Maiori beach and waterfront surrounded by mountains on the Amalfi Coast

Where to Stay on the Amalfi Coast: Why We Chose Maiori

Planning a trip to the Amalfi Coast? This post is part of my Amalfi Coast series, where I share why we based ourselves in Maiori, the day trips we took, what I’d do differently, and what traveling the Amalfi Coast with family was like.

Before planning our Amalfi Coast trip, I spent far more time deciding where to stay on the Amalfi Coast than I expected. Every town looked beautiful online, but once I started comparing transportation, hotel prices, walkability, and crowds, I quickly realized that where you stay can completely change your experience.

Practicality ultimately pushed Maiori ahead. I already knew I didn’t want to spend my vacation dragging suitcases uphill or constantly climbing steep staircases just to reach the water. That ruled out many accommodations higher up in Positano and some of the more vertical towns. Maiori stood out because we could find more affordable hotels close to street level while still being near the bus stop, within walking distance of the ferry port, and directly next to the beach.

Where Should You Stay on the Amalfi Coast? My Quick Take

For a family trip, I’d choose Maiori. We could walk to the beach, dinner, and the ferry without a steep climb, and we loved coming back to quieter evenings.

For the easiest ferry connections, I’d choose Amalfi. It’s the first place I’d look if I planned to spend most days visiting other towns.

For the classic cliffside setting, I’d choose Positano. I’d stay here if I wanted to spend most of my time in town. I’d check the stairs between the hotel and the waterfront before booking.

For hilltop views and quiet, I’d choose Ravello. I’d stay here if I wanted slower mornings and was happy to allow extra time to get down to the coast.

Where We Stayed in Maiori and What We Paid

We ended up booking six nights at the Reginna Palace Hotel in Maiori, paying roughly €2,500 total for two rooms during peak June travel season. The hotel wasn’t ultra-luxurious, but it ended up being exactly what we needed: comfortable rooms, breakfast each morning, outdoor patio seating, and a pool where we could relax after long days of exploring.

More importantly, the location made the entire trip dramatically easier. We could walk to the beach, restaurants, bus stops, and ferry port without dealing with endless stairs or complicated transfers. That convenience became something we appreciated more with each passing day.

Looking back, I think Maiori also offered excellent value for the Amalfi Coast. For roughly €208 per room per night during peak season, we had a beachfront hotel with a pool and plenty of space to relax. Had we stayed in Amalfi or Positano, we likely would have paid more for a similar setup or sacrificed amenities, room size, or the easy street-level access that mattered so much to us.

Explore Reginna Palace Hotel and check current rates →

Maiori beach at dusk with rows of closed umbrellas, a waterfront restaurant, and twinkling lights climbing the mountainside along the Amalfi Coast.

As evening settled in, Maiori became noticeably quieter, the beach emptied, the lights came on across the hills, and the town settled into a much slower pace.

What It Was Like to Use Maiori as Our Home Base

What I immediately liked about Maiori was how relaxed it felt compared with some of the busier towns we visited. It felt like people were actually on vacation there rather than racing around trying to check attractions off a list.

Getting around was fairly easy on weekdays. Amalfi was only about three miles away, and the bus ride usually took us around 15 minutes. I enjoyed that ride for the views of the sea and cliffs, and we could take the ferry for many of our other day trips.

We spent less time on the beach than I’d expected, but I loved having it right there. On our walks to and from the ferry, we’d see people spreading out towels, going for a swim, or just sitting by the water. In Positano, going to the beach felt like an outing in itself. In Maiori, you didn’t need to plan a beach day for the beach to become part of your day.

The evenings ended up being some of my favorite moments of the trip. Maiori became noticeably quieter after the day-trippers left. We still had plenty of restaurants to choose from, and there was a quiet luxury in sitting outside on a warm evening and taking our time over dinner.

Blue bicycle decorated with colorful flowers outside a restaurant in Maiori, adding a cheerful touch to the seaside town's streets.
Evening stroll through Maiori's town center, with illuminated sidewalks, outdoor cafés, and mountain views rising above the buildings.

Maiori’s appeal wasn’t limited to the beach. Quiet streets, casual restaurants, and relaxed evening walks made it feel like an easy place to settle into for a week.

Maiori vs. Amalfi, Positano, and Other Bases We Considered

As we explored more of the region, I became even happier with our decision. Each place had something I liked, but I kept coming back to why Maiori worked better for the kind of trip we were taking.

  • Positano: Every bit as beautiful as the photos suggest, but also the most crowded destination we visited. I loved spending a day there, but I wouldn’t have wanted to navigate those crowds every morning and evening.
  • Amalfi: Convenient, lively, and hard to beat if ferry access is your top priority. For me, though, it felt busier than I’d want for a week-long home base.
  • Ravello: One of our favorite experiences of the trip. The views were incredible and the atmosphere felt peaceful and refined, but staying there would have made our day-trip transportation more complicated.
  • Sorrento: Honestly deserved far more time than we gave it. With more accommodation and restaurant options and train access that you don’t have along the Amalfi Coast, it can make the logistics of exploring the broader region easier.
  • Capri: Beautiful, lively, and great for boat views, shopping, and exploring. For our trip, I preferred it as a day trip rather than a week-long base. The higher costs and dependence on ferries would make it a very different kind of vacation, one I’d associate more with a shorter or slower, luxury-focused island stay.
View of the Amalfi Coast from a ferry, with a historic villa perched on rocky cliffs above the sea and terraced hillsides stretching into the distance under a cloudy sky.

Exploring the Amalfi Coast made me appreciate our choice of Maiori even more: we could enjoy views like this during the day without giving up the easier logistics and relaxed evenings we wanted from our home base.

Who Should Stay in Maiori?

Maiori worked especially well for our family because we wanted to be well connected for day trips without making every day harder than it needed to be. We wanted easy access to buses and ferries, restaurants within walking distance, a beach nearby, and as few hills and stairs as possible. Maiori gave us all of that while still feeling like we were very much on the Amalfi Coast.

I think Maiori is particularly well suited for families and multigenerational groups, travelers planning several day trips, and anyone who wants to balance sightseeing with actual downtime. It’s also worth considering if you’re traveling with a lot of luggage, don’t love climbing endless stairs, or simply want to be able to walk out of your hotel and easily find dinner, reach the beach, or get to your next ferry.

What Maiori doesn’t give you is the instant name recognition or iconic cliffside setting of Positano. If waking up in one of the Amalfi Coast’s most photographed towns is a major part of the experience you want, you may be happier elsewhere. But if you value convenience, a more relaxed atmosphere, and having a comfortable base to return to after exploring the coast, Maiori deserves serious consideration.

Fold the strongest closing line into Who Should Stay in Maiori?

Every town we visited along the Amalfi Coast was gorgeous. Choosing a home base isn’t really about finding the “best” town; it’s about finding the town that best matches how you want to travel.

For us, Maiori struck the perfect balance. It was beautiful without feeling overwhelming, well connected without feeling hectic, and relaxed without feeling isolated. The real magic of Maiori wasn’t any single landmark or attraction, it was how easy it made it to enjoy the rest of the Amalfi Coast while still giving us a peaceful place to return to at the end of each day.

If your ideal Amalfi Coast trip involves day trips, relaxed evenings, easy beach access, and fewer hills and stairs, Maiori deserves a place near the top of your shortlist.

Continue Exploring the Amalfi Coast

More Travel Ideas

Similar Posts