Rooms

The rooms are an elegant blend of old and modern, ascetic and exotic. Plain white walls, wafting floor-length curtains, locally made floor tiles, and the occasional raw-rock wall are brightened by colourful wall art and vibrant silk cushions. Decorative touches have been chosen with care and some, like the punched metal or carved-wood lampshades, have a distinctly Middle-Eastern feel. Beds feel downy-soft thanks to fine Italian cotton and duvets.

It's worth splurging on your accommodation. The Classic Rooms are the smallest, and feel small (1 has a single bed). The Superior Rooms are larger, with more floor space and an armchair, but have only courtyard-facing windows. Deluxe Rooms are bigger again, and most come with private and super-sunny terraces with fab views of the misty mountains - we loved ours! The Suites are the biggest roomsand are all quite different, although there's always a kingsize bed with slim metal canopy, and wonderful views. La Badessa is the most spacious, with a large private terrace; La Vicaria has a groovy rock-embedded bathroom, but only a slim window balcony; Le Novizie is split-level with a single sofabed in the bedroom, and a small single bed in the living room - ideal for families; La Superiora has 4 windows so is lovely and light-filled (but doesn't have a bathtub), and Le Converse has a separate bath and shower, and a private garden.

Bathrooms are peacefully tiled in shades of blue/green and have showers or bathtubs, plus little luxuries like the finest-Italian-linen robes and towels, plus slippers, a hairdryer and L'Occitane toiletries.

Features include:

• Bathrobes
• Hairdryer
• In-room treatments available
• Minibar
• Safe box
• WiFi

Eating

Breakfast is the usual Continental buffet of cereals, yoghurts, fruits and juices, bread, pastries, cakes, cheeses and cold meats (though the Italians seem to like their bacon almost raw!), along with teas or frothy cappuccinos. Eggs any style or crepes can also be ordered for no extra charge.

You can dine in the restaurant for a light lunch, or out on the parasol-shaded deck, where you sit on white-cushioned chairs and sofas. The poolside bar is also open until 8pm. The restaurant no longer serves dinner, sadly, so we'd recommend the old town's Taverna Rovita, which serves richly-flavoured and filling traditional Lucanian fare. The fresh seafood at port-facing Lanterna Rossa is also excellent. Just steer clear of La Torre's pizzas, which are oversalted and undercooked!

Features include:

• Bar
• Restaurant
• Restaurants nearby
• Room service
• Vegetarian options

Activities

• Explore the narrow alleys of old Maratea: shop, talk to the cats, visit some of the 44 churches, and see archeological finds in the Convento dei Cappuccini and Palazzo de Lieto Museum
  
• Spend the day at Il Mirto beach, a pretty rocky cove 8km away. Or drive to the sandy cove of Macarro Beach (5km)
  
• Pop down to the lively little port with its old fishing trawlers, luxury yachts, shops, cafes and chic bars and restaurants
  
• Savour the stunning views on the 40-minute climb up to the medieval ruins and bright-white, 21m statue of Christ the Redeemer - it's well worth the effort!
  
• Rent a launch from the port and explore the surreal caves and grottoes of the Maratea coastline, as well as finding secluded pebbly coves
  
• Water babies can go sailing, paragliding, rafting or canoeing, or book a diving and snorkelling trip to enjoy the azure blue waters and visibility up to 20m
  
• There are lots of stables nearby for horse riding
  
• Further afield, visit the pretty hilltop towns of Rivello, Nemoli and Lagonegro (all 20-30km), and the wonderfully preserved Greek ruins of Paestum (108km), medieval Caracciolo Castle in Brienza (90km), Roman ruins of Grumentum (70km) and the famous charterhouse of Certosa di Padula (60km)

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Boat trips
• Hiking
• Historical sites
• Horse riding
• Kayaking
• Museums / galleries
• Paragliding
• Plantlife / flora
• Private guided tours
• Rafting
• Sailing
• Scuba diving
• Shopping / markets
• Snorkelling
• Swimming
• Well being
• Windsurfing
• Wine tasting
• Yoga

Kids

Families are welcome, though it's largely a romantic retreat. Children under 3 stay for free; from 3 onwards there's a charge for an extra bed. Kids will love the pool and the winding, cloister corridors - and no doubt have fun with Maratea's many cats!

Best for:

Babies (0-1 years)

Family friendly accommodation:

Le Novizie Suite is split level with a single sofabed in the bedroom, and a daybed which can be made up as an additional single bed in the living area.

Cots Available, Extra Beds Available

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

La Locanda delle Donne Monache is set in Maratea, a town of Basilicata in southern Italy. It is a mile inland, and about 200km south of Naples.

By Air
Lamezia Terme airport is the closest as the crow flies (to the south): 150km by SS road, about 200km by motorway. But most people will fly into Naples Capodichino (200km by motorway to the north), which also makes it possible to combine with Paestum or the Amalfi area. Click on the links below for a list of airlines serving Naples.

From the Airport
A transfer service is available (see Rates), but we'd recommend hiring a car (see below).

By Car
The locanda is about 2.5 hours' drive from either Naples or Lamezia Terme - see our car rental recommendations.

By Train
The train from Naples to Reggio Calabria stops at Maratea Inferiore, from where you can get a taxi or prebooked transfer (or a bus, if you're adventurous) to the hotel in Maratea proper. Some trains only stop at Sapri which is 15 mins' drive from Maratea, and there are taxis to whisk you to the locanda.

By Sea
Metro del Mare has several ferry lines that connect Naples and Sapri, a 10-minute taxi ride away from Maratea.

Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.

Read our guide to Getting to Italy and Getting around