The Best Hotels on Capri
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A jagged chunk of limestone soaring from the glittering Tyrrhenian Sea, Capri has been a magnet for A-listers since Roman times when the notorious Tiberius ruled the Empire from clifftop Villa Jovis. In the mid 19th century, artists and intellectuals swarmed here, drawn in by the inspirational scenery, gentle climate, and bucolic, liberal lifestyle. Then, in the 1950s and ’60s, the international jet set ‘discovered’ the island and its heady appeal; images of Jackie O kitted out in capri pants, sandals, and huge sunglasses ooze Dolce Vita glamour.
Today, if the idea of jostling with up to 70,000 day trippers in high season is off-putting, plan to stay for at least three nights; in the evening, once the last hydrofoil has left, relative peace returns to this most alluring of islands. There is no lack of places to stay as long as your pockets are deep; hotel rooms on Capri are notoriously expensive and much in demand in the summer season.
How we choose the best hotels in Capri
Every hotel review on this list has been written by a Condé Nast Traveler journalist who knows the destination and has visited that property. When choosing hotels, our editors consider properties across price points that offer an authentic and insider experience of a destination, keeping design, location, service, and sustainability credentials top of mind.
Hotel La PalmahotelHotel La Palma
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Hot List 2024Once the epitome of la dolce vita, Capri is dangerously close to becoming fully eroded by day trippers on Grand Selfie tours. Luckily, Hotel La Palma—an Oetker Collection–helmed revival of the island’s first hotel, built in 1822—arrived fashionably late to the scene in the summer of 2023. The property evokes images of Capri’s bygone jet-set glamour: Maltese designer Francis Sultana bypassed those ubiquitous cobalt-and-lemon tiles and “I Heart Capri” T-shirts for a stripped-back neoclassical vision inspired by Villa Lysis and Villa San Michele. Everywhere you look, white linen curtains waft like togas, and mosaic floors beckon guests to truly watch their steps. The color schemes of airy whites and sky blues are reminders of the island’s legendary luxury: the view of the Bay of Naples, as seen from the gods of Emperor Tiberius’s palace. Hotel La Palma boasts those same views, though its position opposite Dolce & Gabbana on Via Vittorio Emanuele is a bit more mortal. The hotel boasts its own patisserie run by pastry master Carmine di Donna, while Gennaro Esposito—famed for his two-Michelin-starred Torre del Saracino in Vico Equense near Sorrento—oversees the new La Bianca roof terrace. But on an island where sun loungers can be booked one year in advance, the hotel’s Da Gioia beach club is the biggest splash. —Stephanie Rafanelli
Courtesy Capri Tiberio PalacehotelCapri Tiberio Palace
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Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2019, 2021Far enough from the Piazzetta to feel removed from the crowds yet close enough to pop up for a café or an aperitivo, the Tiberio Palace with its glamorous, dolce vita vibe is as fresh as ever after a recent makeover by Milanese designer Gianpiero Panepinto. The fun, whacky, cozy interiors burst with color—turquoise blue, bright purple, sunflower yellow, magenta—with vintage pieces from the 1950s and ’60s plus an eclectic clutter of vintage travel memorabilia gathered from across the globe filling the rooms. The best of the 54 bedrooms and suites have sea-facing terraces, several of them huge. Gourmet restaurant La Terrazza Tiberio serves up locally-rooted dishes such as spaghetti with sea urchins and yellow tomatoes and local lamb with minted zucchinis or you can opt for pizza and bubbles at the 1950s inspired Jacky Bar (complete with white baby grand piano) where the mixologists will whip up a spicy paloma or the signature Dolce Vita (white vermouth with maraschino and citrus juice). The two-level spa includes a fabulous indoor-outdoor pool.
hotelLa Minerva
The delightful 19-room Minerva is located a 10-minute walk from the center of Capri town, far from the jostling masses. The old family villa, run by the three Esposito brothers, is done out in mod-Capri style with handmade Maiolica tiled floors and jazzy, colorful local ceramics set against dazzling white paintwork; wide arched French doors lead onto terraces with jaw-dropping views. Breakfast is served on the roof terrace and there’s a pretty garden with an enticing pool where you can order a sandwich or Caprese salad for lunch (there’s no restaurant).
