Palazzo Avino

Set in a 12th century Palazzo and filled with antique furniture and tiled floors, the family-owned Palazzo Avino is the more traditionally Italian and sophisticated alternative to the Hotel Caruso next door.

• A rare sense of old-world sophistication and elegance
• The chic beach club located a shuttle ride down the hill from the property
• Buzzy Lobster & Martini Bar (the bartender, an expert mixologist can serve up to seventy variations)

Built in the 12th century, the Palazzo Avino has seen many incarnations throughout its history. Opened as a hotel in the late 1800s (owned by the same family that operates the Hotel Palumbo down the street), it drew many grand tour travelers, including Francis Nevil Reid and Richard Wagner. In the late 1970s, the dilapidated Avino closed for almost two decades, only to reopen in 1997 after a serious refurbishment as part of Richard Branson’s Limited Edition hotel collection (it was part of the group until 2001).

There’s something undeniably dignified and elegant about the building itself—one Indagare staff member likened it to a grande dame, who keeps getting better with age—with stacked balconies that bring to mind Juliet, lush terraced gardens and an unmistakable pastel-peach façade.

Guest rooms are done in an old-world style, with 18th- and 19th-century furniture, antique carpets and tile floors. Rooms tend to be on the small side, particularly the bathrooms, so if a nightly bubble bath is your dream, try to get one of the eleven suites, or book at the Caruso next door. Views are sweeping—Ravello lies hundreds of feet above the coastline—especially from the fantastic Belvedere Terrace, which offers 360-degree panoramas.

What really sets the Avino apart, however, is the generous staff, especially Antonio Ferrara, the hotel’s hard-working front office manager–cum-concierge, who has lived in Ravello all his life and who knows everyone in town. Ask him for restaurant and day-trip suggestions, as well as about the history of Ravello’s major sights—he’s more entertaining than any tour guide when he starts discussing the most interesting factoids, legends and gossip. 2012 saw an update of all the sea-facing rooms, suites, and public spaces with new furniture and textiles (Hermès fabrics are a common theme throughout).

Romantics who have a penchant for old-world Italy and who plan to spend most of their time exploring (unless you book a suite, these are not rooms to hole up in). There are no age restrictions for children, though the atmosphere is more adult so families should consider the Caruso.