Via Francesco Russo 36, Praiano, Italy | (618) 248-8274
Modest bed-and-breakfast housed a converted 17th-century mill
Property offers sunset views over Praiano
Small outdoor pool and sundeck facing the sea
Guest rooms with vaulted ceilings and private terraces
In-room flat-screen TVs, minibars, and kettles
Some rooms have kitchenettes and/or whirlpool tubs
Breakfast room with terrace overlooking the Mediterranean
Lobby espresso bar
Free continental breakfast
On a hill only accessible on foot
No full-service restaurant
Fee for Wi-Fi and parking
Villa Il Frantoio is a small bed-and-breakfast located on a hill above of Praiano, overlooking the town and the Mediterranean Sea. It's only accessible on foot and can be awkward to get to back from restaurants or bars, but the quiet atmosphere and sunset views make it worth it for guests who don't mind the climb. The three-and-a-half-pearl hotel's six guest rooms are simply furnished with flat-screen TVs and minibars, and all open to large furnished private terraces. As a bonus, there's a small outdoor pool with a sundeck that overlooks hillside vistas. Facilities are otherwise slim, and Wi-Fi costs is extra, but a continental breakfast is is included. Compare with the more modern rooms at the similar Albadamare bed-and-breakfast nearby.
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Scene
Romantic hillside bed-and-breakfast with beautiful views
Villa Il Frantoio has a quiet, scenic perch with excellent views over the village of Praiano and the sea. It's a steep climb up the narrow stone stairs to its iron front gate, but the sunsets are magnificent from here. Positano and the island of Capri can also be seen in the distance and from the private terraces, or from the main common space around the pool's sundeck. The villa is housed in a converted 17th-century mill, and it retains much of the old building's architecture, including narrow arched doorways and domed vaulted ceilings. The bed-and-breakfast is popular with couples looking for a romantic spot above the town, but also for small groups of hikers using it as a base to explore the many trails in the area.
Location
On the hillside above Praiano, between Amalfi and Positano
Villa Il Frantoio is on a hill crowded with houses and other small hotels above central Praiano. It's difficult to reach, accessible only on foot via stone staircases. There are several restaurants within walking distance, and getting to the area beaches takes about five minutes by car, or 12 minutes walking downhill. The village of Praiano, one of the smaller villages in the area along the Amalfi Coast, is a 20- to 30-minute drive from both Amalfi and Positano. It's a 45-minute drive to Sorrento and 75 minute to Salerno. Naples International Airport is about 90 minutes away, and there's a bus stop near the hotel.
Rooms
Vaulted ceilings, flat-screen TVs, minibars, and private furnished terraces
Like common areas, the six guest rooms feature elements of the 17th-century mill's original architecture. Decor nods to classical elements, with curved vaulted ceilings, terra-cotta or marble floors, and a bit of elegant iron work in the headboards and curtain rods. Other furnishings are a mix of simple fabrics, and plain wood bedside tables and wardrobes. The standard rooms have double beds and small wooden desks with chairs. They lack seating areas, but large terraces with sea views are a bonus. All rooms have tables and chairs set on tiled floors under arches, along with a pair of loungers. Most rooms have tiled bathrooms with bidets and rainfall showers; some have whirlpool tubs with rainfall showerheads. The two suites add kitchenettes with two-burner stovetops, and the La Molazza Suite benefits from having mill's original olive press as a focal point. Flat-screen TVs come standard, along with minibars and electric kettles, but Wi-Fi costs extra.
Features
Outdoor pool and breakfast room with a terrace
The main feature here is the outdoor pool, a rarity among area bed-and-breakfasts. It's surrounded by a gravel sundeck with plenty of loungers and shade umbrellas on the terraced hillside just beneath the main building. There are also a few small tables and chairs under a glass awning along the stone wall to the back. A free continental breakfast is served on a buffet table in the breakfast room, which opens right onto a stone terrace that has tables and chairs overlooking the sea. There's no full-service restaurant, but a small bar next to the reception desk serves espresso. The hotel charges a fee for Wi-Fi.
