Hotel Botanico San Lazzaro

The approach to the elevator of the Hotel Botanico San Lazzaro -- through the parking lot of another hotel and down an alley -- is awkward and unappealing. Inside the entrance, though, the hotel’s style starts to show. Beyond a small desk, beautiful tile in a botanical print surrounds the circular staircase that leads to the glass elevator. And after that, it’s all about the views. From the elevator, a steep stairway leads to the hotel proper. The bright lobby continues the botanical theme, in its many plants, curtain prints, and large wall panels. Four cherubs in relief spit into strikingly modern cisterns, and Blackamoor candelabras abound. But this hotel is about the outdoors. Stone steps lead up through the tiered garden, which offers more ocean views from among the hotel’s lemon trees and around its succulent garden. Seating areas are scattered throughout, and even the gym is set out on the terrace.

Covering four stories halfway up a mountain overlooking the Gulf of Salerno, the Hotel Botanico San Lazzaro is located in Maiori, between Salerno and Amalfi. To reach the hotel, guests take an elevator, tucked away in an unlikely spot off the main street parallel to the sea. Hotel staff meet guests there and direct them up the elevator; cars and luggage are brought separately. After the lift, it’s still a good walk up steep steps to the hotel. As the biggest town on this part of the coast, Maiori is popular for its wide, lounger-lined beach. There are lots of good restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars within walking distance of the hotel. Amalfi is about a 15-minute drive, Salerno and Pompeii are 45 minutes away, and Positano is an hour's drive away. The nearest major airport is in Naples, located a 65-minute drive away.

There’s no shortage of style at the Hotel Botanico San Lazzaro. Plain white walls and exposed-beam ceilings let the ornate headboards, gorgeous linens and textiles, and beautiful terra-cotta tile floors take center stage. The simpler rooms can feel a bit cramped, with furniture shoe-horned into the space and little storage. Some rooms are loft-style, with living space downstairs and sleeping quarters upstairs. Family rooms, which can accommodate up to five people, have sleeping areas both upstairs and down. All have flat-screen TVs, and all but the smallest have writing desks. Every room has an ocean-view terrace or balcony -- some of which are larger than the rooms -- with sun umbrellas and chairs or loungers. But these can lack privacy as they're often separated from the neighbors by only low planter boxes. Bathrooms have modern fixtures and are individually decorated with delightful majolica tilework; the suite’s hand-painted ocean scene is spectacular. Some rooms have whirlpool tubs and separate showers with waterfall showerheads, and some just have showers (a few are quite tiny). All come with bathrobes and slippers. Minibars are stocked with drinks in every room. Rooms have programmable safes and free Wi-Fi.

Surrounded by a teak deck, the hotel’s ocean-view infinity pool has a water feature and plenty of loungers to enjoy drinks from the outdoor bar. The hot tub also overlooks the ocean. On four levels, the hotel’s beautiful succulent garden offers a variety of seating areas to take in the views. Lemons are a symbol of the Amalfi Coast, and the hotel’s small grove on a narrow terrace is a pleasant surprise. The gym is on a narrow strip of terrace so guests can enjoy the full view while working out. Two giant canvas umbrellas shelter a treadmill, an exercise bicycle, a cross-trainer, and a weight-lifting station. The hotel has two restaurants: quite a good pizzeria downstairs, and the more formal Donna Clelia upstairs. The restaurant is a draw for hotel guests and nonguests alike, who come for the spectacular view. The hotel also has two bars. The Lemon Spa is a small, comfortable space that offers a menu of bodywork, available in the spa or on a terrace. The free breakfast -- served on the communal or guests’ private terrace -- includes smoked salmon, caviar, and a wide selection of local meats and cheeses, as well as Champagne.