Monastero Santa Rosa Hotel & Spa

Dramatically poised over the Amalfi Coast, a former 17th-century monastery has been reborn as the Monastero Santa Rosa Hotel & Spa. Priceless antiques and handpicked furnishings adorn the 20 completely unique rooms, each with panoramic sea views. Tiered Mediterranean gardens lead you to the vanishing-edge infinity pool, easily the most dramatic dip along the coast. Relax and restore in the spa’s thermal bathing rooms, peruse the library or play a game of chess. Evenings call for cocktails and 270-degree vistas on the terrace before dining on homemade pasta with baby squid and other innovative specialties.

Hotel Tip

The Property

Striking the perfect balance of seclusion without solitude, Monastero Santa Rosa allows guests to determine the tone of their stay, whether they’re looking to disappear for an intimate getaway or gather with the group and make new acquaintances.

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. Where most boutique properties might only offer in-room massages, Monastero Santa Rosa hosts a fully equippedspato rival any major city spa, offering not just treatment rooms, but large-scale amenities that include a sauna, steam, mosaic-tiled experience shower, hydro pool, and tepidarium.

Guests are welcome to feel a part of the scene at the library andbar. Engage in a game of chess or cards or read while sipping a martini in the modern cocktail area. Relax down by thepool or discover the resort’s secret gardens, quiet sun decks, and indoor relaxation areas. Get the best of both worlds by making your stay as energizing or relaxed as you wish, by selecting different spaces to suit your mood at any time.

Formal Dining or Alfresco Dining

As Monastero Santa Rosa hovers between sea and sky, fittingly so too does its Ristorante’s terrace.Suspended over the Gulf of Salerno, the hotel’s restaurant terrace allows guests to dine alfresco while admiring one of the most exclusive views on the entire Amalfi Coast. Or indulge in Mediterranean haute cuisine indoors under vaulted ceilings in the intimate formal dining room. During the day, dine outdoors aside the infinity pool or among the terraced cascading gardens. Whatever venue you choose, our chef, our maitre d’, our sommelier and our waiters all take great pride in sharing their passion for service and gourmet cuisine.

For lunch enjoy light Mediterranean fare served alfresco on the pergola-shaded dining terrace, aside the infinity pool under the blazing Amalfi Coast sun or in our cascading garden terraces overlooking the Gulf of Salerno.
Breakfast is served in the comfort of your room on silver trays or outside under the pergola shaded dining terrace.

History of Monastero Santa Rosa

Imagine nuns cloaked in traditional white wool and black cap 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… The sisters baked exquisite handmade desserts. Their sfogliatelle, a shell-shaped, filled pastry, became known as ‘Santa Rosa.’ Bianca Sharma, the current owner of Monastero Santa Rosa Hotel & Spa, plans to start a special tradition honoring the sisters and their heavenly sfogliatelle. Every year between August 23-30th during the Festival of Santa Rosa, Bianca will give out the traditional sfogliatelle to the local children. In fact, with every step in the renovation process, Bianca considered the past. Reviving the spirit of Santa Rosa to keep its historical memory alive and relevant today became the owner’s steadfast purpose.

Originally built in the late 17th century, the monastery* 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 funding for an aqueduct from Mount Vocito to Piazza Olmo to provide water for the inhabitants of Conca. Even today, a plaque stands near the piazza’s fountain in the town square commemorating this noble gesture. The sisters also became renowned not only for their aforementioned baking skills but also for their apothecary, concocting effective remedies to treat common afflictions. In the mid-1800s, however, the religious establishment was removed following the laws of eviction and the convent was handed over to the municipality.

Finally purchased by a Roman hotelier Mr. Marcucci, who recognized the property’s historic value, the old convent was transformed into a hotel in 1924. 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.” 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. However, after the death of the Caterina family, the building was once again left without a purpose. Standing 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 was boating 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. 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.**

Hotel Features

Superior Room

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 large bathrooms designed in dark wood and Jerusalem stone with a walk-in shower.

**Next applicable upgrade category - Deluxe

Deluxe Room

As the name suggests, the Sea View Deluxe Rooms maximize the coastal vistas through arched windows that frame the landscape. Each room has a large bathroom designed in dark wood and Jerusalem stone with a separate walk-in shower and water closet. Additionally, a large bathtub encourages you to relax and stare out at the sea while soaking in the spa’s signature Santa Maria Novella pomegranate bath salts.

All deluxe rooms have custom-built mini-bar cabinets stocked with local sodas, liquor, wine, and champagne as well as snacks. A built-in desk below the window allows for gazing out at the vistas while sending emails back home. The rooms have a specially designed end table that opens to form a large surface for room service if you elect to pamper yourself with in-room dining.

**Next applicable upgrade category - Superior Suite

Superior Suite

This elegant corner suite (Lavandula)—the only one of its kind—with separate sitting area room and large bathroom, blends classic charm with modern conveniences. A large, built-in desk underneath an oversize window with a spectacular sea view lends the feeling of being on a ship and looking out at sea.

