Utterly charming, atmospheric and with unfailingly magical views across the Bay of Naples

The clifftop location is breathtaking - you could spend the whole day gazing over the Bay of Naples with Mt Vesuvius looming behind

The quirky nautical design delights at every turn and every room has sea-facing with floor-to-ceiling windows

At first glance, La Minervetta’s cliff-clinging location above the fishing village of Marina Grande and its spectacular views over the Bay of Naples from the pool, the rooms and sun terrace appear to be the hotel’s most striking feature.

Once inside, however, you quickly realise that this hotel has been conceived and nurtured with an extraordinary attention to detail and passion for design.

Quirky, stylish and contemporary, every corner and surface is adorned with local objets d’arts, vintage collections, books, Vietri pottery and fabrics in attention-grabbing colours and all assembled to create a near-perfect ambience.

A large lounge, dining room and kitchen, which open on to a terrace with equally dramatic views, add to the wonderfully relaxed almost home-from-home atmosphere.

Outside, a small Mediterranean garden, with plunge pool, tumbles down the cliff to Marina Grande below.

Each of the 12 individually-styled Mediterranean-style rooms has views via huge picture windows over the Neapolitan Gulf so you can lie back and bask in the view before you even get up in the morning!

There is no restaurant as such but a Mediterranean-style brunch with hot and cold food is laid out in the fabulous breakfast room each morning and the restaurants and bars in Marina Grande can all be reached via a private staircase.

Maison La Minervetta is conveniently located just a 15-minute walk from Sorrento’s historic centre, above Marina Grande, an old fishing village which has escaped urbanization and retained a wonderfully rustic charm.

From Sorrento, you can take a hydrofoil to Capri, Ischia, Naples and Positano and buses to the Amalfi Coast and Pompeii. Restaurants, homes and shops, rising along the curve of the rocks and the colourful booths on the pier, are all architecturally consistent, creating a harmonious neon free scene.

The port's secluded atmosphere stems from its sheltered position, created by promontory which separates Sorrento from this hidden harbor.