Palazzo Avino · Italy
The Pink Palace earns the name. A 12th-century villa with 43 rooms, 350 meters above the coast, and considerably more personality than its credentials suggest. Photograph courtesy of Palazzo Avino
Palazzo Avino is the Ravello hotel I would choose when I want the views and romance of a clifftop palace, but with a little more personality and considerably more pink.
The family-owned Pink Palace is a 12th-century villa with just 43 rooms and suites, sitting about 350 meters above the Amalfi Coast. It somehow combines Michelin-starred dining, a heated pool, martinis at sunset and a private beach club down at sea level without feeling like it is trying too hard.
Caruso is Ravello’s grand cinematic statement. Palazzo Avino is smaller, more playful and feels more personal. If Caruso is white linen and champagne, Palazzo Avino has changed into something pink and ordered a martini.
The beach club changes the Ravello equation
The Clubhouse by the Sea at Marmorata, about 15 minutes below the hotel by complimentary shuttle. No other Ravello hotel has one. Photograph courtesy of Palazzo Avino
The obvious drawback to staying in Ravello is that the sea is very far below you. Palazzo Avino is the only hotel in Ravello that solves this with a beach club of its own.
The Clubhouse by the Sea is at Marmorata, about 15 minutes away by complimentary shuttle, which runs from mid-morning. Guests get access to Mediterranean swimming platforms, a small pool, changing rooms, a lounge and a casual seaside restaurant doing catch of the day and pizza. It opens from early May through October, and access is subject to availability, so it is worth flagging in advance rather than turning up.
That is a real differentiator from Caruso, which has a boat excursion but no beach club. You can have the quiet and views of Ravello without giving up an actual sea day. It is not a sandy beach, though. Think rocks, platforms, clear water and a very attractive lunch.
Which room should you actually book?
The style is the draw, but the view varies enormously by category. Confirm what your specific room actually looks out on before booking. Photograph courtesy of Palazzo Avino
I would not automatically book the least expensive category here. Palazzo Avino still sells mountain-side and internal rooms, including a 20-square-meter Internal Room with no external view at all. At a hotel perched above one of the most beautiful coastlines in Europe, I would need a very persuasive rate difference to make that choice.
For most couples, I would start with a true sea-view room with a proper balcony. That is where the hotel makes sense to me. For a honeymoon or anniversary, I would look harder at the sea-view suites with terraces rather than simply buying additional indoor square footage.
At the top end, the private-pool and terrace suites are where the splurge becomes much easier to justify. If I am paying substantially more, I want the upgrade to change the vacation, not just provide a larger sitting area.
Two whirlpools on the rooftop solarium, and the argument for an afternoon when nobody wants to make the trip down to the water. Photograph courtesy of Palazzo Avino
Not sure which category is worth it?
I can compare the actual rooms available for your dates, ask the hotel about the view, terrace and location and tell you where I would spend the money. There is no planning fee for my hotel bookings.
The pool, rooftop and martinis are part of the appeal
The hotel has a 20-meter heated outdoor pool surrounded by gardens, plus a rooftop solarium with two whirlpools and panoramic views, and a spa with sauna, steam room and hydrotherapy. The Clubhouse gives you the sea day. The hotel pool gives you the afternoon when nobody wants to leave Ravello.
Then there is the Lobster & Martini Bar, which may be the most efficiently named amenity on the Amalfi Coast. Rossellinis remains the serious dinner and holds one Michelin star, while Terrazza Belvedere and Caffè dell’Arte handle the considerably less serious end of the day.
This is one reason Palazzo Avino feels less formal than its medieval-palace credentials suggest. It is also five minutes on foot from Piazza Vescovado and Villa Rufolo, so Ravello itself is genuinely walkable from the door.
Palazzo Avino vs. Caruso: which should you book?
This is the real Ravello decision. Choose Caruso if the famous infinity pool, larger grand-hotel feeling and classic Belmond polish are the dream. Choose Palazzo Avino if you want a smaller family-run hotel, Michelin-starred dining, more playful style and the ability to spend a day at the hotel’s own beach club.
