Colle dell'ara is not a hotel. Staying with us, in our home, means treating yourself to a rare experience. We are in Positano, in the small village of Montepertuso, located just above this corner of paradise on the Amalfi Coast. The building is situated on top of the hill and can be reached on foot in 5-6 minutes through an ancient path, fully illuminated at night. We are Pasquale and Giacomo, who with the help of our father Michele, a few years ago we decided to undertake this activity which constantly is giving us the opportunity to convey to our guests our main passions for hospitality and good food. These passions, well-established in our coastal land and agriculture, allowing us to constantly reinvent the offer to our guests dedicated, basing it on availability and seasonality values. We host you in rooms equipped with private bathroom and balcony overlooking the sea of Positano between the islands of Capri and Li Galli. Each room has a large double bed (with the possibility of adding a single bed), and are equipped with linens, towels and toiletries. Free wi-fi connection is working in all our spaces. We provide you with keys for your independent access at every time. Upon your arrival you will find free parking slots along the road and we'll help you carry your luggage with a special pulling system. We will assist you from beginning, accompanying you throughout whole of your stay suggesting you the best local amenities including activities from ourselves offered. You will have here the opportunity to experience our land through different activities such us farming excursions and local cooking classes (events organized on reservation). We always include breakfast, different every day and based on availability of our gardens, or made by the breads and cakes that we daily prepare. The center of Positano is reachable by bus in 20 minutes or 35-40 minutes through a centuries-long staircase. For trekking lovers, our structure is directly related to the main paths of Monti Lattari and the most famous Walkpath of God. However, we are located at the center of several important location like Pompei, Capri, Amalfi, Ravello and Sorrento, reachable by ferry, bus or car. Nearby you will find shops and restaurants.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Hidden Gem
Modern
Languages Spoken
English, Italian, Portuguese
Location
Via Monsignor Vito Talamo Buzzer on the Road 200 Meters Ahed la Tagliata Restaurant, 84017, Positano Italy
Name/address in local language
Colle dell'Ara
238 reviews
Getting there
Somewhat walkable
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travelers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
Absolutely stunning villa located at the highest point of the Positano with the breathtaking view of the picture-perfect landscape. The villa is surrounded by the mountains and beautiful garden where the most delicious tomatoes are grown and served during the breakfast. The owner of the place - Marco, is the friendliest and kindest person, who cares about each and everyone of his guests - you feel like you are at your own Italian home. The rooms are designed in traditional Italian style, therefore you can experience the real Italian vibe. I would like to say a big big thank you, because the place charmed me so much, and definitely it is a place to come back. Grazie mille Marco ! Alicija and Anas
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Date of stay: August 2020
Rooms
Location
Service
Room Tip:Ā All the rooms are offering a sea and mountain view
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This place was exactly what we were looking for: beautiful views, authentic experience, not fancy but comfortable and great hosts. It's along way up from Positano (400m vertical drop , 1h walk) and from the nearest road where you can park (400 steps), but you must consider a few things: parking in Positano itself is very expensive (ā¬60/day and up) and sometimes just impossible, so wherever you stay you will park a long way up from the town. I think it's better to stay high up and have the views and the fresh air than be at sea level, where it's crowded and hot. Whatever you choose, you will be walking up.
Marco and his father are perfect hosts in a natural and authentic way, and I recommend having dinner at the house at least one night. The food is simple but from their land and delicious, and the view cannot be better. We had dinner at the supposedly fancy Tagliata restaurant nearby, but I much preferred eating at the house. Better views and better quality.
Practical stuff: perfectly clean, great mattress, quite firm as is usual in Italy, quiet location, cool breeze at night, AC provided, parking easy nearby, access to the house up 400 steps from the road. We walked up from Positano, it takes one hour and it's a very strenuous exercise...but rewarding, going up 400m on staircases with gorgeous views of Positano and the coast. There are buses every hour from Positano, but in high season, it might be hard to get on after 8pm. Anyway, these are issues that you will have wherever you stay in Positano.
From the house you can walk to the path Sentiero degli dei, the path of the gods, a great walk at high level along the corniche to Agerola.
