Monastero Santa Rosa Hotel & Spa

Originally a Dominican monastery built in the 17th C., Monastero Santa Rosa sits perched majestically along the heart of the Amalfi Coast within the fishing village of Conca dei Marini, conveniently located between Amalfi and Positano.

Striking the perfect balance of seclusion without solitude, no other place along the coast quite captures the area’s rich history while also offering quintessential luxury Italian hospitality.

Imagine nuns cloaked in black and white wool attire busy baking delectable cream-filled pastries within the kitchen of a sky-swimming 17th-century monastery perched on the most dramatic promontory of Conca dei Marini. Such is how it all began.

Comprised over two generous levels, the 20 rooms and suites, where the monastery’s nuns once lived out their lives, offer both privacy and exclusivity, while offering the intimacy and familiarity of staying in a home away from home…only one where all of your needs are tended to.

The experience at Monastero Santa Rosa would not be complete without a visit to our Michelin-starred restaurant, Il Refettorio.

Here, Chef Christoph Bob showcases the amazing quality of seafood, meats, and produce from the surrounding area while paying homage to the monastic history. Those looking for a more casual meal will enjoy the additional options at our poolside café, as well as our library bar area.

Set within the historic stone walls of the ancient monastery, The Spa at Monastero Santa Rosa offers one of the most complete spa and wellness experiences in the area.

Drawing from the Mediterranean garden, as well as the monastic roots, using products from Santa Maria Novella, the spa is a true sanctuary on the Amalfi Coast.

Leave the outside world behind and enter one of the most serene locations on the Amalfi Coast, where the bustle of town life and winding roads of traffic become a distant memory and are replaced with sounds of birds chirping and fountains trickling as well as abundant aromas of rose, jasmine, and citrus.

Lush gardens, appropriately planted to represent all of the beauty that the Mediterranean fauna and flora have to offer, provide an escape from it all. Relax, sit back and let the botanical wonderland intoxicate you with all of its pleasures.

It’s hard to imagine that the generous grounds, filled with four levels of gardens, lush landscaping, plentiful lounge chairs, and canopied daybeds, serve just 20 rooms and suites.

THE HISTORY
Originally built in the late 17th century, the monastery/convent* came to life through the ambition of Sister Rosa Pandolfi, a descendant of the noble family Pontone di Scala who had taken up residence in Conca dei Marini.

The antique church of Santa Maria di Grado, sadly reduced to ruins, was a gift to Sister Rosa. Having the means to make a difference, she funded the monastery’s construction built adjacent to the church for the ‘sacred virgins.’ Upon completion in 1681, the convent was dedicated to the glorious St. Rose of Lima.

Over the years the sisters contributed in many ways to the local community. Most notably, the nuns provided the design and funding for an aqueduct from Mount Vocito to Piazza Olmo to provide water for the inhabitants of the municipality.

Even today, a plaque stands near the piazza’s fountain in the town square commemorating this noble gesture. The nuns created a viable business through their apothecary by concocting effective remedies to treat common afflictions using the herbs and flowers from their vast gardens.

The sisters also became renowned for the now famous Sfogliatella Santa Rosa recipe, which they created in their refectory to help soothe the ailing stomach of their Mother Superior.

In the late 1800s, however, the religious establishment was removed following the laws of eviction, and the convent was handed over to the municipality, still allowing the nuns to live out their lives on property.

In 1924 the hotel was spotted by a Roman hotelier, Mr. Marcucci, who recognized and appreciated the property’s historic value and unique architecture. He purchased the old convent and subsequently transformed it into an hotel.

Esteemed for its authentic simplicity typical of monastic life, the Hotel Santa Rosa became one of the 39 castle hotels of Italy. The hotel’s motto was, “At each window, the sun. From each window, the sea”.

After the death of the last Caterina family member, the building was once again left without a purpose. Standing in solitude on the edge of a cliff, the imposing structure became a lonely reminder of former glory, hospitality, and rich honorable history.

In 2000 Bianca Sharma was enjoying a boating excursion in the Gulf of Salerno and admiring the spectacular promontory towering above her. Her eyes rested on this majestic yet ruined monastery extending from but disappearing into the rock.

She was instantly captivated, bought the property, moved to the Coast, and began her decade-long quest of restoring the former monastery into a luxury boutique hotel.

To Bianca’s relief, the Caterina family, who ran the hotel for three generations, had the foresight to conserve the architectural foundations of the premises while implementing modern conveniences for guests. So the original architectural details remained.

Through Bianca’s endless dedication and careful instruction in conjunction with a local team of architects and historical authorities, the monastery’s structural integrity has been maintained. Thus the monastery’s original atmosphere remains ever present in her current design.

Since its origins, the history of the Conca dei Marini village has always been intimately tied to the destiny of the convent. Bianca’s tireless efforts have enabled this bond to continue into the next century with the 2012 reopening of the monastery as a luxury hotel for locals and visitors from around the world to enjoy.

