Best Anchorage Hotels on the Amalfi Coast and Capri
Practical guide to the best anchorages on the Amalfi Coast and Capri that put boutique hotels within a dinghy hop or short walk of your tender landing, with mooring, transfer and late‑arrival advice.
Best anchorage hotels need two things: safe overnight room for your yacht and a simple, quick way to get ashore to a boutique hotel without an hour of schlepping luggage. This guide names the best Amalfi Coast and Capri anchorages where you can reasonably expect a dinghy hop or a 10–20 minute shore walk to boutique hotels, and gives the mooring depths, holding notes, fee expectations and the practical steps for dinghy transfers, luggage and late arrivals.
Top Anchorages on the Amalfi Coast and Capri
Below are the anchorages you will use most often when pairing nights at anchor with boutique hotels on shore. I give the typical depth ranges, holding character and a short operational note so you can choose by vessel size, weather and your tolerance for tendering.
| Anchorage | Typical depth (m) | Bottom & holding | Operational note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Positano (Spiaggia Grande / Fornillo buoy field) | ~5–25 | Sand/weed/rock; holding often fair to poor — many boats take laid buoys. | Buoy field and tender landings are managed locally; hail VHF or the buoy operator on arrival. |
| Amalfi (Porto di Amalfi / roadstead) | ~8–11 alongside marinas; 8–15 in near roadstead | Sand/rock; marinas offer supervised berthing with good services. | Marina Coppola provides banchine, water and electricity and mooring assistance; reserve a berth in high season. |
| Capri (Marina Grande / Marina Piccola roadsteads) | ~6–30 (varies widely; sheltered pockets 6–12) | Sand with extensive Posidonia and mixed bottoms; holding variable. | Marina Grande has a formal landing (Banchinella) and pontoons; if no berth, anchor off and tender in, but confirm with the marina regarding tender-specific landing arrangements; Marina Piccola offers good lunch stops but is exposed to southerly winds. |
Short guidance: Positano’s bay shelves steeply and many boats prefer a paid buoy rather than free anchoring; Amalfi’s harbour has marina berths but space is limited in July–August; Capri’s roadsteads can accommodate overnight anchors, but pick a sandy patch and use extra scope — or aim for a marina berth in Marina Grande if you need a quay.
Boutique Hotels Accessible from Anchorages
This section links the primary anchorages to the boutique hotels you can actually reach without a long transfer. I list practical access (dinghy/jetty or walk), key on‑shore services that matter to a tendering crew (porter, shuttle, private dock) and contact/action items to arrange before you arrive.
Hotels near Positano
- Le Sirenuse — short walk from the Spiaggia Grande landing (ferry/tender landing is a brief walk; concierge arranges porters and can advise on luggage handling). For ETA and porter service contact the hotel concierge in advance.
- Villa Treville — private dock / estate pier with hotel boat service to the pier and a private Treville beach club reached by short boat shuttle; the hotel runs launch transfers for guests so confirm timing and luggage arrangements when you book.
Practical note: in Positano most arrivals go to Spiaggia Grande pier or use the buoy field and ask the buoy operator to transfer you; Le Sirenuse is effectively a 5–15 minute walk from the landing while Villa Treville normally expects to collect guests by the hotel launch.
Hotels near Amalfi
- Hotel Miramalfi — waterfront location with a beach club and a hotel shuttle into Amalfi town; walking time from the harbour is typically under 10–15 minutes or take the hotel shuttle. The property can coordinate porters and transfers.
- Anantara Convento di Amalfi Grand Hotel — sits above Amalfi with shuttle service down to town and short walks to the centre; guests typically use the hotel shuttle, a taxi or porters from the harbour. Pre‑notify the hotel if you plan to arrive by tender. Pre‑notify the hotel if you plan to arrive by tender.
Operational tip: if you want to sleep ashore in Amalfi, aim for a berth at Porto di Amalfi (Marina Coppola). If no space, consider nearby ports with managed moorings/buoys (e.g., Positano/Praiano) or adjust plans accordingly; berths fill fast in high season.
Hotels near Capri landings
- J.K. Place Capri — perched above Marina Grande; the landing at Marina Grande is the straightforward dinghy access point and the hotel is typically a short taxi/funicular ride or a steep walk from the pier; the hotel concierge coordinates luggage and road transfers from the port.
