C H
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Recent retirement and a wish to treat myself to a memorable vacation, along with a friend's recommendation with rave reviews, brought my sister and I to the Boutique Hotel Don Alfonso.
An absolutely beautiful destination in every way: hospitality, service, food and location. Mario and Ernesto Iaccarino, along with their mother Livia, are involved in the entirety of all they offer, bringing you and their staff immediately together as part of their family. It is a journey in the Mediterranean lifestyle as Mario says, in behavior and culinary.
The hours long struggle at the airport previous to our arrival evaporated as soon as we were welcomed and whisked away to a covered outdoor area in lush greenery with lemon and laurel trees and urns of dipladenia, the latter being the only commonality to my home.
Each dining experience whether breakfast, lunch within the culinary class, or dinner was a gastronomic event. Rarely have we enjoyed the staff as much as the delicious meals on each of these occasions.
My cooking class with Chef Nicolo Pignatelli was exceptional in scope of menu and dining, he is kind and generous with his teaching and attention to the preparation, execution and service. As someone who has cooked at home and as a caterer for 50 years it was also enchanting that the only things I had to wash were my hands!
The tiny town of Sant Agata is a stone's throw from the Amalfi coast and Sorrento, we enjoyed visiting the surrounding sites but the Hotel Don Alfonso was home, we truly hated to leave for an extended period of time!
Hopefully, we will be able to visit again!
Stateside they have a restaurant in St. Louis at the Ritz Carlton that may have to hold us over until another European adventure.