are a little dated, but still charming, spacious and thoughtfully decorated. The AC is strong which is definitely important. It's hot and hilly out there!
Important to note -- the location is a bit off the beaten path. It's about a 15-20 minute walk to the more mainstream downtown area, where you can find majority of the shops / hotels / restaurants. You'll also need to walk a few minutes up a hill to get up to the hotel.
But if you don't mind the walk, being off the beaten path really adds to the charm. You are nestled up in the hills, which means you've got the best views of the city of Positano. All rooms have an outdoor terrace area, so you can sit and take in the views there. Or, you can head up to the hotel roof deck.
Because the hotel is off the beaten path, it is hard to find food and drink options around. The hotel is extremely generous and will often come around to pour you complimentary happy hour wine. If you want to stay and order in dinner they can help you make arrangements. And, when we checked in we were a little tired to go find food and they even made us fresh prosciutto and mozzarella sandwiches. So, while there aren't many options right near by hotel will go out of their way to make you comfortable.
So, what is near the hotel:
-15/20 minute walk to all of the shopping and restaurants in Positano that you could need. You can also find the ferry there.
-You are right at the start of the Path of the Gods hike
-Across the street you can find the Bagni Di Arienzo beach club. It's something like 20 bucks for a chair, plus a fantastic restaurant. Do not skip out on planning a day at this beach club if you find yourself at this hotel. More on that later.
-You can enjoy a wonderful and swanky meal with possibly the best views of the entire area across the street at Villa Treville (Maestros). Spendy, but don't miss out on a meal here if you are staying at I Giardini.
-There are restaurants up in the hills with shuttles that can pick you up directly at the hotel.
-And then of course you can snag a taxi into town, but it will run you 20 euros for a very short ride
My one teeny tiny complaint. On trip advisor the hotel advertises photos of a very shallow dipping pool. That pool is not there anymore. So, if that is a deciding factor just something to note.
Otherwise, this hotel is a dream, and I'd stay again in a heartbeat. read more