A castle, an apostle and countless shades of blue – are all key ingredients in our five-star check-in at Borgo Santandrea on the Amalfi Coast. We add the sweet lemon with its thick peel, the anchovies on the ceiling and Gio Ponti's geometry to this.

From Naples airport it takes just over an hour to get to the Amalfi Coast. The scenery has actually been beautiful and interesting throughout the journey, and our driver has talked about his interest in history and told us about Pompeii. However, the anchoring in history does not prepare me, suddenly I see the sea. The sky, the sapphire blue sea, the mountain and the winding road we are driving on make me fall silent.

Strada Statale 163 Amalfitana is the name of the road we are driving, which stretches 50.36 kilometers along the Amalfi Coast. A coast in the province of Salerno that is often mentioned as one of the world's most romantic places, and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997. Along the coast we find the towns of Positano, Amalfi and Ravello, as well as a number of magnificent hotels. Borgo Santandrea has recently checked into the list of World's 50 Best Hotels, and when we receive an invitation to check into Suite 801, the answer is as obvious as the name of Armani's perfume: Yes.

Amafis' own lemon
We turn off the road and into a parking lot under the lemon trees. Sfusato Amalfitano is the lemon species that is the star fruit of the region. This lemon is also an ingredient in the popular Limoncello that is absolutely the tastiest here in its rightful environment. We leave the sour and step into the reception which here is more in the form of a living room with seating areas, bar and library, the color scheme is blue and white. The hotel building itself spans vertically over 90 meters along the rock wall, and Borgo Santandrea seems to hang on the cliff wall. In terms of logistics, we are treated to eight elevators and a zigzag walk down to the private beach, accompanied by scents of lemon tree, jasmine, roses and myrtle.

The hotel building itself originally dates back to the 1960s, when the Grand Hotel Saraceno was located here. When the hotel appeared on the market, the two families: De Siano and Orlacchi, who previously ran neighboring hotels in the town of Ischia, saw an opportunity to collaborate.

They hit it off, after the purchase a five-year renovation took off. The level of ambition was high and an architectural masterpiece emerged. Here, 1960s design was now mixed with the obvious Mediterranean style. Local craftsmanship from Amalfi and Campania, design classics and that magical meeting where the environment outside became an obvious part of the concept. Today, Borgo Santandrea offers 52 rooms and suites, all with sea views. In addition, there is three restaurants, a bar, a beach club and a private beach.

Before checking in we have lunch down by the beach, where we get to via the walkway and two different lifts. The last lift is cut into the rock, it feels scary and it takes a while. A long walk and then it's just a matter of taking off your shoes and sitting down at the table. Beach Club Pizzeria & Grill. I order a spaghetti vongole, and finish the meal with a scoop of lemon sorbet. Then we are finally ready to step into Suite 801.

Geometry in Suite 801
The numbers on the door are made of ceramic. An 8, a 0 and a 1. Tiles in shades of blue and white, a little green, a little brown and a little yellow in geometric patterns are a consistent design element throughout the hotel. The pattern inspiration is taken from the Italian architect and industrial designer Gio Ponti, whose furniture, lamps, tiles and fabrics we find everywhere here. Over 30 different patterns are here, and its patterns can also be found in Pompeii. The entire floor of the 137 square meter suite is covered in a grid formation where the sun's rays add warmth. The feeling of walking barefoot on the smooth floor is magical. A large room, a sofa and perhaps the best of all – a bookshelf with inspiring books to read and browse. Art, design, Italian food philosophy – I would have loved to spend several days here. A little further in: an antique wardrobe, a custom-made desk and a lovely bed.

Outside the balcony door, two sun loungers and a generous warm pool await us, where we plunge straight into and look out over the Tyrrhenian Sea – which is the name of that part of the Mediterranean Sea whose waves roll in here and now that catches our attention. An art teacher once explained to me that the sea is always a darker shade than the sky, and once again I can confirm that this is true. Aquamarine, sapphire, coelin blue, berliner blue, turquoise … the shades of blue are many.

Before dinner, there is a shower in the enormous bathroom. A magnificent and luxurious one, with a freestanding bathtub, fancy tiles on both the floor and walls and marble countertops. From here too, we are treated to the magnificent view and a hairdryer including a bunch of different styling tools from Dyson. Selected as the signature scent here is Aqua Di Parma's Aranchia di Capri, which is found in soap, shampoo, conditioner and body lotion. The citrus notes are lovely, if fleeting. Larvily clean, we go to dinner at Marinella Beach Club. And just like the interior, the dishes on the menu and their ingredients are rooted in local and locally produced ingredients.