ROOMS & SUITES
Today, the converted monastery contains 20 rooms and suites, each with a spellbinding sea view stretching from the Conca dei Marini fishing harbor below to Amalfi and beyond.

Monastero Santa Rosa Within those rooms, guests will find a striking balance of old and new where history is preserved, but luxury is at every touch.

The spiritual enchantment of the transformed monastery remains ever present with each of the accommodations named for an herb or plant that the nuns would have used in making their products from the Monastero Santa Rosa garden.

Walk through the ancient walls that once sequestered the nuns from the outside world and discover a cliffside sanctuary floating between sky and sea. Vaulted ceilings and the primary structure of the nuns’ rooms and common areas have been preserved and linked together to create sumptuous bedrooms.

The rooms, split between two levels of the monastery, are complete with grand bathrooms clad in Jerusalem stone and fit with heated floors, rain-head showers, separate toilet/bidet, and luxury Italian amenities; many have a full-size bathtub.

The 8 suites, some boasting terraces from which to bask in the fresh Mediterranean air and aromas of the garden below, vary in size and have completely unique layouts with no one suite being the same.

Each room and suite has been individually designed with furniture hand picked by the owner, Bianca, throughout her travels in Italy.

One-of-a-kind antiques accent the suites while historical black and white photographs taken before the renovation don the walls evoking the spiritual past. Today, beds are complete with dream-inducing mattresses dressed in the finest Italian linens and bathrooms fit with plush towels and robes.

ROSA SUITE
Exclusivity, sumptuous luxury, and divine views seduce guests in the lavish Rosa Suite. An authentic Italian residential experience, this one-of-a-kind lofted suite is decorated with original pieces from the monastery and antiques from the owner’s travels throughout Italy.

The Sea View Rosa Suite sprawls over 1,450 square feet (130 square meters) and two levels with awe-inspiring sea-view windows around the circumference. Downstairs, the open-plan dining and living room with fireplace features a separate bar area, ideal for private receptions.

A dramatic curved staircase leads upstairs to the bedroom, which is suspended over the living room with a glass railing, giving it a modern, loft-like feel and features a king-size bed.The enormous bathroom with a soaking bathtub, separate oversize shower with a glass wall, a dressing area, and a walk-in wardrobe.

PREMIUM TERRACE SUITE
Monastero Santa Rosa’s most exclusive suite, Citrus suite spreads out over a generous 800 sq. ft of interior space and an enormous 500+ sq. ft of outdoor terrace that hangs over the center of the property, suspended over the Amalfi Coast with breathtaking coastal and sea views.

Complete with alfresco dining table, lounges, lemon trees, and a retractable canopy when the Amafli sun blazes, it is an ideal locale for lounging romantically or alternatively an intimate dinner party. The indoor living and dining room luxuriously juxtaposes contemporary Italian style with antique period pieces.

The suite’s bedroom, with a king-size bed swathed in fine Italian linens, leads to the extraordinary sea view bathroom designed in a mix of light and dark wood and clad in Jerusalem stone with separate walk-in shower and oversize soaking tub for long soothing baths with Santa Maria Novella pomegranate bath salts

The Sea View Premium Terrace Suite (Citrus) has historic ties to the Kennedy family. In the 1960s, when the monastery had become the well-known Albergo Monastero di Santa Rosa, one of the “39 castles of Italy,” Jacqueline Kennedy used to lunch here on freshly caught local fish when this suite’s space housed the property’s original dining area.

DELUXE SUITE
The Sea View Deluxe Suites are comprised of contiguous living and bed rooms, ending in a luxurious bathroom, and boast glorious views of Amalfi or the property’s gardens. These debonair suites are custom furnished with antiques and decorated in a sophisticated palate of blues, taupe, and dark wood.

These suites offer extra closet space in the built-in headboard designed with additional storage space flanking both sides of the bed. Extraordinary bathrooms with dark chestnut and Jerusalem stone feature separate soaking tubs that overlook the sea.

SUPERIOR ROOMS
The Sea View Superior Rooms take in the warmth of the Amalfi sun through picture-framed windows. Beneath vaulted arched ceilings these bedrooms showcase contemporary Italian style juxtaposed with antique period pieces bringing the past into the present.

Decorated with fine Italian white linens and neutral tones to calm the spirit, these rooms, named after herbs from Monastero Santa Rosa’s own garden, feel like a private boudoir.

These rooms feature wrought iron king-size beds, double wardrobes, and well-appointed bathrooms designed in dark chestnut and Jerusalem stone with a separate walk-in shower and water closet.

DINING
Dating back to its early days when the famous Sfogliatella Santa Rosa was created by the sisters within the monastery’s walls, Monastero Santa Rosa has been a place of culinary innovation. Today, this focus remains at the monastery, drawing on its long history to serve guests world class meals in a world class location.

