Hotel La Minerva is a five-star boutique hotel in the heart of Capri, nestled along a quiet hillside lane just a short walk from the town’s main square. The property features 19 rooms spread across six descending terraced levels. Family-run for three generations, it has welcomed guests since the early 20th century.
La Minerva’s story began when Luigi Esposito and Laura Cannavale opened two rooms to visiting travellers, in their family home. Luigi inherited a deep love of nature from his father, a skilled floriculturist, while Laura came from a family of hoteliers. Today, the hotel is run by the third generation – Antonino, Luigi and Marco, along with their mother, Giovanna.
Getting to Capri requires a ferry trip from the mainland – either from Naples, Sorrento, Positano or Amalfi. From the minute guests arrive at the port, La Minerva takes care of everything. A hotel representative is on hand to meet-and-greet, distribute funicular fast-pass tickets and provide a map. A luggage transfer service is available at €18 per piece. From the top of the funicular it’s a 10-minute walk through a pedestrianised area – cars are not permitted in this part of the island.
La Minerva’s location is excellent. The hotel sits around 500 metres from the Piazzetta, Capri’s famous central square, while Via Camerelle – the island’s principal shopping street – is just a two-minute walk away. The Gardens of Augustus, with their stunning views over Via Krupp and the sea below, are an eight minute walk away.
From the moment of our arrival, the atmosphere felt quietly removed from the bustle of Capri’s centre.
The hotel has recently been renovated. The interiors blend contemporary décor and classic island architecture, including traditional hand-painted majolica tile floors, artisan-crafted ceramics, vaulted ceilings and arches.
The lobby is bright and understated, with large glass doors framing the garden and beyond to the sea. Check-in was easy and personal, more akin to being welcomed into a private home rather than being processed at a front desk. We were invited to enjoy a glass of fresh lemonade and lemon cake on the terrace.
La Minerva’s 19 rooms are each individually designed. All of the rooms, with the exception of the two Standard rooms, have a private balcony or terrace with sea views.
We stayed in a Superior Room, one of the entry-level categories, which featured vaulted ceilings, hand-painted tiled floors and a private terrace overlooking the sea. During peak season, rates for this room category start at €1,500 per night, with Deluxe rooms from €2,000.
The room was relatively long and narrow, with a king-size bed, a comfortable seating area and a walk-in wardrobe. The bed was comfortable overall, though the linen bedding felt noticeably coarse to the touch and was not, personally, to my preference.
The bathroom was compact, though the shower itself was generously proportioned. Bathroom amenities are by Carthusia Capri. The terrace was spacious, with sea views, two comfortable loungers, and a small table.
A Dyson hairdryer, bathrobes and slippers are provided, with irons, ironing boards and kettles available on request. The room includes a minibar, air conditioning and a safe. There are no in-room coffee machines; coffee is available via room service only, which is complimentary before 11AM and charged thereafter.
We did find, however, that a simple request for a kettle, teabags and milk proved unexpectedly complicated. The kettle arrived first, with teabags and milk following separately – only to be removed during turndown that evening. The following day we requested teabags again. When none arrived, we headed to the pool, where two pots of tea appeared instead. Having clarified that we wanted teabags for the room rather than teapots, the tea was taken away. Returning to our room an hour later, we found the same pots of now-cold tea placed inside – despite a do not disturb sign on the door. These were subsequently added to our bill. Needless to say, the teabags never arrived.
Housekeeping was thorough and turndown was provided each evening. Daily newsletters were placed on the coffee table in our room, along with a miniature bunch of flowers. On our second night, fresh water bottles were not provided. When we called to request some, they were delivered but, again, these were added to our bill. Both charges were ultimately waived at checkout.
During our stay, the electricity in our room tripped on two separate occasions, however the team were quick to resolve the issue both times.
Breakfast is served each morning from 7AM until 12PM on the rooftop terrace, with panoramic views across the sea. It can also be delivered to your room at no additional cost. The offering includes a small buffet of pastries, fresh fruit, cheeses, charcuterie, breads, cereals, yoghurt, and freshly squeezed juices, as well as an à la carte selection of hot dishes.
The kitchen is located six floors below the rooftop terrace. There is only one lift, which is shared between guests and staff. Suprisingly we observed food being transported, uncovered, in this elevator. Our cooked-to-order dishes arrived lukewarm on both mornings. That said, the food quality was good and everything was fresh; service was friendly, but a little erratic.
Dinner is also served on the rooftop terrace. The lobby bar offers a varied drinks selection – spirits, classics and house cocktails made with local ingredients, including Capri lemons.
The garden and pool areas are the central focus of La Minerva. The heated pool is set within a private garden of lawn, tropical flowers, citrus trees and bougainvillea. Sun loungers are well spaced to allow for privacy. Towels are provided and waiter service is available from the pool bar serving light lunches and cocktails.
Guests have complimentary access to the nearby Athena gym. A massage room is available on site for those wishing to indulge.
The staff are warm and willing, with service delivered in good humour. The team were helpful with dinner reservations and local recommendations throughout our stay. Interactions were consistently pleasant, and the owners are visibly present and engaged.
La Minerva positions – and prices – itself as a five-star property, with high-season rates reflecting both its address and category. But the overall experience did not consistently meet the standard implied by the rate. Comparable properties on Capri and along the wider Campania coastline offer a more complete experience at similar – or only marginally higher – rates.
The hotel’s appeal is easy to understand, and its glowing reviews will no doubt resonate with many guests, but it didn’t quite live up to our expectations during our stay. The question of value is ultimately a personal one, but, in my opinion, it is worth considering before booking.
Check availability, view rates and book your stay here.
For more information, visit laminervacapri.com.
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