No wonder this five-star hotel has attracted the likes of Frank Sinatra, Richard Burton, and Ivana Trump. Nestled in the pine and olive groves above the bay of Fiumicello, the Santavenere is a gorgeous light- and plant-filled retreat (red and pink bougainvillea frame guest room windows). There are bars both by the swimming pool and on the rocky private beach. The house spa, Le Terme, offers Turkish baths and shiatsu massage.

For charm on a budget, look to Villa Cheta Elite by the tiny bay of Acquafredda. It occupies a Liberty-style (Italian Art Nouveau) villa in pleasant, bougainvillea-shaded gardens just above the coast road. For once, the half-board requirement is not an imposition: the restaurant, which features gourmet fare such as swordfish and chickpea soup, is good enough to pull in outsiders. Horseback riding, boat trips, and yoga classes are available for an additional charge.

Located above a rocky cove on the unspoiled southern side of the Palinuro headland, the King's Residence has the rather impersonal feel of a high-class package hotel (complete with 1970s leather armchairs and a white grand piano). But the private beach is reason enough to stay here—as long as you don't mind hiking down a hill to find it. Less adventurous guests lounge by the waterslide-equipped swimming pool.

Once a private house, this good-value hotel on the edge of the medieval town of Old Castellabate offers just five bedrooms—three suites and two doubles. Whitewashed rooms with iron bedsteads look onto a flower-decked terrace where meals and a continental breakfast (included) are served. In summer, the air up here is always a few degrees cooler and the panoramic view is truly spectacular.

Its perch above a private beach is a curious (yet spectacular) setting for a stately home with extensive grounds. The current Principe di Belmonte occupies part of the complex, built in the 17th century as a hunting lodge; the rest is rented to a mainly British clientele, no surprise given its aristocratic charm. The main palazzo houses guest rooms ranging from the elegant to the rustic; two new garden villas are divided into double rooms and suites. A walk through hibiscus, lemon trees, and dwarf palms leads to the swimming pool and restaurant terrace. (All bookings require a minimum three-night stay.)