Celebrating 50 years of the San Pietro

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1962
1962

Carlo “Carlino” Cinque purchases the promontory between Positano and Praiano, that is just a rock with the small 17th-century chapel of San Pietro.

1964
1964

Carlino starts construction, beginning with his own small house ( now Suite 23 and 24). Over the next six years, the hotel expands and takes shape as rooms and a grand hall are added. Clients from the family hotel in Positano, the Miramare, begin visiting the property to attend the epic parties Carlino throws for family, friends and guests.

1970
1970

On June 29th, the day of its patron saint, Il San Pietro opens its doors to its first guests with 33 rooms. There is a lavish inaugural party and a grand display of fireworks--a tradition carried on every anniversary since.
Over the following ten years, the hotel expands to 55 rooms as the jet set of film stars, directors and artists begin flocking to Positano and Il San Pietro.
The regulation-sized tennis court is completed on the lawn next to the beach, ranked amongst the top ten most beautiful courts in the world.

1984
1984

Carlino passes away and his nephew, Salvatore Attanasio, working as Administration Director since the hotel’s opening, with niece, Virginia Attanasio Cinque, takes over the running of Il San Pietro.

1986
1986

The Los Angeles Times prints its front page in colour for the first time, featuring Il San Pietro.

1990
1990

Salvatore becomes mayor of Positano and Virginia’s sons, Carlo & Vito, start working at Il San Pietro.
Vito leaves his position of lieutenant in the Carabinieri to take over as General Manager and Carlo, newly graduated with a degree in Economics becomes Accounting Director.

1996
1996

Salvatore Attanasio passes away. The San Pietro passes to the third generation of Cinque family, brothers Carlo and Vito Cinque.
Il San Pietro is voted the No.1 Best Small Hotel in the world by Travel & Leisure.

2001
2001

Il San Pietro’s Zass restaurant receives its Michelin star - the first establishment in Positano and the first hotel in south Italy to be awarded with a star.

Belgian Chef Alois Vanlangenaeker joins the San Pietro family the following year, uniting his prestigious international experience together with Vito Cinque’s dream of establishing a food culture for Il San Pietro.

2008
2008

Vito and Carlo Cinque launch an ambitious 12-year plan to renovate the entire hotel one section at a time. Together with interior designer Fausta Gaetani and her team of architects, renovation work begins each winter season during the five months the hotel shuts annually.

The Carlino, an informal beachside restaurant, opens exclusively to guests.

2016
2016

The San Pietro kitchen is completely rebuilt and a new floor added, digging into 1,806 cubic meters of solid rock. It takes 54 builders, electricians & engineers working three 24-hour shifts, just five months to complete this one-of-a-kind, 400 sq meter feat of engineering.

Designed by Andrea Viacava, all pieces of equipment are custom made in Italy to unique specifications. It is awarded the most environmentally friendly kitchen in the world.

2020
2020

The Zass restaurant, Terrace Bar and grand salon are refreshed and remodeled. The project to renovate the entire hotel from top to bottom, which began 12 years before, is completed in time to mark The San Pietro’s 50th anniversary.

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The complete history of the San Pietro di Positano (PDF)

Read the four-part series celebrating our hotel’s history

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