Monastero Santa Rosa, a 17th-century monastery built into the cliffs of Conca dei Marini, offers just 20 rooms and holds a single Michelin star at its restaurant, Il Refettorio.
I first spotted the monastery from a taxi winding along the Amalfi Coast road. It looked like a sandstone fortress clinging to the cliff, with terraced gardens tumbling down toward the sea. I asked my driver what it was. “Monastero Santa Rosa,” he said. “Nuns lived there for centuries.” I knew right then I had to see the inside.
If you want a quiet, grown-up escape on the Amalfi Coast with serious history and a Michelin-starred restaurant, this is your place. It’s not for families looking for a kid-friendly pool scene — it’s a romantic, serene hideaway that feels like a private retreat.
Couples
Solo travelers seeking quiet
Food & wine lovers
Monastero Santa Rosa: A 17th-Century Monastery Turned Hotel
Walking through the arched entrance of Monastero Santa Rosa, the first thing I noticed was the silence.
The hotel sits in the tiny village of Conca dei Marini, roughly five minutes by car from Amalfi town. It was originally built as a monastery in the 17th century, and American owner Bianca Sharma bought it in 2000 after seeing it from a boat. The renovation took years and involved architects, engineers, and historians to preserve the original sandstone structure while adding modern luxury.
Each of the 20 bedrooms is named after an herb the nuns used for medicine — salvia, calendula, rosa. My room had crisp linens, stone floors, deep navy throws, and walnut wood shutters. The bathroom came with heated floors and a deep bath with a window overlooking the Bay of Salerno. Even the “do not disturb” signs caught my eye: hand-painted impressionist oval nuns’ faces.
The tiered gardens span four levels filled with rosemary, lemons, and bougainvillea. At the bottom sits an infinity pool that seems to pour directly into the sea. I spent an afternoon there with a book, watching fishing boats drift below.
The wrinkled sfogliatella pastry was invented in this monastery four centuries ago. You can still taste it at the hotel or at Andrea Pansa coffee bar in Amalfi, located below the steps to the town’s striped marble Duomo.
Dining at Il Refettorio: One Michelin Star on the Cliff
The in-house restaurant, Il Refettorio, holds one Michelin star and focuses on Campania ingredients.
The menu changes with the seasons, but expect fresh seafood delivered by local fishermen, just-picked vegetables and herbs from the hotel’s own garden, and notably good olive oil. I ordered the catch of the day — a simple grilled sea bream with lemon and capers — and it was the best fish I ate on the entire Amalfi Coast.
Breakfast is served in the same space, with vaulted ceilings and sea views. The spread includes pastries, fresh fruit, eggs made to order, and excellent coffee. I sat there each morning planning my day, watching the sun climb over the water.
A small bar on the lower terrace offers drinks among fashion magazines and design books. I stopped there one evening for an Aperol spritz before dinner, and the sunset was so dramatic I didn’t move for an hour.
Book dinner at Il Refettorio for your first night. The tasting menu gives you a full picture of what the kitchen does best, and you can relax without worrying about driving the coastal roads after dark.
Borgo Santandrea: A Newer Cliffside Contender
Just a few minutes up the road, Borgo Santandrea offers a different take on cliffside luxury — and it earned Two Michelin Keys for its design.
This hotel sits carved into the cliff above Conca dei Marini, about a ten-minute drive from Amalfi’s centro storico. It originally opened in the 1960s, but a major renovation by architect Bonaventura Gambardella and interior designer Nikita Bettoni brought it back to life in 2022. The property now has 49 rooms, all facing the sea.
The design blends mid-century Italian furniture with local craft. Guest rooms feature blue and white tiled floors, tall arched windows, custom furniture, and soaking tubs or walk-in showers with strong water pressure. Sound insulation is strong thanks to specialized glazing and construction.
