| Eaudesea and far away...
Fred Flintstone lived with wife Wilma and daughter Pebbles in the prehistoric city of Bedrock in a super duper cave dwelling.
One of the reasons for the ongoing success of the series was the fact that they were lucky enough to live, what seemed to be, a fantastical life, in a cozy cave, surrounded by primitive but working mod cons together with homely creature comforts. I loved the Flintstones; why couldn't we live in a fantasy cave?
Well, thanks to 21st century wonders, you can live out this primal chimera in contemporaneous 'yabba dabba doo' style. The semi-cave dwellings or 'Suite Eaudesea' are dazzlingly embedded into the mountainside beneath Amalfi's most heavenly boutique hotel, Casa Angelina. We have watched these abodes, previously basic fisherman's cottages, take habitable lux-shape over several years; a project that adhered to exacting standards, insisting on raising the bar on today's luxury within the folds of Mother Earth. It is no mean feat lugging crates of slate, travertine, marble, plasma screens and gargantuan mattresses down a few hundred stone stairs!
The barefaced rock is no longer dripping with stalagmites, bats and droppings; instead it is lit with magical allure, encasing the cave's comfort with a reassuring coziness unlike any other luxe-stay away from home.
Cave Treasures
The outstanding end-result was well worth the Herculean effort. The sexy interiors combine modern-chic with an exclusive nautical flavour and offer the latest in technology; such as free standing mega-inched Bang & Olufsen screens, plus remote control almost everything. The tantalizing bathrooms blend organic-rustic (potions and lotions in a cut out rock shelf) with state-of-the-art fittings.
The ' elite yacht' style of interiors flatters the airy open-plan of the suites with a littoral refinement; there are no frills, no chintz, no tampering with nature's colours. Just slick minimalist luxury: smooth whitewash beside textured cave face; seamless fruit and hard wood finishes and fittings; remote control white canvas blinds; suede taupe 'demilune' chairs, and atmospheric halogen lighting. For once too, pebbledash has earned a place. Our suite, number 4, has a mosaic-effect round Jacuzzi bathtub tucked within the rock-end of the suite, perfect for admiring its liberally exposed setting. Our boys, next door, found their real home.
The luxury inside the cave-home is sublime... almost a match for the outrageous and priceless vista that stretches across the sparkling sapphire Bay of Solerno, as far as Capri. Can't really better that... Nor the awesome crimson and slate-blue sunsets, admired a la cave's private terrace, followed by the lambent lights of a nocturnal Positano, reflecting its evening iridescences, together with that of the solar system, across the ripples of an ink-blue sea. While the soothing rhythm of the swell below mounts the rocks and little pier, you can enjoy cocktails by candlelight, even dinner, on your wooden-deck terrace beyond your door. Or, simply recline on your expanse of glorious white bed; all ears and starry eyed. Fred Flintstone would not have stopped at Pebbles.
Why bring the family here?
This was only our third trip to the Amalfi Coast in 2008 - twice a year is never enough once you have fallen in love with this place. The boys are already hardcore Positano fans, adoring the flavoursome, generously portioned meals (we always plump for a beachside table at 'La Pergola' and stay on local course). They also relish the easy joie de vivre, and there's a 'happening' beachfront thrown into the deal. The shopping though, is left to me, alone. What's more, you can arrange to take the boat from Casa Angelina across to Positano, making getting there as exhilarating as arriving.
Steps down... only a few
The intimate service feels much like that from a personal butler, on hand and next door, 24/7. From dusk 'till late, our wonderful Guido was at our beck and call. Breakfasts, or break-feasts, are laid out in the little dining area within the caves' kitchen, on a wooden table beside a large window that frames the mesmerising sea-view. You never escape this view, except when you sleep, perhaps.
The exclusive location of the four cliff-encased 'Suite Eaudesea', several stone steps down from the hotel's dramatic elevator, (this is not a stay for the faint hearted), is very private. Added to which, a few steps down from your dwellings, there is a small beach (excellent for a real swim). There is also a Casa Angelina 'guests-only' terrace bedecked with sun-loungers and parasols, together with excellent 'seaside service'; iced drinks, olives, almonds, light meals, plus all-day dining in La Gavitella.
This authentic, family-run trattoria, complete with regional blue and yellow tiles amid troughs of trailing red with pink geraniums, is a coastal classic among locals and regular guests. They serve an impressive array of line-caught fresh fish purchased daily from the brightly coloured fishing boats bobbing in the inlet below. Signature dishes of grilled crayfish and griddled squid, drizzled in nutty local olive oil and lemon juice, are washed back with some excellent wines from nearby vineyards. This quaint fishing village atmosphere is uncomplicated, un-crowded, marvellously modest, and deeply relaxing.
Steps up... and plenty of them
You are also free to indulge in the facilities and fine cuisine on offer from Casa Angelina; that is, if you have the energy for the incline (we always did). The restaurant, Un Piano nel Cielo, has gone from good to excellent, still delivering mouth-watering regional delicacies in their prime, though now the chef is being a little more adventurous, exploring some exotic combinations of Med-meets starry haute-cuisine. The wines are superbly well selected, while the staff is effervescently uplifting, making dining here an all-round pleasure. That view from here is quite breathtaking too.
Poolside at the hotel is groovy; surrounded by a screen of bulging-to-bursting lemon trees, emitting a citrus scent that clings to the seasonal bouquet of lavender, rosemary and mountainous vegetation, together with that irresistible tang from the sea. An intoxicating aroma quite unique to this coastal region and there are few better places to enjoy it than here. The indoor pool with surrounding gymnasium, on a well-serviced teak floor, is great, but don't let your 'Pebbles' loose down there. It leans towards a more polished and sophisticated environment, with a massage room dedicated to de-stress!
I asked the children where they would like to go this summer and they all shouted out 'caves' and 'La Locanda' (the exquisite ex-nunnery turned luxury bijoux sister-hotel in Maratea). I suspect four times in one year is pushing our luck though, unlike many comparable luxury destinations, our euros would stretch a lot further. Also, it's beginning to feel... well... homely.
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