Stayed here in June, 2006, and really loved it. I'd read the negative reviews about how run-down it was, and about the nasty staff, but that wasn't my experience. No, the rooms weren't great, but the views from them were stupendous. It's a converted fortress, and you literally see for miles from your window. I LOVED the staff. They couldn't have been more helpful or accomodating when Alitalia lost my luggage on the flight from Milan to Naples, and I trily believe that it was their persistence with the airlines that helped me get it back. Il Saraceno is full of history and character, and is so unique you have to experience it.

This is a little belated but here are my experiances during 2 stays. 2001 had a wonderful time, hotel was alive and food, especially the luncheon buffet at the beach, was excellent the beach and views were great. 2004 returned to find the hotel very empty, compared to 2001, the food was good although the luncheon buffet was not as diverse as 2001. The rooms and cleanliness was also not what it was and one other new annoyance, this hotel does alot of weddings and in 2004 they added ariel bombs to the celebrations which exploded right outside our room even as late as midnite. Too bad a hotel with such great possibilities is going downhill.

This is a little belated but here are my experiances during 2 stays. 2001 had a wonderful time, hotel was alive and food, especially the luncheon buffet at the beach, was excellent the beach and views were great. 2004 returned to find the hotel very empty, compared to 2001, the food was good although the luncheon buffet was not as diverse as 2001. The rooms and cleanliness was also not what it was and one other new annoyance, this hotel does alot of weddings and in 2004 they added ariel bombs to the celebrations which exploded right outside our room even as late as midnite. Too bad a hotel with such great possibilities is going downhill.

The best thing about the hotel is its beach. Although getting to the beach is by elevator (a bonus considering the number of steps down), but once you get off the elevator you're in a very dark long musty tunnel. The rooms are adequate – certainly nothing to write home about. It appears that the bathroom in our room was recent redone, so it was clean, but ugly. Considering all the beautiful ceramic tiles in this part of Italy, it’s surprising they choose to use a cheap looking dusty pink floral pattern. I found the maid service a little odd. Almost every time we left our room, they would come in replace any used towels and/or turn down the bed, but when I used a glass out of the minibar, they just stuck it back in without washing it, dead bug in the bottom and all. At first I thought it was a mistake, but it happened three times. Another drawback to Il Saraceno is its location in comparison to the actual town of Amalfi. It’s about a ten minute ride from the town which you can reach by city bus (SITA), taxi or the hotel’s shuttle. Taxis are expensive, roughly €15 each way and the hotel shuttle runs a few times in the morning, shuts down for seven hours and resumes again in the evening. It only holds 8 people, so during popular times (like the last run back to the hotel at 10:10pm) you better get their early or you’re looking for an alternate mode of transportation.

The best thing about the hotel is its beach. Although getting to the beach is by elevator (a bonus considering the number of steps down), but once you get off the elevator you're in a very dark long musty tunnel. The rooms are adequate – certainly nothing to write home about. It appears that the bathroom in our room was recent redone, so it was clean, but ugly. Considering all the beautiful ceramic tiles in this part of Italy, it’s surprising they choose to use a cheap looking dusty pink floral pattern. I found the maid service a little odd. Almost every time we left our room, they would come in replace any used towels and/or turn down the bed, but when I used a glass out of the minibar, they just stuck it back in without washing it, dead bug in the bottom and all. At first I thought it was a mistake, but it happened three times. Another drawback to Il Saraceno is its location in comparison to the actual town of Amalfi. It’s about a ten minute ride from the town which you can reach by city bus (SITA), taxi or the hotel’s shuttle. Taxis are expensive, roughly €15 each way and the hotel shuttle runs a few times in the morning, shuts down for seven hours and resumes again in the evening. It only holds 8 people, so during popular times (like the last run back to the hotel at 10:10pm) you better get their early or you’re looking for an alternate mode of transportation.