The real showstopper is the private beach club. Guests descend via historic fortifications — medieval stone defensive towers — to a 19th-century fishermen’s boathouse at the base of the cliffs. A swimming pool and terrace sit near the bottom, and an all-day bar and restaurant serves lunch and drinks. The hotel uses an elevator network and terraces connecting multiple levels over 80 metres vertically from reception to the beach.
| Monastero Santa Rosa | Borgo Santandrea | |
|---|---|---|
| Year built/converted | 17th-century monastery | 1960s hotel, reopened 2022 |
| Number of rooms | 20 | 49 |
| Michelin recognition | 1 star (Il Refettorio) | 2 Keys (hotel design) |
| Beach access | Infinity pool only | Private beach club via historic fortifications |
| Vibe | Intimate, spiritual, quiet | Design-forward, architectural drama |
| Best for | Couples, solo travelers, food lovers | Design enthusiasts, couples, small groups |
Neither property is ideal for young children. The cliffside layouts involve many stairs and elevators, and the pools and terraces aren’t fenced. If you’re traveling with kids under 10, consider a hotel with more family-friendly amenities.
- Monastero Santa Rosa offers a quiet, historic stay with a Michelin-starred restaurant and only 20 rooms.
- Borgo Santandrea delivers a design-forward experience with a private beach club and Two Michelin Keys.
- Both are located in Conca dei Marini, roughly five to ten minutes from Amalfi town.
Hotel Belvedere: A More Affordable Cliffside Option
If the price tags at Monastero Santa Rosa and Borgo Santandrea make you wince, offers a solid mid-range alternative in the same village.
Built in the 1920s, this 36-room boutique hotel sits on a cliff above the sea in Conca dei Marini, about a ten-minute drive from Amalfi town center. Rooms are individually decorated with traditional wood furniture and colorful tile floors. Standard and superior rooms measure around 260 square feet, while suites go up to 480 square feet and include a living room. All rooms have sea-facing balconies.
The hotel offers direct sea access via a stone staircase and elevator, plus an outdoor seawater pool on the bluff above the waterfront. The restaurant serves Mediterranean and local dishes, and a free continental breakfast is included. Free parking and Wi-Fi are provided, and pets are allowed at no additional charge.
Nearby attractions include Pompeii, Naples, and Positano — all reachable by car or public transit. The nearest train station is in Salerno, about an hour’s drive away. Naples train station and Naples Capodichino International Airport are about a 90-minute drive.
If you’re planning day trips to Pompeii or Positano, ‘s free parking saves you the headache of finding and paying for coastal parking. Just be prepared for narrow, winding roads.
Getting to Conca dei Marini and Getting Around
Conca dei Marini sits on the coastal road between Amalfi and Positano, but getting there requires some planning.
The nearest major airport is Naples Capodichino International Airport, about a 90-minute drive. From there, you can rent a car, take a private transfer, or catch a train to Salerno and then a bus or taxi to Conca dei Marini. The SITA bus runs along the Amalfi Coast road, but it can be crowded in summer.
Driving the Amalfi Coast road is an experience in itself — narrow, winding, with buses and scooters zipping past. I recommend hiring a driver for your first trip if you’re not used to it. Parking in Conca dei Marini is limited, so check with your hotel about arrangements before you arrive.
Once you’re in the village, everything is walkable. The main attractions are the hotels themselves, the nearby Santa Maria di Grado chapel (the hotel can arrange a private visit), and Andrea Pansa coffee bar in Amalfi for that sfogliatella.
What to Pack for a Cliffside Stay
The Amalfi Coast is casual but stylish — think linen dresses, good walking sandals, and a swimsuit that doubles as a top for lunch by the pool.
I brought a compact camera drone for aerial shots of the coastline, and it was worth every ounce of bag space. The DJI Mini 4K weighs under 249 grams, so you don’t need to register it, and it captures stable 4K video with a 3-axis gimbal. I used it to film the terraced gardens and the infinity pool from above — the footage looked like a travel commercial.
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For hiking the historic fortifications to Borgo Santandrea’s beach club, I relied on a Samsonite Classic Leather Slim Backpack that fits a camera, lenses, and a laptop without looking bulky. It also has a luggage pass-through sleeve for travel days.
