Why they bothered installing a step machine in the Casa Angelina gym is beyond
me. With a 250-step scenic climb from the beach to the hotel, which clings
vertiginously to the hillside, there’s plenty of exercise outdoors.
“It’s why all the ladies on the Amalfi have such good legs,” the receptionist
tells me with a twinkle in his eye.
Taking this onboard I doggedly tackled the climb every day of my weekend break
at Casa Angelina… it’s just a shame that my resolve was weakened by the
gorgeous restaurants at either end, where my good intentions for a healthy,
light Mediterranean lunch spiralled into three course affairs rounded off
with a chilled limoncello.
That was lunch on day one – a great start to the long weekend. My boyfriend
and I left Stansted on the dawn easyJet flight to Naples but it wasn’t long
before we were winding along the Amalfi coast. The hour and a half drive
from Naples along tortuous roads is a test for even the most sturdy of
stomachs, but diagnosing my quiet as a symptom of queasiness the hotel
driver, Sergio, kindly made frequent stops amid a colourful commentary. We
stopped at his favourite roadside caff, and though I’m not sure espresso is
a recommended cure for nausea, it tasted superb – nutty and rich rather than
bitter, and that’s a non-coffee drinker talking.
My second espresso, on the terrace at Casa Angelina, was less tasty but won
hands down for the views. Perched on the cliffs that tumble down from
Praiano, overlooking Positano down the coast, and on a clear day Capri in
the distance, the Casa Angelina is in an idyllic spot.
The hotel was renovated three years ago to become the minimalist retreat it is
now – the rooms were halved in number to 40, balconies added, walls
whitewashed and a pool installed. Three years on the decor is still pristine
and on entrance you glide past the cool reception to see a long lounge of
white sofas looking out of floor-to-ceiling glass onto the hotel patio and
across the sparkling Mediterranean Sea.
The rooms are equally minimalist – cool and white, with great showers, quiet
air conditioning, Occitane toiletries, and without exception, spectacular
views. The best views though are from the restaurant on the fourth floor,
which has a large terrace, perfect for a sunny breakfast of fresh fruit and
croissants, or an atmospheric dinner. With the lights of Positano twinkling
in the distance, glowing candles on the tables and softly spoken Italian
waiters, it’s hard to drag yourself anywhere else for dinner, although La
Strada and La Braca, a short walk up to 70 steps in Praiano town, serve
wonderful Italian food, the former renowned for its pizzas and the latter
for rustic Italian cooking.
The hotel bar, with its grand piano, cigar room and terrace was popular after
dinner with our fellow guests, who were mostly stylish couples, bar two
families with young children, and were a pleasing mix of Italians, French,
Spanish and Americans.
From the outset there’s little awareness of the hotel spa, although the
medical theme of the staff uniforms, apparently motivated by a Mexican hotel
that the owner once stayed in, suggests a health leaning. The long blue
linen tunics and white trousers inspire cool and calm, as does the soothing
demeanor of the staff. I say this because everyone that we spoke to –
waiters, barmen, or receptionist was helpful and unruffled by any request. A
transfer to Pompeii (an hour and a half away), a cocktail that wasn’t on the
list, a request to borrow one of the kayaks on the beach below the hotel –
nothing was too much trouble.
Booking spa treatments was the same, although with only one treatment room
(although this will expand next year to more treatment rooms and more
therapists). We were advised to book ahead, then choose our treatments when
we arrived. I opted for the only obvious signature treatment, a massage
using citrus fruits from the Amalfi coast. I had pictured a basket of
freshly picked oranges and lemons, the latter growing in abundance in the
groves around the hotel. I’d hoped to have been invigorated with the smell
of fresh citrus fruits although quite how this would have been incorporated
into a massage I wasn’t sure. So it was a little disappointing, but perhaps
unsurprising, when the therapist produced two bottles of fruit scented oil,
which she didn’t offer to me to smell, and which I couldn’t smell even while
the treatment was going on.
It was a nice massage, and I use this slightly limp superlative because it
sums up the experience. The pressure was soft, and my requests for a firmer
massage were sadly lost in translation. It was relaxing and pleasant –
perfect for someone with a touch of sunburn or perhaps after a long lazy
lunch, but I felt that I got little of the invigoration promised in the
brochure.
Perhaps if I’d gone for the deep massage I would have got what I wanted. Other
treatments on offer include reiki, four choices of facial, and manicure and
pedicure. It’s not an exhaustive list and it’s clear that Casa Angelina is a
hotel first and a spa second. There’s only one treatment room and one
therapist, and there’s no spa packages so you can’t get a combination of
treatments at a reduced price. Having said that, with the outdoor and indoor
pools (more of a large whirlpool), cardiovascular and weights equipment and
sauna (which had fragrant lemon and herby oils to scent the steam), there is
plenty for the health junkie.