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Date of stay: July 2020
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip:Ā All rooms have great views, some have en suite shower room, the other private but not ensuite.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
If you are traveling to Amalfi Coast you must stay at Colle dell'Ara for the most authentic and wonderful experience. It truly was like being in a dream. Located at the very top of the mountain, the view is absolutely breathtaking and better than any other hotel spot on the coast. Marco, the owner, is so accommodating and a joyful presence to be around. The breakfast was delicious as everything is freshly grown on the property garden. He gave us the best tips, service, and made us feel like family. The rooms cater the charming Italian decor as well. It was not just a stay, but an immersive experience that my friends and I will cherish forever. When I come back I will look nowhere else to stay besides Colle dell'Ara.
Xoxo,
Caroline Salvaggio, Peyton Pose, & Ann Bradley Maloney
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Date of stay: June 2021
Value
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We had a wonderful time here. Marco was a fantastic host, he came and met us with our bags, cooked us an amazing evening meal - probably the best we had during our whole stay in Italy. The view over Positano is unmatched and the red husky Aria was a very friendly resident that we both loved seeing during our stay. Couldnāt recommend staying here more, loved it!
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Date of stay: May 2022Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Colle dellāAra is a magical place! We stayed for a week and I had to pinch myself every morning when I walked out on our balcony to the breathtaking view. Marco is an amazing host! He was a wonderful resource and went out of his way to make sure we had an enjoyable trip. We were treated like royalty by Marco and his staff. The food was organic, delicious and plentiful. Should you want to venture into Monteperuso for dinner, there are three wonderful restaurants within walking distance.
It was an amazing escape from the hustle and touristy buzz of Positano Central (which is a 15 minute bus ride away). This family truly understands the meaning of hospitality.
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Date of stay: May 2022Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Room Tip:Ā Shoulder season is definitely the best time to visit. The Amalfi coast is incredibly crowded...
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I had a best time on the amalfi coast. I would appreciate Marco for providing such an elegant place to enjoy my holidays. The rooms all have memorable views of the coast and clean and comfortable. ššitās highly recommended to young couples.
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Date of stay: July 2020Trip type: Traveled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We had a lovely time in Positano, the steps on the first day at midday were horrific but we learnt this and only arrived back after sunset and then they were more than manageable! Covid meant we basically had the place to ourselves- breakfast was amazing, one of the best coffees Ive had in Italy. Only issue was on the first evening we got back expecting to be able to order dinner, but this wasn't available. Other than that was great to be up the hill and have the views and be able to get away from the town for the evening.
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Date of stay: September 2020
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We have stayed at Colle dell'ara for 5 nights end of October 2016. We can definitely recommend this place for its location, the superb views and the good breakfast! As advertised Colle dell'ara is situated on a hill high above Positano (about 477 m above sea level according to GMaps) with breathtaking views of Montepertuso, Positano and the coastline. You can expect beautiful sunrises, sunsets as well as a stunning view at night, when the streets, houses and boats in the bay are lit up.
One thing that I already pointed out to Pasquale is that the pictures in the albums are quite mixed up. On Airbnb each room is listed separately so that it would be possible to include only the pictures showing the specific room that is advertised. On the one hand it is great to have so many impressions but on the other hand I found it quite confusing when I tried to compare the different rooms. For example I asked myself which ones would be the rooms with the big balcony (terrace-like with two chairs and a table) and fully unconfined view. We finally booked room 5 which is one of those in the top floor with the big balcony and there are two more on this floor that they rent with the same view (room 6 and ?). First floor: 3 or 4 rooms with smaller balconies (and some with partially confined view through trees). Ground floor: main hall as living room and breakfast area, kitchen, terrace for breakfast when the weather is nice.
Our room looked a little different than on the pictures as it had an additional desk and a fridge (minibar). Cleanliness was ok but they should also look on the lamps for example which had a big layer of dust on them. The biggest issue that they seem to have is humidity inside the bathroom and bedroom. At least in our room (#5) there was quite a lot of mold on the walls. This is not so nice (possible health issue) and should definitely be improved! Our bed could have been more comfortable. The mattress was kind of hard and we did feel the springs. One thing that really bothered us during the first two days was the fact that the building is quite poorly soundproofed (we can only speak for the top floor - not sure about the first floor). Unfortunately we had neighbors that obviously weren't able to talk in a low voice in the evening/at night or just did not care about others. Shower and toilet flush can be heard clearly as well. We wanted to sleep early and relax but could not fall asleep before our neighbors did :(
Wi-Fi: we had problems using the Wi-Fi in our room several times which often did not allow us to further plan our trip. Sometimes it worked smoothly but often no connection was possible or was interrupted repeatedly. If this is a general problem they should try to resolve it (e.g. different hardware, more repeaters etc.).
