LE SIRENUSE

Positano is one of those divine Italian villages clinging limpet-like to the hills of the Sorrento Peninsula. Part of the cluster is Le Sirenuse, an 18th-century palazzo converted into a five-star, deluxe hotel. John Steinbeck wrote, "Spotless and cool, with grape arbors over its outside dining room, [almost] every room has its little balcony and looks out over the blue sea to the islands of the Sirens ..." The hotel is open year-round and offers 60 rooms and one large Presidential Suite, each uniquely decorated with antiques. Find happy diversion at the hotel's heated swimming pool, fitness center with sauna, indoor and outdoor bar and a gourmet restaurant serving local specialties.