Location:  Perched on a cliff overlooking Capri’s port, JK Place is out-of-the-way enough to feel like a tranquil retreat, yet still close to the action.

First impressions: Arriving by ferry at the over-crowded port, swarming with tourists and tacky souvenir shops, is seldom an enjoyable experience.  But as a guest of JK Place, you’ll have a distinctly different start to your holiday. You’ll find your luggage whisked away by a smiling member of the team, before you’re led to a car for a short shuttle up to the elegant white hotel.We immediately sink into JK’s laid-back vibe as we slurp welcome cocktails on the terrace’s plump white sofas, ogling the panoramic ocean views.  Inside, there’s no whiff of traditional palazzo or chic Italian minimalism. Walls are decked out in nautical navy and white, books are piled high, colourful cushions are strewn around and intriguing black and white photographs of Capri in the 1970s sit atop antique chests.It’s a pleasantly cluttered look: the kind of place you could put your feet up and read a book without fear of upsetting the staff.

The facts: JK Place started life as a private home back in 1885 and over the years has hosted several hotels: Hotel Continental, Hotel Métropole, Hotel Palatium, and, as of May 2007, JK Place Capri, sister to the JK Place in Florence. Its current good looks are thanks to a top-to-toe make-over by hotelier and photography collector Ori Kafri and architect and interior designer Michele Bonan.Our room is bright and cheerful, with a fireplace, huge bathtub and walk-in wardrobe, but somehow lacks the wow factor of the rest of the hotel.Luckily most of our time is spent by the blissful pool, awash with the scent of olive and lemon tress. Eating lunch on the terrace, watching the yachts bobbing in the Mediterranean and gazing up to the celebrities’ homes in the hills, it’s easy to feel like you’re on the deck of a millionaire’s yacht.

Wow: My favourite spot was the library, with its covetable floor-to-ceiling collection of books on architecture, art and fashion. The general manager tells us some of DVDs were a gift from the head of HBO, just one of the many media moguls who are regulars at the hotel. Hours are easily whiled away flicking through Helmut Newton’s Sumo, one of the largest and most expensive photobooks in the world.

A good base for: The hotel provides free transfers to Capri town, which is a 10 minute drive away. Here, we ate at Aurora, a celeb hangout and a great spot for paper-thin pizza and people-watching.

How much: 800 euros including tax for a JK Classic (high season)