The culinary experience at Monastero Santa Rosa is a feast for all senses, giving guests the ability to soak in the sights and sounds of the Amalfi Coast at any occasion throughout the day.

Mornings could not start off in a more serene setting; while sipping a night cap as the moon shines bright over the Salerno Bay may be the perfect end to a perfect day on the Coast.

Take a quick break from the sunshine to take a relaxed lunch at Il Mezzogiorno Poolside Café or relax outside at La Brocca Bar and watch day turn to dusk and dusk to starry night.

All throughout the property guests will find special spaces to indulge and imbibe, but the experience would not be complete without food and drink to match, and the culinary treats throughout the hotel coming from Santa Rosa’s Michelin-Starred kitchen are as unique as the monastery itself.

A well-curated mix of traditional and contemporary Campanian fare, as well as inspiration drawn from the monastic roots of the hotel, help define the gastronomic philosophy, while the on-display cantina filled with Italian treasures can offer the perfect complement to any meal.

IL REFERTORIO RESTAURANT
The terrace at Michelin-starred Il Refettorio offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner, though dinner is where our distinguished Chef Christoph Bob demonstrates his insatiable love affair with the local cuisine through precision-perfect versions and creative takes on traditional Amalfi Coast fare.

Chef Bob has created an innovative Mediterranean gastronomic experience for the most discerning palate with the freshest ingredients from the surrounding Campania region. Christoph has worked in some of the world’s most celebrated restaurants, but amore drew him to the Amalfi Coast and to our prized kitchen.

Married to a woman from the Amalfi Coast, Christoph muses, “I not only fell in love with my wife, I fell in love with the destination and its food. Nowhere on earth does the sun and the soil give us such richness of flavors as can be found in the fresh produce, herbs, and seafood found right here on our coast.”

LA BROCCA BAR
Monastero Santa Rosa’s sophisticated bar is located on the lower terrace level below the restaurant. Its flowing indoor/outdoor spaces provide cozy entertainment areas that deliver panoramic perspectives around the twinkling bay and offer the ideal setting for savoring an aperitif at sunset, twilight, or après dinner.

Make yourself at home and have a casual bite in the bar library area or relax below the stars sipping on that perfect digestivo.

MEZZOGIORNO POOL CAFE
Come as you are to our poolside café and find a break from the sunshine while you dine on a variety of the freshest Coastal options.

Enjoy lighter options from our diverse selection of salads or savor a bowl of campotti pasta with local shrimp. There is no wrong choice in this setting while sipping on a glass of local Fiano di Avellino, passing the day away.

THE WINE CELLAR
The on-display wine cellar located within Bar La Brocca houses some of the finest Italian treasures to pair with the world-class meals at Monastero Santa Rosa. From fresh local whites to vintage Barolos, no matter your preference, our sommelier will find you the perfect selection.

THE ORGANIC GARDENS
Rich with volcanic soil, kissed with sunshine, and caressed with seaside breezes; some say there is no better place for produce than the area around Mount Vesuvius.

The terraced garden located above Monastero Santa Rosa benefits from these elements and is where we grow a seasonal bounty of fruits and vegetables that are harvested when ripe and used throughout the hotel.

EVENTS
Whether you are looking to throw an intimate dinner party, a celebratory banquet or cocktail party, or a small wedding reception, the Convivio Terrace is one of the premier venues on the Amalfi Coast and can host up to 35 people, depending on the occasion.

Chef Bob and his team are ready to work with you to make a tailor-made menu, while our sommelier and head barman will help to create pairings that will masterfully complement the evening from start to finish.

Gazing out over the Bay of Salerno as you soak in the views, sounds, and smells of the garden below, it will be a moment with friends and family that you will never forget.

THE SPA
Due to the one-of-a-kind design and world-class offering of treatments, the Spa at Monastero Santa Rosa has become known, not only as the premiere spa on the Amalfi Coast, but globally renowned as a top destination for those seeking both pampering and wellness, having received awards such as The Best New Spa by Tatler Magazine soon after opening.

The Italian heritage of bathing is presented in the form of a Thermal Suite, consisting of a collection of vaulted spaces inter-connecting the various warm rooms via arched openings & changes of levels… a discovery around each corner.

Each room within the Spa preserves the original 17th Century vaulted ceilings and many of its rustic walls, maintaining the monastic heritage of this beautiful property.

The most exceptional treatment room – the Spa Suite, is a stunning 80m2 double height vaulted space with Rasul; steam room; double wet & dry treatment couches; manicure / pedicure; relaxation lounge; private dressing & grooming space and a garden terrace… a ‘private spa within a spa’.

Alternatively, guests can enjoy a treatment outdoors under the shade of a pergola within the privacy of the Treatment Garden, or be cocooned within one of our historic single treatment rooms.