- Other boutique Capri hotels (small cliff properties and private villas) — many accept tender arrivals to Marina Grande and then provide shuttle or porter; confirm whether the hotel will meet you at the Banchinella landing or recommend a water taxi.
Booking action: for all of the above, email or call the concierge before you set off and give expected arrival time, boat length and a phone number on board — this makes porters and hotel water craft ready when you arrive. Le Sirenuse and several properties explicitly offer porter help for ferry/tender arrivals.
Mooring Details and Fees
Mooring costs and rules change by vessel size, season and exact berth/boe operator. Below are the practical ranges and what to expect so you can budget and plan.
Mooring conditions (by anchorage)
- Positano: the bay drops away quickly; depths close in can range from roughly 5–25 m and holding is often described as poor to fair (weed/posidonia and rock). Many yachts use the managed buoy field rather than free anchor. Contact the buoy operator (Lucibello / Marina di Positano) on arrival; VHF channel and local booking procedures are used in season.
- Amalfi: berthing is Mediterranean moor with lazy lines; inner depths are typically around 3–7 m. Outside the harbour the depth increases rapidly (roughly 20–40 m) and anchoring close in is constrained by bathing zones and exposure—most visitors take a marina berth rather than anchor.
- Capri: depths vary widely around the island; sheltered pockets in Marina Piccola can be 6–12 m with good sand patches, while offshore depths increase rapidly — Posidonia meadows are common so select a sandy spot and use extra scope. Marina Grande offers pontoons and the Banchinella landing; confirm with the marina regarding tender-specific landing options.
Fee structures — realistic ranges
- Marina berths (Amalfi / Capri / Positano transient pontoons): for mid‑size yachts in high season expect significantly higher rates than quiet marinas — published practitioner guides and broker resources commonly list a range roughly €150–€400+ per night depending on yacht length, exact location and the month. Budget more in August and for larger yachts.
- Buoy fields and private laid moorings (Positano, some Amalfi operators): these are usually charged per night by the buoy operator; terms and daily rates are set by the concession holder (operators publish booking terms and conditions). Booking in advance in July–August is strongly recommended.
- Dinghy landings and private water‑taxi transfers: short transfers (e.g., Marina Grande to a hotel or between dock and beach club) are commonly quoted per trip and often fall in the €20–€40 bracket on Capri for short legs; private motor‑launch transfers around Positano vary by distance and boat type. Confirm rates when you book.
Budgeting rule: when in doubt, include a berth/buoy fee allowance and an APA line item for harbour expenses if you are chartering — mooring costs in the Amalfi area are a known and potentially large seasonal expense.
Dinghy Transfer Options
Dinghy logistics determine how smoothly an overnight ashore works. Below are common arrangements and the on‑water behaviour you should plan.
Where to land your dinghy
- Positano: short-term tendering typically to the Spiaggia Grande floating pier or Fornillo-side landings; many mooring operators also provide a passenger pick‑up/drop‑off service from the buoy field. Lucibello/Marina di Positano manage the local buoy field and floating dock; call the operator on arrival.
- Amalfi: Marina Coppola and the Porto di Amalfi pontoons are the natural landing points; marinas usually offer staffed assistance for stepping ashore with luggage.
- Capri: use the Banchinella landing area at Marina Grande for provisioning, ice and quick luggage runs; the funicular or hotel shuttle then takes you uphill. Marina Piccola has stern‑to platforms for restaurants but is shallower and exposed to southerly swell.
Docking etiquette and safety
- Approach slowly; follow the local operator’s directions and don’t block ferry lanes. Many operators publish VHF channels for buoy requests (Positano VHF 77 is commonly referenced) — hail early and give a clear ETA.
- Carry fenders and short lines for stern‑to landings; many hotel docks and beach platforms expect stout stern lines and a crew member on shore to take the line.
Water‑taxi and hotel shuttle alternatives
- Private water taxis run regular schedules from Positano to Capri/Amalfi and will meet you at anchor for a fee; hotels such as Villa Treville and some Positano properties coordinate launches for guests. Book in advance in summer.
Handling Late Arrivals
Late arrivals are manageable if you plan ahead. The single most effective step is to tell people early: the hotel, the mooring operator and any water‑taxi company you use.
