Welcome to Il San Pietro di Positano, one of Europe’s “best-dressed” hotels.

This Spring, we traveled to Europe in search of hotels with impeccable style. With their world-class design sensibility, unique approach to interior decor and stylish amenities, these “best-dressed” European hotels go beyond being merely fashionable. They are truly timeless.

Il San Pietro di Positano

An Italian style icon on the Amalfi Coast, Il San Pietro di Positano, pays homage to the founding family dynasty without feeling dated. Opened in 1970 by Carlino Cinque, Il San Pietro was picture-perfect from the start: hugging the stunning cliff-side, with breathtaking views of the azure Mediterranean, and offering private rides to Positano on a Fiat Jolly cabrio.Today, guests at Il San Pietro can use the property’s private dock to embark on a yacht towards pretty Capri or go swimming near the dolphin-shaped Li Galli island. Trust us, having a yacht pick you up at your hotel is certainly the most stylish way to spend the day.

Carlino’s great-nephew Vito Cinque is now Il San Pietro’s general manager. And every winter, he takes on a new renovation so that the hotel can remain a top dream destination. “[Renovating] is not a necessity, but we like a challenge,” Cinque said. “The spirit and taste [of Il San Pietro] is in my DNA.”

In 2015, Cinque brought on Fausta Gaetani to individually redesign most of the 57 rooms at Il San Pietro, including the standout room 22, which is actually rooms 23 and 24 combined and used to be Carlino’s original residence. In addition to designing the furniture, Gaetani enlisted local artisans from Rome and Florence to create custom, handmade ceramics, lamps and tiles to match the hotel’s signature blue-and-bright-white coastal splendor.

Designing a hotel can be similar to creating a couture gown, where what’s on the inside is just as important as what we get to see on the outside. To that point, Il San Pietro’s most recent renovation is the expansion of its kitchen, carved right into the rock. The open concept design by Andrea Viacava features an intimate chef’s table, food shelves that can be adjusted depending on the chef’s height and a cutting-edge sanitation system akin to a surgery room. Of course, there’s a views of the ocean to be enjoyed by the hotel staff, a few of whom have known their now-boss Vito Cinque since he was a young boy. “It’s a way to show gratitude to the people working for you,” Cinque said.