Hotel Villa Brunella

Hotel Villa Brunella sits on Via Tragara, one of Capri's most sought-after residential lanes, positioned on the southern flank of the island where the path winds toward the Faraglioni rock formations. As a five-star property with a guest rating of 9.3 across 172 reviews, it occupies the kind of address that rewards those who choose their base on Capri with some deliberateness — close enough to the Piazzetta to reach it on foot, far enough to feel removed from its midday crowds.

The hotel is built into the hillside in the manner typical of Capri's better properties, with terraced levels that give most rooms an unobstructed southern exposure. An outdoor swimming pool and sun deck make the most of that orientation, and the on-site restaurant, bar, and coffee house mean that a full day can pass without ever needing to negotiate the island's steep lanes — something guests arriving in high season will quietly appreciate.

Rooms are available from 3 p.m., which on Capri often means guests arrive by hydrofoil from Naples in the early afternoon and have time to settle before the evening. Checkout at 11:30 a.m. leaves a reasonable window for a last swim or a late breakfast on the terrace. The tour desk and walking tours are worth noting for first-time visitors: Capri's geography is compact but its points of interest — the Villa Jovis, the Arco Naturale, the paths above Anacapri — are easier to approach with local orientation than without.