Communicate your ETA
- Email or call the hotel concierge with the yacht name, expected arrival time and the mobile number of someone on the boat; most boutique hotels (Le Sirenuse, Miramalfi, J.K. Place Capri) explicitly offer porter or late check‑in help if told in advance. Hotels often list check‑in hours and concierge contacts on their websites.
Luggage transfer and porters
- Many hotels provide porter service from the landing or will meet water taxis; Porters are especially common in Positano because of steep steps. If you have heavy luggage, request porter service and a timed water taxi or hotel launch — the crew will meet you at the pier and help with stair transfers. Le Sirenuse recommends arranging porter assistance for ferry/tender arrivals.
If you arrive after hotel reception hours
- Boutique hotels commonly handle this by prior arrangement: leave a card with your ETA, ask the concierge to keep a room key, or book an arranged late check‑in. If the hotel runs a private launch or shuttle, give an exact arrival window so their launch can meet you on the water; otherwise use a private water taxi and bill the charge to the hotel reservation if they agreed in advance.
Practical late‑arrival checklist for the skipper
- Call the mooring/buoy operator on VHF or phone with ETA.
- Email the hotel concierge with your boat name, estimated time and number of passengers.
- Line up a water taxi number (local operators accept WhatsApp; keep a local SIM or roaming data).
- Pack a small overnight bag to bring ashore in the tender so the hotel can take bulk luggage by launch later if needed.
Quick operational checklist before you leave the boat
- Reserve berths or buoys in advance for any planned overnight in Amalfi/Capri/Positano — book at least weeks ahead for July–August.
- Confirm hotel concierge will meet you and whether they will provide porters or a shuttle from the landing.
- Verify dinghy landing point, local VHF channel and any landing fee with the buoy operator or marina. Lucibello is the Positano concession holder for boe and floating docks.
- If weather or anchoring looks marginal, prioritise a marina berth or a laid buoy over free anchoring — comfort and crew sleep are worth the cost.
Final trade‑offs and when to choose shore over anchor
- Trade-off 1 — Convenience vs cost: a quay or reserved berth gives you easier luggage handling and shore power but costs substantially more than anchoring; budget accordingly.
- Trade-off 2 — Protection vs ambience: some anchorages are quieter but exposed to sudden swells (Capri’s southern fetch); if the forecast shows scirocco/libeccio, move to a marina or an alternative harbour.
Plan your night ashore the same way you plan any passage: confirm berthing and meet‑and‑greet arrangements in writing, carry a portable overnight bag for the tender, and call the hotel and mooring operator on arrival if anything changes. Done well, an overnight at one of the Amalfi Coast’s boutique hotels — reached by a short dinghy hop or a 10–20 minute walk — is a seamless, memorable add‑on to a charter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Positano (Spiaggia Grande / Fornillo buoy field), Amalfi harbour/roadstead (Marina Coppola area) and the roadsteads around Capri (Marina Grande / Marina Piccola) are the primary overnight options; each has different depths, holding and service levels.
Positano: Le Sirenuse, Villa Treville (private dock/boat access); Amalfi: Hotel Miramalfi, Anantara Convento di Amalfi (short walk or hotel shuttle); Capri: J.K. Place Capri (above Marina Grande) and a handful of cliff hotels reachable via funicular or short taxi from the landing.
Typical depth ranges are Positano ~5–25 m (bottom changes quickly; often poor holding), Amalfi harbour ~8–11 m alongside with good marina services, and Capri anchorages ~6–30 m with mixed sand/posidonia and variable holding; use local soundings and consider a buoy field or marina if holding is uncertain.
Yes — marina berths and laid buoys cost (often seasonally) and vary widely by vessel size (budget €150–€400+ per night for marina berths in peak season); dinghy pick‑ups and private water taxis commonly charge per transfer (Capri shore trips often €20–€40).
Contact the hotel concierge and the mooring operator with your ETA, request porter or shuttle assistance and arrange a timed water taxi if needed; many hotels offer late‑arrival handling but policies differ by property and season.
Written by
Sailnboat Editorial
The Sailnboat editorial desk covers yacht and boat chartering worldwide — routes, bases, seasons, boat types, paperwork and the practical costs that decide a trip. We are a charter marketplace, not a boat owner or a local agency: what we sell is judgement and support, so our guides are written to help you make a decision, not to sell you a specific boat. Every guide is checked against live operator and marina data before it goes out.
Fact-checked against live operator and marina data, and published under our editorial standards. Last reviewed: .
