What is it? The five-star Hotel Caruso is housed in an 11th-century palace, originally named the Palazzo D’Afflitto, situated next to a small cathedral. With only 50 rooms and suites, along with quaint terraces, lounges and bar areas spread across several levels, the Amalfi Coast property makes for an intimate sanctuary on what the hotel website calls “a verdant clifftop balcony”. Located on one of the most beautiful coastlines in Italy, it’s not hard to see why the town of Ravello, in which the hotel stands, has been inspiring artists and writers since the 18th century.
Like who? Virginia Woolf, Gore Vidal, Truman Capote, Tennessee Williams and Graham Greene have all found insight in Ravello, and Richard Wagner was apparently so enamoured of the town, he wrote in the hotel guestbook, “The magical garden of Klingsor is found”, perhaps suggesting that this is where his opera Parsifal was conceived. Local tour guides may even tell you that Satan transported Jesus to this part of the world during His second temptation, to show Him the beauty of the world’s kingdoms. Trust the devil to know all the best places!
Good for a spot of romance, then, would you say? Most definitely; this is an old palace after all. Roses, bougainvillea and the famous regional lemon trees and airy Mediterraneanstyle rooms with archways and antiques all play their part in setting the scene.
Has any of the history been preserved? Local artisans and craftsmen were employed for the most recent renovation, completed in 2005 – the previous revamps occurred in the 1600s and 1893, the latter by vineyard owner and hotelier Pantaleone Caruso – in which Ravello culture and the influence of Ercolano and Pompeii on the region have been reflected. Throughout the hotel, original frescos showing 18th-century floral motifs, Arcadian landscapes and scenes of Ravello itself have been uncovered and restored. Many of the original foundations and stones remain integral to the property.