Spring Fever

Clinging improbably to the near-vertical coast about halfway between Amalfi and Sorrento, Positano is the best-known resort of the Costiera Amalfitana. Achingly picturesque, with its tumble of pastel-hued houses ... the town specializes in promenaders' activities - shopping, eating, sipping, boat-hopping, and, especially, people-watching. Most serious sun-worshippers take one of the regular boats to and from a series of smaller coves along the coast ... The corniche road, Positano Drive, provides one of the world's hairiest and most scenic motoring experiences—veering vertiginously around the jagged edge of the Lattari Mountains, twisting and tunneling and hairpin-bending, providing vista after stunning vista of gorges, bridges, cliffs plunging vertically into the glassy Tyrrhenian Sea, and sudden improbable villages tucked picturesquely into the landscape.

Here at Topsy Turvy, we seem to be obsessed these days with 2 things: garden design and vacations at beautiful hotels in sunny European climes.

I dusted off my copy of "Under The Tuscan Sun," the semi-cheesy movie that I absolutely loved because of the scenes of Tuscany and the broken-down villa that Diane Lane's character buys (5 minutes after having a bus driver drop her off - alone - alongside a country road!)

At some point, she has an encounter with a handsome Italian (shown above), and later decides to pop down to visit said charmer at his seaside home. You can imagine, I'm sure, what she finds. Handsome Italian exits the movie, but images of Positano linger. (At least for us.)

Le Sirenuse looks like the perfect home base while in Positano. It's bigger (63 rooms) than we usually prefer, but small enough, and with those views, we'll make an exception. We love the elegant logo and signage. Great design never goes out of style.

The hotel, like most everything in Positano, is perched on a sea-side cliff.

The vine-covered dining room is a gallery of glassed-in arches.

Public areas are decorated with European restraint and varying shades of green.

Al fresco happy hour anyone?

Encaustic-tile floors are seen throughout the hotel, as in this suite.

Can you feel the sea breeze? The collection of blue-striped pillows are all slightly different and provide a jaunty nautical accent.

The rooms are decorated with elegant simplicity. No sign of Kelly Wearstler here, just white slipcovers and neutral linen drapery and simple-lined classic furnishings. The only color comes from the floor tile.

Champagne, anyone?

And who could resist the charming Sersale familia. Marchesi Sersale turned her former summer house into a hotel in 1951, and the family still runs the place. Le Sirenuse has been racking up awards from travel magazines for years, and was even featured in an essay by John Steinbeck in 1953.

If anyone has been to Positano or Le Sirenuse, I'd love to hear all about it, and would welcome any recommendations.

Meanwhile there's always the Le Sirenuse webcam, for 24/7 inspiration!

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