Hotel Capo La Gala and Wellness

It’s quite the scene change as we swap the chaos of Naples and its somewhat scruffy suburbs for the palm-lined Sorrento peninsula. Within moments of arriving in this coastal paradise of pastel villas, zipping Vespas, craggy cliffs and aquamarine sea, our car is pulling into Hotel Capo la Gala and Wellness, just outside the small village of Vico Equense.

A welcome of fresh, local lemon sorbet helps all memories of incomprehensible taxi rank queues melt away as Giovanni guides us along the stunning walkways of this boutique hideaway. Astonishing giant cacti in handmade ceramic pots are interspersed with olive and pine trees which burst through the railings on the terraced stroll to our oceanfront room. Mr Smith’s dramatic opening of our deep navy blinds reveals a perfect view of the Bay of Naples. And, with a chilled bottle on ice, it feels rude not to make the most of the loungers on our expertly angled, sunset-maximising terrace – a perk of almost every room in this small, but perfectly formed, Amalfi coast bolthole.

Once we venture down to the nautically themed beach club, attentive staff are quick to ensure that Mr Smith and I need not lift a finger. Two beautifully spaced sunbeds are be-towelled within seconds and the batender, Michele, quickly enquires as to our aperitivi of choice, which arrive together with some delicious antipasti. “I think I could be quite happy here” purrs Mr Smith, tucking into his second Campari Spritz while floating at the side of the recently refurbished infinity pool.

Sunsets are quite the thing here, so after a brief Scrabble bout back on our terrace, we return to the twinkling, bay-side terrace for cocktails. Mr Smith, a man who has imbibed a fair few in his time, excitedly comments that these chilled, fragrant delights would not be out of place in Mayfair’s finest. He proceeds diligently to work his way through Michele’s off-menu creations over the next couple of evenings – all in the name of research. The Peach Daiquiri is a must… 

Upon deciding to explore the local village, our evening is made complete by the kind of unquestioning Dad-taxi service which I thought long lost in childhood. With just a call to reception, Mario whisks us five minutes down the road to Vico Equense, where we feast on locally caught grilled fish, Falanghina and full, fleshy olives. Having shot our last limoncellos, Mario pulls up to escort us back home with carefully chosen Dean Martin on loop.

Subsequent nights are spent enjoying superlative sundowners and the hotel’s wonderful cuisine. The Michelin-starred Maxi restaurant has a spectacular tasting menu where Chef Emmanuel Scotti works wonders with local fish and seafood. The more informal Nerea Tavern serves quintessentially Mediterranean fare made with delicious ingredients and simply prepared. Their pasta alla Nerano (think carbonara but with courgettes over lardons) is a thing of great delight.

The next morning, after a perfect Italian breakfast of wafer-thin slices of bresaola, freshly whipped butter, the sweetest exploding-in-your-mouth tomatoes, pane di latte rolls, and endless spremute, Mr Smith and I decide to burn off a few of last night’s antipasti in the al fresco hotel gym. It turns out time flies on a treadmill with a view. 

From there, it’s a short stroll down to the immaculate Aquarium Spa where an energising sauna-and-ice-pool combo awaits. Deeming this quite enough activity for one day, terrace lounging dominates our remaining waking hours. If this is what the ‘and Wellness’ bit of the hotel’s name refers to, sign us up. 

The beach club’s relaxing soundtrack of waves lapping on the surrounding rocky outcrops lulls one into a semi-somnolent state, where the most pressing thoughts are the destinations of various passing aircrafts and what to eat and drink next; slow living at its very best.

With Mario on hand for all your Dad-taxi needs, we’re encouraged to tear ourselves away from the terrace to spend our third day lunch-ing in Sorrento. With Mr Smith preferring Vino over hiring a Vespa, we take the 12-minute, two-euro train from Vico Equense station, and have Mario drop us off in time for the midday service. After a quick stroll through the tat-filled pedestrian precincts, we are relieved to find ourselves on a stunning Sorrento cliff-top terrace enjoying delicious linguine al limone by 1pm. 

Visiting the larger sights along the coastline serves as a reminder of what a peaceful haven Mario and his Capo La Gala team have created. Happy to return to our little slice of dolce vita, we are greeted by Michele, a pair of frozen peach daiquiris in hand, with which to enjoy our final extraordinary sunset. 

Perfect for a long weekend getaway or as a base to explore this aptly named ‘divine coast’, Capo La Gala Hotel and Wellness is a lesson in low key but high-quality Italian hospitality. How a hotel in such an enviable position on this much-visited slither of Italy can feel so far from the madding crowd is quite a skill. The sign at the beach club implores “Shhhh – relax. You are on Capo la Gala time.” And who were we to argue?