Italy's Ravello Offers Coastal Luxury

From his hillside estate on Italy's Amalfi Coast, famed author Gore Vidal called the town of Ravello "the most beautiful panorama in the world."

His villa, La Rondinaia, is set to open as a seven-room hotel later this month. It joins the already cramped hotel market in Ravello that's ruled by Orient Express's Hotel Caruso and the Palazzo Sasso, which recently added a new beach club.

The new 'Sasso by the Sea' beach club near Ravello is perched on Italy's Amalfi Coast.

Finding your palazzo: Rising above the Gulf of Salerno, Ravello is accessed by traveling windy roads above hundred-foot cliffs that act as a geological barricade for the packed buses that jam the Amalfi Coast from July through August.

Just south of Ravello's main square, a series of narrow cobblestone streets lead to Via San Giovanni del Toro. There, you'll find one-room espresso bars, a medieval chapel and several villas that date back to the 12th and 13th centuries, including Palazzo Sasso.

The hotel was once the residence of the Sasso family, whose members included the founders of the Cistercian and Dominican orders. Through its glass doorway, you can take in almost-religious views of Southern Amalfi.

Finding your room: A maze of staircases and arched hallways from the main lobby lead to the hotel's restaurant, pool terrace and marble courtyard, which has a five-story atrium.

Rooms range from adequately luxurious with sea views and renovated bathrooms to the Infinito Suite, which features a massive penthouse terrace that will give you one of the best views you'll ever see. Modern touches, like Bose sound systems, make the rooms perfect for entertaining.