Monastero Santa Rosa Hotel & Spa

A renovated 17th-century monastery is the stuff glamorously reclusive holidays are made of — especially in a destination as popular as the Amalfi Coast. The atmosphere of seclusion is supplied by the building and the site, while the Italian-style dolce vita is a result of the fact that the present-day Monastero Santa Rosa Hotel & Spa is focused not on renouncing pleasure, but embracing it.

And from here, on a rocky outcrop overlooking the Salerno Gulf, you’re slightly more removed from the beach — and the crowds — than you might be in Positano or Amalfi. Here you’ve got four levels of garden to explore, as well as a cliffside infinity pool and a sunset terrace with an astonishing view.

The 20 suites have, of course, been updated since their days as nuns’ quarters; the owner herself designed and furnished them in a handsome antique-meets-modern style. Also on site is one of the region’s most impressive spas, which makes dramatic use of the old monastery’s vaults and old stone walls. The restaurant, Il Refettorio, opens onto a spectacular terrace, and has been awarded one MICHELIN Star.