L’OFFICINA DI SANTA MARIA NOVELLA
Since 1612, the products created at Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella have provided a multitude of benefits derived from the naturally occurring plants and flowers of Italy and the Mediterranean region, using their ancient and beautiful recipes of fragranced lotions, healing crèmes and balms.

The aromatic oils of Santa Maria Novella, summer oil of lemon, bergamot and petit grain, the deeply warm iris oil, aromatic herbs of rosemary, lavender and sweet orange and the unique fragrance of pomegranate, made for Catherine de Medici, are a delight to the senses.

All of these wonderful aromas are woven into the timeless and fresh sense of vitality & joy provided by our delightful, trusted and expertly offered spa treatments, presented in a spa of natural historic beauty.

THE GARDENS
As Spring arrives on the Amalfi Coast, Monastero Santa Rosa truly begins to come to life. The terraced levels of immaculately kept gardens begin waking up, slowly unraveling their beauty as the season transpires, offering a constantly evolving landscape that frames the panoramas as you gaze towards the Gulf of Salerno.

The gardens of Santa Rosa are a Mediterranean paradise in the tradition of the exclusive estates and palatial Italian villas of yore.

Behold a masterpiece of architectural landscape design, which descends from the dining and bar terraces through a series of multi-level cascading gardens with sweeping panoramic views of land, sea, and sky, culminating at the dramatic cliff-edge infinity pool.

Each level presents stylish, comfortable areas to relax and soak the day away.

THE INFINITY POOL
Unquestionably, the vanished-edge infinity pool of the Monastero Santa Rosa is the most dramatic and precipitous of the entire Amalfi Coast.

FITNESS
Rest and relaxation are guaranteed at Monastero Santa Rosa, but should you feel the need to find time for fitness, the property makes it easy to stay on a healthy track. The outdoor fitness center, equipped with Technogym equipment offers a wide-range of options for maintaining your fitness goals.

A diverse mix of hikes and walking trails, as well as a variety of water sports are available in the area, and the hotel’s staff is happy to assist with all arrangements. Do not miss the beautiful, lesser known “Valle delle ferriere” path in Amalfi!

THE AMALFI COAST
Writers, poets and artists have tried for centuries to capture the beguiling essence of la dolce vita along The Amalfi Coast. A coastline so renowned for its divine allure that John Steinbeck rhapsodized in 1953, “a dream place that isn’t quite real when you are there but becomes beckoningly real after you are gone.”

The picture-perfect towns along Italy’s Amalfi Coast do belong solely to the angels in their otherworldly beauty and the hamlet of Conca dei Marini is beloved for being the unheralded gem amongst them.

The coastline stretching from the quaint village of Cetara to the ever-romantic Positano is studded with magnificent and unique activities. Explore the different villages, each with its own specialties and history, dine at world-class restaurants, peruse local art galleries and visit a local limoncello producer.

Alternatively, discover a more natural side of The Coast and embark on one of the many hikes in the region from the famous “Path of the Gods” to the lesser known “Valley of the Ironworkers”. Looking for a heavenly day of leisure?

Charter a private boat for a half or full-day and experience what many consider the best way to see the Amalfi Coast. There truly is no wrong way to spend your days visiting our beautiful area.

CONCA DEI MARINI
When the sun sets behind the Amalfi Coast’s Lattari Mountains and day turns to evening, gaze your eyes up from the Gulf of Salerno to find a glow, “a superb vision which hovers over the coast like the wing of an angel.”

A short 10-minute drive from Amalfi sits the fishing village of Conca dei Marini, or “the shell of the seafarers”. Lesser known, but equally as spectacular, Conca dei Marini benefits from being in the heart of the Amalfi Coast, but set in the perfect perch to take in all of the action around and below while being peacefully removed.

Descend the precipitous cliff, dotted with some of the Coast’s most beautiful homes, and find the picturesque and storied marina of Conca dei Marini where fishermen have been bringing in the sea’s bounty for centuries.

Overlooking the village, on the cliff-edge of town, almost as a guardian angel to its residents, the monastery sits magnificently.

HIKING
Burn off those calories and experience the natural beauty of the Amalfi Coast on foot by embarking on a guided hike offering some of the most beautiful views of the surrounding area.

Accompanied by a local expert, you will be navigated through beautiful, otherwise unvisitable, parts of Amalfi, beginning a 5-minute drive from our hotel (transfer provided by hotel shuttle); during the hike you can enjoy a rustic “table to farm” lunch experience.

Following this 2-3 hour hike, rejuvenate mind and body with a Signature Arnica Body Wrap Treatment to alleviate those fatigued muscles in our world-class spa featuring Santa Maria Novella products.

Rooms: 20

Price: from 709 EUR per night

Source: www.monasterosantarosa.com