This unique suite features a silk-canopied king-size bed with fine Italian sheets and double bedroom windows with expansive views over both the Amalfi Coast and the Gulf of Salerno. An extraordinary bathroom designed in dark wood and Jerusalem stone has a separate walk-in shower and oversize tub for long relaxing baths with the spa’s signature Santa Maria Novella pomegranate bath salts.

**Next applicable upgrade category - Deluxe Suite

Deluxe Suite

The Sea View Deluxe Suites overlook glorious views of Amalfi or the gardens, reaching to the Gulf of Salerno. These debonair suites are custom furnished with antiques and decorated in a sophisticated palate of blues, taupe, and dark wood.

All of the Sea View Deluxe Suites feature a refined bedroom, living room and large bathroom. These suites offer extra closet space in the built-in headboard designed with additional storage space flanking both sides of the bed. Blending classic charm with modern conveniences, these suites have king-size beds swathed in fine Italian sheets and windows overlooking the sea.

Extraordinary bathrooms with custom-made dark wood vanities and Jerusalem stone feature tubs that overlook the sea, and each is stocked with the spa’s signature Santa Maria Novella pomegranate bath salts. Relax with your favorite book at the built-in window seat that overlooks the water, and glance out at the many boats that dart by throughout the day.

**Next applicable upgrade category - Open Space or Terrace Suite

Open Space Suite

The Sea View Deluxe Open Space Suite (Laurus) is the only one of its kind in the hotel and contains unique historical context. Once a nun’s refectory, the open-plan room reflects and preserves this heritage. An elegantly furnished living room stands before the bedroom, with its green-and-gold, antique-framed king-size bed, and large bathroom. This bedroom has ample closet space due to the additional storage provided by the custom-made, stylish closet partition that separates the bedroom space from the living room sitting area.

The entire space looks out directly over the gardens, infinity pool, and Gulf of Salerno. The extraordinary bathroom is designed in dark wood and Jerusalem stone with a separate walk-in shower and soaking tub for relaxing baths. Pamper yourself with Santa Maria Novella pomegranate bath salts and Santa Maria Novella body lotion from our signature spa collection. Just make sure you leave yourself extra time for primping at the seated vanity, as the window above it has distractingly beautiful ocean views.

Deluxe Terrace Suite

With its own private foyer entrance, the Sea View Deluxe Terrace Suite (Melissa) instantly feels like a private residence as your first view inside is of the double doors to the terrace and the stunning sea beyond. The suite is defined by a double-length outdoor terrace with multiple access entries. Views from the terrace look out to Monastero Santa Rosa’s gardens, infinity pool, and the Gulf of Salerno.

Décor in the living room is a blend of luxuriously appointed furnishings, contemporary Italian style, and antique period pieces. The suite also features a walk-in closet and king-size bed swathed in fine Italian sheets and windows overlooking the sea from both the bedroom and bathroom. The extraordinary bathroom features custom-designed dark wood cabinets and Jerusalem stone, as well as a separate walk-in shower and oversize tub for soaking with Santa Maria Novella pomegranate bath salts. Pamper yourself with Santa Maria Novella body lotion from our signature spa collection.

**Next applicable upgrade category - Premium Terrace Suite

Premium Terrace Suite

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. Now, its enormous terrace 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 too strong, it is an ideal locale for a small private reception or 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 bathroom designed in dark wood and Jerusalem stone with separate walk-in shower and double-wide tub for long soothing baths with Santa Maria Novella pomegranate bath salts. The bathroom is framed by a window overlooking the gardens, infinity pool, and Gulf of Salerno.  We invite you to pamper yourself with our Santa Maria Novella body lotion selected from our signature spa collection.

**Next applicable upgrade category - N/A

Premium Owner's Suite

Exclusivity, sumptuous luxury, and divine views seduce guests in this lavish suite (Rosa). 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 Premium Owner’s 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.

The king-size bed is swathed in fine Italian linens and features a vanity and enormous bathroom with a soaking bathtub, separate oversize shower with a glass wall, a dressing area, and a walk-in wardrobe. Santa Maria Novella pomegranate bath salts and lotion add to the Italian experience.

The expansive windows throughout the loft bathe it in light, soaking in beguiling vistas overlooking the Gulf of Salerno from every angle. This sophisticated suite is an ideal sanctuary for a honeymoon or couples seeking total privacy and an unforgettable experience.

**Next applicable upgrade category - N/A

Virtuoso Amenities

• All Virtuoso Guests Receive:

  • Daily full breakfast, for up to two in room guests
  • Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
  • Welcome cocktail
  • $100 USD Equivalent Food & Beverage credit, to be utilized during stay (not combinable, no cash value if not redeemed in full)
  • Early check-in/late check-out, subject to availability

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