Yesterday evening my boyfriend came home with a newspaper and said, “You have to see what happened in Vietri.” When I first came to the Amalfi Coast in February 2007, I stayed at the Lloyd’s Baia Hotel in Vietri sul Mare. Like many hotels along the Amalfi Coast, it is attached right to the cliff side above the sea. When you enter the lobby of the Lloyd’s Baia at street level, you are at the very top of the hotel. My Mom and I were amused when we were given our room number on floor negative 4. The hotel has a nice beach and pool area, which is thankfully accessed by an elevator. I always think fondly of this hotel since it reminds me of my first visit here two years ago. Here’s what we read in the newspaper yesterday:
There has been a major landslide in the past two days at the Hotel Lloyd’s Baia, where a mass of rocks has collapsed just next to the elevator down to the beach. The large mass fell right on the pool area, but very fortunately didn’t injure the workers in the area and the people enjoying the sun on the beach nearby. Reading about this just now, I learned the Italian expression colpo di fortuna, which means a stroke of luck. Indeed! You can read more about it here at Positano News and here at Il Mattino (sorry – only in Italian), and here are a couple of photos showing the collapse:
Photos: www.ilmattino.it
Very serious! Everything at the hotel seems to be structurally sound and safe, but the pool and beach area are understandably closed. I will keep you all posted on what I hear about this going forward.
It might be from all of the rain. It seems it rained non-stop for a few months at the beginning of the year. Did they say what caused it?
What a blow for this to happen with the onset of summer! They must be devastated, emotionally too. What caused the landslide?
I guess when nature want to make a move, look out. Let’s be happy no one got hurt!
Ciao Lisa! Ciao Lola! As far as I have heard it isn’t known for sure why the rocks collapsed. But you are right, Lisa, that it has rained a ridiculous amount this winter. There were landslides all over the Amalfi Coast. I would guess it had something to do with that. It is very sad for the hotel to have the nice pool area ruined just at the beginning of this already difficult year for tourism. I feel very badly for them!
Ciao Chuck! Yes… I am very relieved no one was hurt!
Ciao
I am attending the Amalfi Coast festival in July. I Googled Ravello since I was planning to visit there (on the recommendations of several friends)and found your fantastic blog.
Having booked 12 days at Lloyd’s hotel, I checked out your post on Vietri. Oh MY!
Please, please, please, post updates as you learn more.
Ciao Barbara!
Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving your nice comment. Happy you found my blog! I am always interested in learning about events on the coast… is this the Amalfi Coast Festival you are attending?
http://www.violinist.com/violin-camps/camp.cfm?event=177
I enjoyed my stay at the Lloyd’s Baia and in Vietri! I would think by July everything with the pool will be in order. There are a couple of beaches in Vietri as well. The hotel has beautiful terraces, and is in a good location for seeing all the sites in Campania, from the coast to Naples to Paestum. Outside of the main street lined with beautiful ceramic shops, Vietri is not a tourist town, and I liked it because of that. It has a more traditional feel to it, and is lovely to wander around. You will have a great time!
I will certainly post updates here as I hear about the hotel. I also have a series of posts on Vietri that I was planning on doing this summer. Will get those up before your trip!
Ciao ciao!
Thanks for the reassurance. That’s the right festival.
There is an instrumental session followed by a vocal session. I am coming for the end of the first, traveling Campania for a few days, then returning for the last few vocal performances.
Have you met Leslie and Sasha from musicalstudies.com? We have booked through their guest program for George Mason University.
After reading about the mozzarella, that too, must be added to my list. Does any one make burrata locally?
Ciao Barbara! No, I haven’t met Leslie or Sasha … I found that link searching online the other day. It sounds like a great event though! I asked around about burrata as I was unfamilar with it, and the response I consistently got was that it was typical in Puglia (over in the heel of Italy). So you might be able to find it around, but I didn’t get any good leads for any local places that produce it. Sounds very tasty! I will keep my eyes out for it now so I can taste it. Thanks!
Hi
I just heard that the pool at lloyds will be closed until next year. No word on the beach, however. Do you know of any other nearby hotels with pools?
Ciao Barbara! Oh, bad news! For you and for the hotel. I just asked recently and hear the pool was open for a short time and then closed again. I am not sure exactly the problem, and I don't know about the beach. I do know that you can enjoy the beach down in Marina di Vietri, which is the part of the city down on the sea. I am not sure if there are hotels within walking distance with pools, but the front desk should be able to help with that as soon as you arrive. I am so sorry the pool will be closed during your stay!
Thanks for the follow up. I just received an e-mail from an American who arrived at Lloyds last week.
"The pool is closed for the season! Additionally, this unfortunate circumstance is overshadowed by an even more disturbing turn of events, which we have been trying to track: that the day after I arrived, late last week, the Coast Guard closed the beach for further inspection. It was hoped, assumed, expected that this would be for no more than a day or two at the most while they brought in some inspectors, but in fact things still remain in a holding pattern."
If any of your blog fans are thinking of booking at Lloyds this summer, they may want to reconsider.
Ciao Barbara! Oh dear! I am so sorry to hear about the troubles. Thanks for sharing the updated information here. I hope things are straightened out with the beach before your visit!