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Villa TreVille
Positano
Perched on a cliffside overlooking Positano, Villa TreVille originally served as the clandestine home of famed director Franco Zeffirelli, who once hosted top-secret parties for visiting luminaries including Elizabeth Taylor, Laurence Olivier and Leonard Bernstein. Now a hotel with 17 suites spread across four villas, the secret's out about this celebrity hot spot with a picture-perfect view of the Vertical City. With its dedicated beach club and Italian restaurant helmed by chef Antonio Mellino, the hotel makes a case for appreciating Positano from afar rather than fighting through the crowds in town. Exploring the grounds peppered with bougainvillaea, hand-painted tiles and sculptural lamps by Moroccan designer Yahya Group conjures up a feeling of being in an old Hollywood movie. During lockdown, the hotel began the process of elevating its amenities. Many are now sustainably sourced, including all-natural beauty products from Vitalis Dr Joseph, Austrian honey and an artisanal selection of loose-leaf teas processed in Northern Italy. Even the stationery is sourced from local typographers Gutenberg '72. With plans to release packages that could make the hotel's hefty price tag more palatable to weekenders, Villa TreVille is in the process of transitioning from a hyper-exclusive estate to a luxury boutique hotel that pays homage to the creative forces that once summered here.