The sweet life
The sunrise is a must and it can be experienced just as well from your bed as from your own pool. The sea changes color, day by day, hour by hour. The view is breathtaking, far down there is the beach, a little further to the right we see the small fishing village of Conca dei Marini. On the opposite side a white villa can be seen. Several sources say that Sofia Loren lived here during the 1960s, but I can't find any information that she owned the villa. Jackie Kennedy was another elegant profile who vacationed here. Add countless famous and unknown glamorous guests and the sweet life is a fact.

On our agenda for the day is more and more swimming, and a visit to Amalfi. We start in the pool, which is located halfway down to the water, resting on a ledge of the mountain. The water is cool and not many of us have chosen to start the day right here. Now we also get the opportunity to swim in the sea, so we continue downwards. The high season is not here yet, so so far the water is relatively cold. I meet Antonella Gatto, PR and Sales Manager for Borgo Santandrea who tells us:

We are the only hotel along the Amalfi Coast that offers our guests a private beach. We sometimes also welcome guests from outside.

The fact that outside guests are charged a fee of 250 Euro makes the exclusivity clear. The price includes a sun lounger, a parasol, salt baths and the possibility of ordering food and drinks. We get ready to get into Amalfi – if you have the opportunity, choose to travel by boat. Then you get to soak up even more of the magical view but from the other direction.

Cathedral of the Apostles
In Amalfi there are plenty of tourists, souvenir shops, restaurants and sights. We each buy a lemon ice cream served in a lemon peel and settle in a shady spot on the steps of Amalfi Cathedral. The cathedral is magnificent and built in a mix of styles where the Romanesque and Gothic meet the Moorish and Arabic. The facade is paved in geometric patterns in shades of black and light terracotta. The cathedral itself is from the 13th century and dedicated to Sant'Andrea, the Apostle Andrew in Swedish, he is the one who gave his name to the hotel we are now staying at. Add here to the word for castle and we get Apostle Andreas Castle: Borgo Santandrea. We soak up the environment, visit the monastery, and head back to the somewhat more peaceful life at the hotel.

Anchovies in the chandelier
Tonight dinner awaits at Restaurant Alici, where Chef Crescenzo Scotto recently received its first Michelin star. The word Alici means fish in Italian and is a key ingredient on the menu here. An 8-course tasting menu awaits to be enjoyed here, however, we choose to remove some of the dishes. Local wines are a matter of course. However, we start with a glass each Ruinart Rosé – one of my absolute favorite champagnes. The kitchen in the restaurant is open, and one of the great magnificent design elements is the anchovy lamp.

“It was designed by Lucio Liguon and consists of 450 anchovies,” says Antonella Gatto, looking up at the ceiling.

The fact that the lamp took two years to make is also part of the story. The dishes served are delicate works of art – from the canapés and risotto, to the fish and dessert. The wine is served, a small splash of it, in large, generous goblets, the water glasses are polka-dotted and made in Murano.

Antonella lives nearby and has been here since the hotel opened. She talks about the owners, how they work together, their visions and their different roles. One is on site and makes sure the business runs smoothly, another has helped find the books for my bookshelf. A large part of the furniture and objects we find here are the owners' private property.

– Our guests are mostly couples, and the majority, 80 percent, come from the United States, she says.

We speak about the world, about passion, about the sweet life and about design and craftsmanship. The environment inspires. The evening draws to a close and the meal is rounded off with a small pizza box is laid out – here a mini-pizza with strawberry cream. One last night, a book to be leafed through, a pool to be bathed in. The sun has long since set.

Peace for the soul
We finish with another breakfast served in the restaurant's open kitchen. Here we meet Maurizio Orlacchio, one of the co-owners. He points out treats we shouldn't miss. I order an omelette with mushrooms and spinach, take a piece of a delicate cake, some berries and a cappuccino. We choose a table outside with a clear view of the sea and the white mysterious villa. We are approaching the end of this text and I am trying to find the words that can sum up our check-in at Borgo Santandrea and note that Maurizio Orlacchio did this in an interview I read when he explains the vision behind the hotel:

– We wanted to create a hotel for those who want to calm their soul.