An enviable location – chosen by original owner Francesco Mansi back in 1956 – sets the scene for private beach club bliss carved into the cliffside. Perhaps the most scenic spot for poolside pastimes, there’s a decidedly leisurely ambience to admiring the view, and it’s a difficult one to miss. When it’s time to stir and head back into the heights of the hotel, a sea salt inspired colour palette brings the outdoors in, the checkered floors peppering this light and airy boutique alongside accents of blues, pale mauves, greens and turquoise. Capitalising on the coastline, all rooms face the bay of Amalfi, their French doors waiting to be thrown open first thing to where a table for two sits bathed in sunlight on each balcony.

Now inherited into the capable hands of Farida and her son Alessandro, this postcard-worthy enclave is every bit the home-away-from-home. Their intuition to pre-empt the requests of guests, right down to the most thoughtful of touches, brings a sought-after sense of timeless mediterranean hospitality, elegantly blended into a refreshingly modern aesthetic. On the theme of refreshment, the culinary options here easily live up to the Italian stereotype of delicious cuisine. Restaurant Donna Emma – named after the family’s grandmother – serves exceptionally exquisite dishes alfresco across all three meals of the day. Add poolside service and tastings of wine, cheese and limoncello and some may see no need to make the 15-minute stroll into Amalfi town.