Hotel L'Ancora

Dinner was delicious, and breakfast came with a spectacular view. Everyone at the front desk and restaurant was very nice. We arrived by boat at the marina, where you can find help taking your luggage up to the hotel for a fee. It was totally worth it. The location is excellent and the views are amazing. A dream come true, so beautiful. I’d love to go back.

I spent three nights here this summer, and the hotel is close to the town center. Still, I wouldn’t recommend it. I paid 760 Euro per night, yet the restaurant was closed for what they described as technical reasons, and my room’s view didn’t match the one shown on their website. For that price, you can find a better hotel.

The table had a gorgeous view of Positano, but that was the only part of our visit to L’Ancora that I liked. My husband and I came back during our honeymoon, after a wonderful meal there with friends in 2017. This time, the food was average and nowhere near worth the high prices, and one waiter’s behavior left us stunned. While we waited for our food, we took a few photos by the bench beside our table, as plenty of other guests were doing. An older waiter, Pasquale, passed us and sarcastically asked, “you like taking photos?” When we said yes, he shook his head and muttered, “oh, stupids.” The people at the next table heard him too and couldn’t believe it. We told Ginaro, another waiter, who apologized and said Pasquale is “an angry person.” Angelica at the front desk apologized as well. We’d loved the food and service on our first visit, even ordering more pasta because it was so good. Now the customer service seems to have gone downhill, and the rude treatment made us regret coming back. It felt like the kind of tourist trap you hope to avoid in Positano. If zero stars were possible, we’d give it that.

The team was wonderful, quick to help and make things right, and the hotel itself is beautiful in a great location. When we decided to cut our stay short, they refunded the extra nights and even sent champagne and wine as a kind gesture. The problem was that the restaurant, bar, and lounge were all closed when we arrived, despite being listed online. Breakfast and dinner were only available through room service, and after a long flight we had nowhere to wait indoors when we arrived early, so we were outside in the heat. Without those amenities, there isn’t much to do beyond staying in your room. Check that they’re open before booking.