Punta TragarahotelPunta Tragara
$$$Set on the famous Belverdere at the end of panoramic Via Tragara, Punta Tragara occupies a modernist villa built by Le Corbusier. The 40-odd room hotel has undergone multiple revamps over the years, the latest version featuring a mix of busy styles ranging from the Etro-designed Pegaso Suite and the flamboyant Certosa Suite to the rather more bland Deluxe options. But it’s the vista that takes center stage here, from the bedroom terraces to the stepped pool area, the dining and bar terraces; the reach-out-and-touch views of the iconic Faraglioni are breathtaking. At fine dining restaurant Monzù, chef Luigi Leonetti offers the likes of lobster cappeletti with truffles and barbecued monkfish with béarnaise sauce and asparagus.
Courtesy J.K. Place CaprihotelJ.K. Place Capri
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Gold List 2019 Readers' Choice Awards 2019, 2020, 2024Set on a cliffside just above the busy port of Marina Grande, this seaside villa is worlds apart from the sweaty day-trippers crowding the busy port below. Florentine interior design darling Michele Bonan’s signature cool, sophisticated, yet cozy interiors work brilliantly in a marine context: sunlight streams into the welcoming, comfortable reception rooms and 22 sunny bedrooms which have four-posters and terraces with magnificent views across the Bay of Naples toward Vesuvius. There’s a wide wraparound deck for aperitivi and meals, a proper-sized pool, and a little spa pavilion offering a range of treatments including signature facials by Dr. Barbara Sturm. Come evening, guests gather on the terraces for cocktails before feasting on chef Andrea Cimino’s delicious mod-Mediterranean dishes showcasing hopping fresh fish and seafood from the local waters.
Courtesy Grand Hotel QuisisanahotelGrand Hotel Quisisana
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021It’s hard to argue with a classic, time-tested grand hotel. Case in point: Grand Hotel Quisisana, which opened in 1845. Almost from the get-go, the hotel, just steps from Capri town’s central Piazzetta, was a favorite of politicians, poets, royalty, and rock stars. The terrace is a destination on its own, a place where people gather to watch life unfold on the streets below. But inside, it’s even better, with sumptuous guest rooms and public spaces filled with shimmering chandeliers, gleaming marble floors, and gilt mirrors, against a soothing palette of various shades of white.
Guido FuaCapri Palace Jumeriah
Anacapri is a relatively quiet, more relaxed base than over-crowded Capri town, and the coastal chic Capri Palace Jumeirah hotel—all cool white arches and vaulted ceilings, flower-festooned terraces and contemporary, sometimes wacky artworks—is the best place to stay. Bedrooms come in shades of beige and cream with canopied beds, balconies and sea or garden views; the Signature Suites have private pools. Michelin star dining is on offer at sleek L’Olivo and the Capri Medical Spa is famous for its award-winning medical treatments (including the famous Leg School) along with a whole slew of massages and facials. If you prefer beach to pool, you can hop on the free shuttle to the Il Riccio beach club where there’s also a brilliant fish restaurant on the rocks.
Courtesy Hotel LunaHotel Luna
The pinky-hued Luna has morphed from a characterful, rather quirky pension into a sleek boutique hotel in recent years and prices have risen accordingly, but it is still a relatively inexpensive place to stay given average prices on the island and the quiet location—on a clifftop near the Certosa yet just a five-minute walk from the Piazzetta—is brilliant. The modern interiors—lots of white paint, busy tiled floors, the odd family antique—are pleasant enough, but it’s the gardens with terraces and large pool and the glorious views that are the real draw. Come sunset, guests gather for a Campari spritz and tapas overlooking the Fargalioni at the spectacular rooftop Lounge Bar before moving onto dinner of marjoram-spiked local ravioli capresi and fresh fish on the restaurant terrace below.
Villa BrunellaVilla Brunella
This family-run villa was a simple bar and restaurant until the 1970s when it opened to guests, and today—with 20 rooms—it is still an unpretentious pensione at heart. The look will be a bit peachy-pink chintz-and-flounces for some, but the setting—on a cliffside below Via Tragara with mesmerizing views over pretty Marina Piccola, is up there with the best. From the panoramic street level restaurant (where excellent local dishes include spaghetti with zucchini, octopus salad, grilled prawns with Aglianico sauce), steps lead down the cliffside to the reception, then the bedrooms on several levels, to the terraces and pool area; an ice cold beer here after a long, hot day’s sightseeing is a treat. Prices are good for Capri and the views make up any design shortcomings.
This article was originally published on Condé Nast Traveller UK.
