JK Place Capri in Italy

Picture an elegantly chic yet cozy Mediterranean mansion with a library filled with coffee table books, floor-to-ceiling windows with sea views, wood floors, graceful draperies, large rooms opening to vast outdoor verandas and the Bay of Naples. The hotel is such a serene hideaway that one forgets that Capri’s buzzy, tourist-filled main square is about a ten-minute drive from the property.

Twenty of the twenty-two guest rooms and suites overlook the sea. Many have private balconies, which provide an ideal spot for drinking chilled Prosecco while watching the boats in the marina below. Accommodations range from a 280-square-foot JK Classic room to sprawling penthouse suites featuring terraces with panoramic sea views, sun beds, armchairs, and a table. All rooms contain flat LCD satellite TVs, air conditioning, minibars stocked with complimentary sodas and water, and free wifi. Overstuffed white sofas, walls decorated in soft pastels, marble fireplaces, and colorful throw pillows blend harmoniously.

JKitchen Lounge & Restaurant serves southern Italian cuisine in an intimate and chic setting. Guests can sit inside or on the terrace overlooking the water. The changing menu is based on finds at local markets and the day’s freshest catch. Traditional Mediterranean dishes like white sea bream filet in endive salad with cherry tomatoes, and homemade gnocchi with red crayfish, are favorites. Ask the barman for the hotel’s signature JK cocktail or the Capri Moon (gin, Cointreau, lemon juice). Throughout the day and night, complimentary light snacks are on hand. The mini pizzas are scrumptious.

Imagine exchanging vows with the Amalfi Coast and Ischia and Procida islands in the distance; most spots on the property overlook the twinkling sea. Customized weddings run the gamut from an intimate ceremony for two to a banquet for ten to a more elaborate wedding in the garden amid seasonal flowers such as violets and orchids for 150 guests. The affair can be a simple cocktail party with an assortment of canapés — such as saffron rice croquettes and smoked swordfish rolls — or a five-course feast featuring creamy risotto with smoked mozzarella cheese or lobster and king prawns.

Couples can simply sip Bellinis while lounging on the terrace and be mesmerized by the view of the blue waters of the Bay of Naples. The resort can also organize a candlelit multi-course dinner either on the terrace or by the side of the pool. For a multi-sensory experience, book a room with a Jacuzzi tub for two and lie in the bubbles while drinking bubbly Prosecco and gazing at the Bay of Naples (visible from most bathrooms).

Pure bliss is lounging beside the heated 82 foot pool while sipping cocktails and ordering salads and club sandwiches (or guests can throw on a coverup and head to the terrace for lunch). The hotel also maintains a gym with treadmills, step machines, and stationary bicycles with TV screens. Or head to the spa for a massage and relax together in the sauna and Turkish bath. Depending on guest room size, couples massages may be available in-room.

Guests may board a private boat at sunset to tour the tiny coastal town of Nerano (which lies between Sorrento and Positano) and have dinner at the quaint Conca del Sogno. Set on the water, the eatery serves fresh seafood and an extensive assortment of wines. Landlubbers can head to Da Gelsomina, a peaceful eatery high up in Anacapri (a section where many of the island’s residents live). Not only are the best sunsets found there. The restaurant is known for its organic wine and homemade dishes that include chicken on the bricks, rabbit, and ravioli capresi.

A complimentary car delivers guests to and from the main square from 8 am until around midnight on a first-come, first-served basis. However, the hotel is not within walking distance from the center of town. So guests cannot stroll from dinner at the hotel to the nightlife. Also, like all of Capri, room rates are high and the restaurant is expensive.

The intimacy of the 22-room hotel combined with décor that resembles the cover of Architectural Digest make the property extraordinary. The bright blue Bay of Naples spread out and in view from nearly every corner adds to the allure. The genuine and impeccably dressed staff wear casual Capri pants (natch!) and pinstripe jackets, creating a unique sense of place. Yet couples who want to be in the center of the action and within walking distance to Capri's tony boutiques (think Prada, Versace) will be frustrated by the limited access.

JK Place Capri
Via Prov. Marina Grande, 225
Capri, Italy
Phone: 011 39 081 8384001
Official Hotel Web Site

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As is common in the travel industry, the writer was provided with complimentary accommodation and meals for the purpose of reviewing those services. While it has not influenced this review, About.com believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest. For more information, see our ethics policy.