Breakfast was always good: quite a lot of fresh things were offered. However, the choice did not vary much - maybe due to our late season visit (end of October). I always enjoyed the small bruschetta rolls, boiled eggs, potato quiche/omelet, fruits, yoghurt, cakes and a fresh cappuccino.
One thing that could be misunderstood from their advertisement: the owners Pasquale, Giacomo and their father Michele do not permanently live at this place. They come in the morning and leave during the day or in the evening as they live further down in the town. I found this out when I wanted to ask for a bottle opener but did not find anybody that (early) evening. However, Giacomo told me that they are usually there until 8 PM. But "Staying with us, in our home" is a bit misleading I think.
Just for your information: when booking your trip you should be aware of the location. If you have a rental car you will have to drive a very narrow road that partially can only accommodate a single car and facing the bus can be a challenge. The way from Via G. Marconi to Colle dell'ara is about 3,4 km (Via Corvo to Via Monsignor Vito Talamo). For us it was a special experience to drive this way - sometimes a lot of fun but sometimes also a bit stressful. Alternatively you can take the bus from Positano that runs every our and reaches the stop of Coll dell'ara (yes, own stop!) in about 20 minutes. We have not taken the bus but heard that the journey shall be an adventure ;)
By the way, the bell for Coll dell'ara is located about 130 m behind the restaurant La Tagliata (not ahead of it). You will first see a wall with a metal fence and a gate on the left followed by their sign (lit a night) and their bell. Don't be confused: the building is located about 60 m above the street level on the hill and the footpath to the building starts about 160 m after their bell (in the direction of Nocelle which is the last village at the end of the road). The footpath is quite easy to hike and can be lit at night. To feel more safe you can bring an additional flashlight. The path is a mix of stone and concrete steps and unpaved track - as mentioned with an ascent of about 60 m. During and after rainfall it can get a little slippery as well. So it is nothing for you if you have problems with walking - there is no alternative way or even street to the building. Just wanted to point that out - for us it was fine and a special experience that just suits this special location very well.
By the way, I also recommend a flashlight when walking along the street at night to be better visible for the drivers - they tend to drive crazy even at night (always walk on the opposite side of the road!).
At Coll dell'ara they have a special lift that can also be used for suitcases. After ringing the bell one of them will come down and help you with your luggage and show you the way up. Don't worry, you do not need to carry your suitcase up the footpath.
Parking is available either directly at the street (e.g. in the area of the bus stop where the street is a bit wider) or in a small parking spot that can accommodate up to three cars when parked well.
There a few restaurants nearby: La Tagliata is said to be good but we haven't tried. They serve a lot of food "family style" (no menu, passing around the dishes of the day, vegetables and meat). La Terra: also very close but we haven't tried it as well. Instead we have been to Il Ritrovo close to the church of Montepertuso three times as we loved it. Great atmosphere and service, great food, medium prices (we got free prosecco, free small appetizers and free liqueur shots).
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Date of stay: October 2016
Value
Rooms
Service
Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Room Tip:Ā The rooms on the top floor offer a bigger balcony with a fully unconfined view.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The two sons were verry attentive and helpfull in organising our stay and as a surprise we received a complementary lasagna with white wine for lunch on the terrace with a great view over the village Montepertuso and Positano far below. This is one of the B&Bs that had a little parking bay along the road. We came that morning from the direction of Amalfi along the very long and narrow and winding road, however, only needing to back up a few times for touring busses.
We received driving instructions after we arived but only from the direction of Napels. We first thought that the B&B was in Positano and took the road down to the village. After some asking we found the right road from a junction 1 km past Positano, towards Nocelle village and 1 km past Montepertuso village. Positano is both a district and a village, the B&B is 5 km along the road above Positano village. Our telephone did not connect, but a helping villager could get through and got hold of the son to advise our arrival.
On the roadside was a small sign with a doorbell where we stopped our car and offloaded the luggage. This was loaded into a cable lift and we hiked 7 minuted up the stairs to the B&B. A rather unique experience, but a solution found with many steep mountain houses. It is possible for fit people to hike in 45 minuted down all stairs to Positano village, and most people wait for the city bus to go back, otherwise it is a 1.5 hour hike up the stairs. In May the city bus goes every two hours, but in later months maybe more often. You need to plan your visits downtown. Anyhow you cannot avoid to do some substantial stair climbing when visiting the villages along the Amalfi coast.
