Seduced by Le Sirenuse

The famed Le Sirenuse Hotel in Positano has been on my bucket list for a while now. I had always envisioned visiting there under somewhat different circumstances, but I can assure you that the weight of this historical property can still be felt, even when dropping in for the afternoon.

Many creatives and travelers alike have been seduced by Le Sirenuse and it’s so easy to see why. It’s one of those places that surpasses expectations and delivers beyond what even your greatest imagination might have conceived. For a starry-eyed first-timer like myself, it was ethereal.

The decor was colorful and chic, but still felt appropriately old-world. There are hand-painted majolica tiles, floor-to-ceiling wall paper, vines growing inside (and out), fragrant flowers, fresh lemons trees galore, and even a bright neon sign to keep your eyes moving. ‘DON’T WORRY’ seemed to be the theme of the hotel, and for good reason. Worries don’t exist at Le Sirenuse.

Part of this is due to the employees. The staff is unapologetically attentive and polite. It’s like they have been trained to sense what you might want or need, even if you yourself don’t know what exactly that is. They do an excellent job of providing without being pushy (I hate pushy). They’re friendly yet professional. It was some of the best service I can remember in Positano.

The views are magnificent, to say the least. Even on a cloudy day, stepping out onto the terrace for the first time takes your breath away. It’s moments like these that make you question everything: like how can a place such as this actually exist, and why haven’t I been here until now?

I suppose that is the basis of traveling, the desire to see more of places that you have only read about, the allure of the unknown. To have these experiences and hope that they live up to your expectations, and subsequently to remember them as vividly as they happened. To share and tell stories about a different life you lived, if only for a a few hours.

This all makes facing reality and returning home that much harder. But that’s the beauty of traveling. It is a bittersweet experience that stays with you long after you’ve left.

If you’re like me, you dream about the day you will actually set your sights on those such as Le Sirenuse. You can’t imagine not visiting and experiencing what so many others have described as the best of the best. It’s a must.

When you’re finally there, it is certainly surreal. Taking in everything here can be overwhelming, and the flowing drinks don’t exactly help (but they don’t hurt, either). Is this everything you imagined it would be? How did you see yourself here? Is there anything that you’ve experienced before than even compares?

Originally, I saw myself here with someone else, in a different time and place, a different kind of moment. And I had planned that moment many times in my head. The reality was I was here with other people, for another reason, in a very opposite time. But it was no less mesmerizing, no less enchanting. So I stuck to the theme, let my worries go, and enjoyed it for what it was, which is nothing short of magical.

As the afternoon finally comes to an end, and you sign the bill (yikes), you reflect on how you felt. You try to project it in different aspects of your life, keep it alive. You’re forced to relive it through your memories (and many selfies), until you hopefully return again…perhaps in a moment closer to what you originally envisioned–or maybe–if you’re lucky, something greater than what you could have imagined.

XX Hannah

Dress is Line + Dot

Bag is Betsey Johnson

Shoes are Zara (last season)

Necklace is CAM Jewelry from Canvas