Italy's Raito Hotel

The Raito sits close to the shimmering sea— it literally straddles the cliffs— with 77 rooms and suites arrayed around a peaceful mountainside town. Bouncing off Raito’s whitewashed walls and the sea’s mirror finish, the light of dawn is explosive. Stepping up the cliffside in a series of flower-filled terraces, most rooms are positioned to make the best of the staggering views across the impossibly blue waters of Vietri sul Mare to the pastel tumble of the Gulf of Salerno. Inside, the clean, modern design is softened by the hand-crafted, brightly colored floors made from locally quarried tiles, furniture is ultra modern and handcrafted by local artisans. The lobby demonstrates pure Italian “can do,” construction as high art with sweeping open vistas, soaring ceilings and zen-like furniture. Rooms are small, but airy. Beds are dressed in pure, vibrant cottons and Frette linens. But the point here is the view, for which the hotel acts as a giant frame, including the panoramic glass lift.

This year, the Raito has opened up an even more luxurious floor for the most discerning traveler. The new uber swanky Seiren Floor, named after the mythical Greek sirens that haunt the seas below, offers scintillating IMAX-style views that will definitely take your breath away. Guests are pampered beyond belief, whether in their vaulted rooms or in the VIP lounge where you have access to espresso, fresh seasonal fruits, Italian pastries, vintage wines and complimentary admittance to the Expure Spa.

What the Spa lacks in size (300 meters), it makes up for in design and treatments. Treatment rooms are dug into cliff sides; sitting rooms are airy, with sunlight shafting through openings in the wall. The private relaxation spaces, infused with jasmine and citrus aromatherapy, are quiet and airy, lulling the world away. The open-air solarium is known for some of the most staggering sunsets in the Mediterranean. Outside, you can enjoy frothy lemoncello drink with traditional regional dishes like scrumptious  sole in lemon-garlic sauces and juicy meat grills at the ExLounge bar and grill adjacent to the immaculate pool, which merges seamlessly with azure seas and blooming gardens. Savor the light breeze scented by lemons and spiced by a torch singer with a quartet.

Vertigo sufferers beware:  to reach the private beach below, you need to trek down over 500 stone steps. After taking a paddleboat out from the private beach, let a massage therapist work out those kinks with a session in your suite or on your terrace. You can also indulge in freshly caught lobster at the Il Golfo a la carte restaurant, where the sommelier can serve up a 1985 Barbaresco or a rustic local variety—either one a fitting accompaniment to the end-of-day fireworks show.

Raito Hotel

84019 Vietri sul Mare (SA) – ITALIA
Tel +39 0897634111 – Fax +39 0897634801

Rooms start at $320 Euros; Seiren Rooms start at $420 Euros