Price wise the hotels and B&B along the Amalfi coast seem expensive to us as most establishments need to get their income during only 6 months. The Colle dell'Ara was in the lower price range, but correctly not listed as B&B in Positano. For a short visit downtown the fee is 3-4 Euro per hour for parking.
The breakfast was reasonable, but the room was the barest place ever, moist with unfinished electrical fittings, a leaking bathtub and a just painted communal roof area. Aparently we were put in the almost finished future apartment room. Also the room was not serviced before the second night. In our case the minus points exceeded the positive points of the very friendly and helpful sons.
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Date of stay: May 2012
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Room Tip:Ā Rsk for a room with private balcony on the second floor, not the apartment on th third floor
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We spent two weeks in Italy and decided to end our trip on the coast in the quaint town of Positano. Giacomo emailed back and forth, providing us with directions and information before we arrived. Once arriving in Positano, we hopped on the public bus and made our way to the hotel. We had no idea where we were going, so we told the bus driver to please let us know when we arrived at the "Colle dell Ara stop," We were dropped off on the side of the road and were thinking, "where are we?" We found the intercom system nestled in the side of a mountain and connected with Pasquale who came down to get us. We knew the B&B was situated high above Positano, but we did not realize how secluded and perfect it would be! A luggage pulley system took our luggage from the road up to the property. As noted, the B&B is literally situated on a cliff. We had to climb up probably 1/4 mile of stairs through gorgeous trees up to the top. We were blown away once at the top. The views are INCREDIBLE. The best views of the entire trip. I cannot even begin to describe how amazing this property is. It is quiet, clean, comfortable, welcoming, spacious, set in the most serene setting. Balconies overlook the sea and Positano. The room itself was clean and spacious. A small bathroom and shower, but not a problem by any means and came with a hairdryer. The B&B does not have air conditioning, but we slept with the french doors open (mosquito net kept the bugs out) and a standing fan and did not get hot. There are gardens and trees everywhere along the property--just gorgeous. My husband and I said over and over how beautiful this place was and how lucky we were to be staying at such a romantic place. The hospitality was phenomenal. Our first night, dinner would be served, all vegetarian organic and we were told 80% of the meal would come from the property gardens/crops. My husband is VERY picky, so I had to twist his arm for this dinner. There were 10 of us at dinner-all guests of the B&B. Wine was poured non-stop and the food...Oh. My. Gosh, the food. Where do I even begin? We were first served a delicious zucchini, potato, pepper soup. So good. Then came a delicious mozzarella/flaky potato dish, followed by delicious spaghetti with a zucchini/pepper sauce. And then the panna cotta for dessert. I am a panna cotta fanatic. This was hands down the best panna cotta I have ever eaten in my entire life!!! The whole meal was spectacular and I definitely recommend staying and eating at the B&B if they offer a dinner. My picky husband said it was one of his favorite meals of the trip. We are big meat eaters, so for both of us to fall in love with an all vegetarian meal says a lot! I cannot recommend this property enough, clean, romantic, GORGEOUS views and location. The only downside is getting to Positano from the B&B. The bus only comes once and hour and it s 30 minute ride down to the city. There are stairs you can take all the way to the bottom, which probably took us 30-40 minutes and KILLED our calves. We were so sore the next day. Our second day we did the Path of the Gods hike which was beautiful. We decided not to venture into town and enjoyed hanging around the property, sitting on the balcony and just reading. We felt so at home our entire trip and probably could have spent another week at this location. The breakfast was hands down the best of the trip. Cakes, eggs, meats, cheeses, breads, cappuccinos, and fresh fruit. The fruit was unbelievable. Fresh, sweet and so soft. Seated on the terrace with a delicious breakfast, looking out over Positano was a highlight of the stay. Look no further, romantic, beautiful, postcard views, and top-notch hospitality make Colle dell' Ara in a class of its own. It was our favorite part of our entire trip.
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Date of stay: June 2015
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
There are more places to choose from in the Positano area.
PRICE RANGE
$192 - $351 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
ItalyCampaniaProvince of SalernoAmalfi CoastPositano
NUMBER OF ROOMS
3
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Are there any historical sites close to Colle dell'Ara?
Many travelers enjoy visiting Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta e Cripta Medievale (0.6 miles), Villa Arianna (4.5 miles), and Acquedotto Medioevale (4.4 miles).