Caruso feels grander. Palazzo Avino feels more intimate. For a couple whose idea of romance is disappearing into a beautiful palace and doing very little, I might lean Caruso. For someone who wants Ravello plus a little fashion, energy, excellent food and a proper sea day, I would lean Palazzo Avino.
Neither is better. They simply produce different vacations. One practical note: Caruso welcomes children of any age, which matters if the rest of your Amalfi shortlist has age minimums.
Read my full guide to Caruso, A Belmond Hotel, Ravello.
Who I would book Palazzo Avino for
I particularly like Palazzo Avino for couples, honeymoons, anniversaries and stylish families who want Ravello but worry they will miss being close to the water. It is also a good fit for someone who loves historic hotels but prefers them with a little personality.
The guest book supports that. Placido Domingo was the hotel’s very first guest, and Gore Vidal, who lived in Ravello, was a regular at Rossellinis.
I would choose somewhere else if you need a sandy beach directly outside the hotel, want to spend every evening in Positano or prefer a much larger resort.
Booking Palazzo Avino through Sebastian Luxe Travel
Palazzo Avino participates in Virtuoso, and eligible reservations can include preferred benefits such as daily breakfast, a hotel credit or spa credit, upgrade priority when available and early check-in or late checkout when available. I confirm the exact benefits and current offers for your dates before booking rather than treating availability-based perks as guaranteed.
The more useful part is making sure you book the right room and the right version of the stay. I can communicate directly with the hotel about the actual view, terrace and location, compare whether a higher category is genuinely worth it and make sure celebrations and preferences are known before arrival.
I can also help with the Clubhouse by the Sea, Rossellinis, boat days and anything else that is better handled before you are sitting in Ravello wondering why everyone else already has a reservation. There is no additional planning or booking fee when you reserve through Sebastian Luxe Travel.
Planning a stay at Palazzo Avino?
Send me your dates, who is traveling and whether you care most about the sea view, terrace, beach club or deciding between Palazzo Avino and Caruso. I can compare the rooms available and tell you which one I would actually book.
Palazzo Avino FAQs
What is the best room at Palazzo Avino?
For most couples, I would book a true sea-view room with a proper balcony rather than one of the mountain-side or internal categories. For a honeymoon or major anniversary, I would compare the sea-view terrace suites and private-pool options based on the exact room available for your dates.
Does Palazzo Avino have a beach club?
Yes, and it is the only hotel in Ravello that does. The Clubhouse by the Sea is at Marmorata, about 15 minutes away by complimentary shuttle, with sunbathing platforms, direct sea access, a small pool and a restaurant. It runs from early May through October.
Is Palazzo Avino better than Caruso?
I would choose Caruso for the infinity pool and grand Belmond experience. I would choose Palazzo Avino for a smaller family-owned hotel, Michelin-starred dining and the beach club.
Is Palazzo Avino’s pool heated?
Yes. There is a 20-meter heated outdoor pool, plus two whirlpools on the rooftop solarium.
Can you walk into Ravello from Palazzo Avino?
Yes. Piazza Vescovado and Villa Rufolo are about five minutes on foot, which is one of the quiet advantages of this location.
How many rooms does Palazzo Avino have?
Forty-three rooms and suites, in a 12th-century villa that has been in the Avino family for decades.
Why book Palazzo Avino through a Virtuoso advisor?
Eligible Virtuoso bookings can include preferred benefits, but I think the larger advantage is having someone help choose the exact room and communicate directly with the hotel before arrival. I can clarify the view and terrace, note celebrations and preferences and coordinate the beach club, dining and other Amalfi Coast plans. There is no additional booking fee when you reserve through Sebastian Luxe Travel.
Is Palazzo Avino worth it?
Yes, if you want Ravello but still care about having a sea day, excellent dining and a hotel with real personality. If the famous infinity pool is the entire fantasy, I would choose Caruso instead.
Related hotels
Caruso, A Belmond Hotel, Ravello, the other Ravello palace
Le Sirenuse, Positano, to be in Positano itself
Il San Pietro di Positano, for privacy just outside Positano
Borgo Santandrea, Amalfi Coast, for a private beach at the hotel
A restored Ravello palace with one of Italy’s most famous infinity pools, extraordinary sea views and a wonderfully calm way to experience the Amalfi Coast.