Hotel Santa Caterina vs Borgo Santandrea: which one suits you?

Amalfi Coast › Amalfi and Conca dei Marini

Two clifftop hotels just outside the town of Amalfi, one with more than a century of family history and one of the coast’s newest. Hotel Santa Caterina has been run by the Gambardella family since it opened in 1904, with a Michelin-starred restaurant and a beach club reached by lift. Borgo Santandrea opened in 2021 above Conca dei Marini, with mid-century design, a private beach and two MICHELIN Keys. Old-world charm or modern polish: you choose.

Last checked: October 2026 · Based on official hotel information and recent reviews · We may earn a commission

At a glance

Which fits what you want?

If you love old-world charmSanta CaterinaA family villa full of antiquesIf you want modern designBorgo SantandreaMid-century style, opened in 2021If you travel with childrenSanta CaterinaChildren are welcomeIf you want your own poolBorgo SantandreaEight suites with plunge poolsIf you want to walk into AmalfiSanta CaterinaAbout 700 metres from the centreIf you want to arrive by boatBorgo SantandreaPrivate dock for sea transfers

Amenities side by side

What each one does best

Hotel Santa Caterina: four generations of one family

The first building went up in 1880, and in 1904 Dr Giuseppe Gambardella, helped by his wife and son, opened Hotel Santa Caterina with just six rooms. Four generations later the family still runs it, today with 66 rooms and suites decorated with antiques and majolica tiles from Vietri, among terraces of Amalfi lemon trees.

Chef Giuseppe Stanzione leads Glicine, which holds a MICHELIN star, while Al Mare serves grilled fish and pizza by the sea. A glass lift runs down through the cliff to the Beach Club, with its heated saltwater pool and steps into the sea. The centre of Amalfi is about 700 metres away.

Check Hotel Santa Caterina prices and availability → · Read the hotel story

Borgo Santandrea: the coast’s modern newcomer

Borgo Santandrea opened in summer 2021 after a three-year rebuild of an existing cliffside property, and was described at launch as the first new luxury hotel on the Amalfi Coast in 15 years. Architect Bonaventura Gambardella and interior designer Nikita Bettoni created 29 rooms and 16 suites, all looking over the fishing hamlet of Conca dei Marini.

The main building sits about 90 metres above the sea, with Alici, its MICHELIN-starred restaurant led by chef Crescenzo Scotti, and the Plumbago Bar at the top. Lifts and garden paths lead down to a private beach, beach club and dock with boats to Amalfi, Positano and Capri. The hotel holds two MICHELIN Keys.

Check Borgo Santandrea prices and availability → · Read the hotel story

Where they are

Who should skip both

If you want sandy beaches and a big resort pool scene, the Amalfi Coast may not suit you: both hotels are built into cliffs, with steps, lifts and small beaches. Both are also seasonal, so check opening dates for spring and autumn trips.

Sources: Forbes Travel Guide: Santa Caterina, Luxurious Magazine: Santa Caterina, Lightfoot Travel: Santa Caterina, Hotel Online: Borgo Santandrea opens, TOPHOTELNEWS: Borgo Santandrea, Mayfair Times: Borgo Santandrea. Facts change: please confirm details with the hotel when booking.