Pack noise-canceling headphones for the coastal bus or taxi rides. The roads are loud, and a pair of Bose QuietComfort headphones blocks engine noise and lets you nap between stops.
Is Cliffside Luxury Worth the Price on the Amalfi Coast?
I’ll be honest — these hotels are expensive. Monastero Santa Rosa and Borgo Santandrea both command rates that rival five-star properties in Rome or Florence. But what you’re paying for is the location: waking up to uninterrupted sea views, swimming in a pool that feels suspended over the water, and eating Michelin-starred food without leaving the property.
For me, the value came from the quiet. The Amalfi Coast gets crowded, especially in summer. Positano and Amalfi town are packed with day-trippers. But Conca dei Marini stays calm. The hotels here are secluded by design. You trade nightlife and shopping for peace and scenery.
If your budget doesn’t stretch to a monastery conversion or a Two Michelin Keys property, Hotel Belvedere gives you a similar cliffside perch with direct sea access and free parking for about half the price. It’s not as design-forward, but the views are just as good.
Should You Book a Room in Conca dei Marini?
Is Conca dei Marini better than Positano for a quiet stay?
Yes, if you want peace. Positano is livelier with more restaurants and shops, but it’s also noisier and more crowded. Conca dei Marini offers a quieter base with easy access to both Amalfi and Positano by car or taxi.
Can you visit Monastero Santa Rosa without staying overnight?
You can book dinner at Il Refettorio without being a guest. The restaurant is open to the public, but reservations are essential, especially in high season. The hotel itself is private for guests only.
What’s the biggest downside of staying in Conca dei Marini?
Limited dining and shopping options outside the hotels. You’ll need to drive or take a taxi to Amalfi or Positano for variety. The coastal road can be stressful for drivers, especially at night.
Is Borgo Santandrea worth the splurge for design lovers?
Absolutely. The mid-century furniture, blue and white tiled floors, and dramatic elevator network through the cliff make it a destination in itself. The Two Michelin Keys recognition is well earned.
Can you bring kids to these hotels?
Technically yes, but neither property is designed for young children. The cliffside layouts, unfenced pools, and quiet atmosphere make them better suited for couples or solo travelers. Hotel Belvedere is more family-friendly with cribs and rollaway beds available.
Why Conca dei Marini Stays With Me
The morning I left Monastero Santa Rosa, I sat on the terrace one last time, watching a fishing boat chug across the bay. A gardener was trimming rosemary bushes, and the scent mixed with salt air. I thought about the nuns who lived here for centuries, looking at the same sea, growing the same herbs. That sense of continuity — of being a small part of a very old story — is what makes a stay in Conca dei Marini feel different from any other hotel experience on the Amalfi Coast. For a deeper look at planning your trip, read my 5-day Amalfi Coast itinerary to see how to fit these stays into a broader trip.
Sources and further reading
Independent. “Monastero Santa Rosa hotel review: A converted 17th-century monastery on the Amalfi Coast.” 2019. 🔗
Stay in Amalfi Coast. “Borgo Santandrea Review – What Two Michelin Keys Actually Buys You on the Amalfi Coast’s Newest Cliff Property.” 2024. 🔗
Dezeen. “Borgo Santandrea cliffside hotel on the Amalfi Coast restored by Bonaventura Gambardella.” 2023. 🔗
Oyster. “Hotel Belvedere Amalfi Coast Review.” 🔗
Related reading on Emily in Italy
Your Guide to the Amalfi Coast’s Best Hotels — A broader overview of top accommodations across the coast, from budget to luxury.
Amalfi Coast: Terraced Lemons, Cobalt Sea, and Cliff Roads — A scenic and practical look at driving the coast and what to see along the way.
Salerno: A Laid-Back Gateway to Italy’s Amalfi Coast — Why Salerno makes a smart, affordable base for exploring the coast without the crowds.
Amalfi Coast Road Trip in January — What it’s like visiting in winter, with fewer tourists and lower hotel rates.