Laqua Countryside, Sorrento

Pros

• The single-Michelin-starred Cannavacciuolo Countryside restaurant is the main event, with farm-to-table menus rooted in Campanian traditions and produce from the hotel's own vegetable garden.
• Enjoy the countryside quiet among the hotel's wooded landscape of over 10,000 square feet of orchards and gardens—a refreshing break from the crowds along the Amalfi Coast.
• You're staying in a centuries-old building that's been artfully restored using traditional Campanian practices, with details nodding to the (Italy-famous) Chef Antonino Cannavacciulo's connection to the area.
• Though minimalist, rooms are elegant and warm, many featuring exquisite marble bathrooms, and the Marina offers views that look out to the sea in the distance.
• Laqua Countryside is a sustainability-minded stay: solar panels, rainwater irrigation, and garden-to-kitchen sourcing mean the hotel treads lightly.
• With a small number of rooms, service feels personal; genuinely tailored to your needs and interests.

Cons

• Peekaboo screens on balconies don't offer much in the way of privacy from neighboring rooms.
• The hillside location is scenic but remote, and getting around independently is much easier if you have a rental.

Authenticity

One of the six exclusive hotels in celebrity Chef Antonino Cannavacciuolo's (and his wife, Cinzia's) collection, Laqua Countryside is housed in a restored 19th-century property with which he has fond familial memories. The renovation was guided by a philosophy of preserving memory and tradition, using local materials like calcareous stone walls and cocciopesto flooring. Each room is individually designed and named after characters from Cannavacciuolo's upbringing, while the kitchen serves farm-to-table cuisine drawn from the property's extensive garden and the broader Campanian landscape.

Location

Set in the wooded hills in Ticciano, a small hamlet on the Sorrento peninsula (gateway to the Amalfi Coast), above Vico Equense, Laqua Countryside is a quieter alternative to the area's busy seaside towns. Having a car is helpful, as you're about a 30-60-minute drive from the coast, Sorrento, and Pompeii, while it's a 25-minute drive from the Vico Equense train station and just over an hour by road from Naples Airport. Even though the hotel is renowned for its Michelin-rated restaurant, if you're looking for alternative spots to dine, there are a couple of café-restaurants a 2-minute drive or 8-minute walk in town, as well as a grocery store.

Rooms & Bathrooms

Six rooms and two suites, each named for a person from Chef Antonino's past (like The Grandma's Room or The Handyman's Room), are individually designed and intentionally understated, featuring clean lines, neutral tones, and private balconies that open to garden or hillside views (Marina's top-floor vantage offers a glimpse of the sea). Bathrooms are sleek, many are done up in wall-to-wall marble, and modern, outfitted with rainfall showers and Ortigia bath products. 

Amenities

The outdoor pool is tucked beside the kitchen garden, framed by tree-covered hills and lined with shaded loungers. There's no spa, but staff can arrange outdoor yoga or Pilates sessions, and the terrace is the ideal setting for the exceptional made-to-order breakfast (also served in-room) or an aperitif. The standout perk, of course, is the Michelin-starred Cannavacciuolo Countryside, the on-site restaurant, where guests can book lunch and dinner tasting menus or opt into behind-the-scenes "garden-to-kitchen" culinary experiences (and explore the extensive vegetable garden and orchard). 

Family-Friendliness

Children are welcome, but Laqua Countryside is best suited for families with older kids; the restaurant is open only to those over five years old, although parents can arrange in-room babysitting during the duration of their dinner. The Annarella and Marina rooms are best suited for families with a sofa bed that sleeps two in a separate living area in the former or an additional three beds that can be added in the latter. Cribs are available upon request and subject to availability.

Sustainability

Sustainability is built into daily operations, starting with the on-site garden that supplies the kitchen with dozens of vegetables and herbs. Solar panels, rainwater irrigation, modern insulation, and other energy- and water-saving measures help reduce the hotel's footprint. Ingredients are sourced primarily from the property and trusted producers across the Sorrentine peninsula, reinforcing a low-impact, local-first approach.