Casa Cosenza by Joanna Monkhouse

Casa Cosenza, like many of the more luxurious accommodations on the Amalfi Coast, is owned and run by a local family. Yet with only seven rooms (all with balconies and seaviews) and two apartments (each sleeping up to four people and rented for a minimum of one week), the atmosphere in this small, no-frills pensione is much more low-key. Quilts cover the beds in the airconditioned, ensuite rooms that are simply furnished with tiled floors and the occasional antique. The domed ceilings date from C17th.

Breakfast is served on the sunny terrace overlooking the coast and surrounded by pots overflowing with geraniums, or, for a couple of rooms that have them, on their terraces. Located half way up the hill, and reached by one of the steep staircases that crisscross Positano, Casa Cosenza offers a basic but charming option for those not expecting the amenities of a more expensive hotel.