Mulino - Anacapri, Italy     

Al Mulino is a charming hotel nestled on the lush green hillside of Anacapri, between lemon and orange trees, blossoms and a garden of olive trees. Here, where peace, quietness and tranquility are only graced by the singing of the birds, you meet with all the charm of the beautiful island of Capri. The atmosphere of this enchanting family run hotel is delightful, each detail is made with love and delicacy, from the ornaments to the decorations in the rooms, hallways and lobby, and the beautiful surroundings of the hotel. The rooms are so lovely and bright, with a terrace surrounded by green for you to enjoy the idyllic ambience, and offer all the comfort you could wish for, even the use of free internet access at the hotel. Each morning a more than delicious breakfast is made by Nadia, and be it caffe, cappuccino, or caffe latte, fresh juice and delicious fruit and baking, it is all the same wonderful. But what made my stay most unforgettable and a cherished memory is the genuine kindness, warmhearted friendliness and gracious care of Antonietta and everyone at the hotel. It made staying at the Mulino the happiest vacation, and it became like home, where you always wish to return to. Antonietta, her family and staff are more than wonderful, and Hotel Mulino is a gem of Anacapri. From the elegant property you can see the blue sea, with the splendidly lighted cruiships sailing by in the evening, or the fisherboats at night, with the lights of Ischia greeting from the distance. It is only a short walk between flowering vegetation and gardens to the Villa Damecuta, from which you can enjoy a breathtaking view of the endless sea and step into the pages of a history book. And if you wish, you can keep walking down to the famous blue Grotto, among cacti, palm trees, and exotic flowers. The island of Capri is magical, and Hotel Mulino, with its idyllic location, beauty and graciousness is not only a gem, but a treasure of Anacapri hospitality.

Hotel Mulino is located about 15-20 minutes walk from the center of Anacapri. It is a steep uphill walk from the hotel to the town, which we and our two young rambunctious sons enjoyed, but might be difficult for some. It is also located a short bus ride or 30 minutes walk from the Blue Grotto where we had a delightful seaside lunch at the Add' o Riccio restaurant just across from the grotto. Antonietta and her staff, including her daughter Simona, who both speak English, were very helpful and friendly, arranging for pick-ups, bringing our luggage to us so that we could have a day walking and hiking around Capri, arranging a rental scooter for us (and scooter pick-up at the hotel), serving us coffee on the terrace, and shuttling us into Capri along with other friendly hotel guests. It seemed that several of the other hotel guests were Italians in Capri for the weekend. The room was immaculately clean with lovely blue tile on the floor and bathroom, and a private patio with view of the garden. The breakfast on the terrace was very good, and there is a distant view of the sea from the terrace. But really, it was the warm service that Antonietta et al provided that made the hotel worth its three stars and made our stay there very comfortable. We were in Capri during an Italian holiday long weekend, and the island was jammed with day-trippers and also Italian weekenders. When we tried to book online a few weeks before our trip, we found that many two-star hotels, guest houses and B&B's were already full. We had really wanted to stay overnight on the island to see the quieter side--with Hotel Mulino we saw Capri's lovely quieter side.