Reading reviews of where to stay in Cinque Terre on this forum everyone unanimously recommended Villa Steno. We chose the hotel based on those recommendations and I wondered if it could really be as great as everyone said but I never expected it to supersede the reviews.
We began our stay with a pasta making class held on the patio overlooking the quintessential Cinque de Terre town. Everything about the class was beyond our expectations: the fresh basil leaves piled high, the Prosecco and fresh focaccia bread to try while we made pesto and pasta from scratch. It was magical. Carla was so kind and encouraging. Our efforts were met with her saying “Bellissimo!” We ended the class by eating our homemade pesto pasta alongside delicious fish and tiramisu.
This was only our introduction to staying at this marvelous hotel. The hotel itself was clean with comfortable beds, great shower and other small amenities, which showed thoughtful attention to the guest’s comfort. But the absolute best part was Carla and Matteo. They made us feel like we had made new friends in Italy. The was the sixth hotel we stayed in on our three week trip and what really made it stand out was their care for their guests. Every recommendation they made was spot on from restaurants to transportation to itinerary. We had done a lot of research beforehand but their local expertise was invaluable.
The first night my daughter was being but by mosquitos and they gave her bug spray to keep for our stay. The morning we left we asked for recommendations for a restaurant for dinner in Florence. They not only recommended the restaurant but booked a reservation. The meal ended up being the best one of our trip. It is obvious that Matteo and Carla love what they do and they excel at it. “Bellissimo!”