We are traveling to the AC in September 2016, whilst searching for hotels I've noticed some are already booked. Do I need to book now or is okay to wait a few months? I'm 95% sure we're going to stay in Sorrento but if we find a deal we may stay on the coast.
Thanks,
I typically book no more than 3-4 months out, unless it's an area with few hotels, only mom-and-pop type places with few rooms, and/or lots of competition for lodging. I think hotels may appear to be booked because the schedule isn't up yet (do they already have Fall 2016 rates on the websites?). Look on www.booking.com as well, it has a lot of properties listed (if there's a great deal, by all means, secure it but keep a watch if prices drop closer to your departure). Probably some smaller B&B type places will require a deposit so it's up to you whether you want to lock up some of your money that early - it's an individual preference...some people want the flexibility of waiting for potential price drops and others prefer to be "set" with their choice far in advance.
(If I do book fairly far in advance, I try to stick to places that don't require a deposit or pre-payment because it gives me the flexibility of other options closer to the time of trip).
Best of luck! That is a truly dreamy location.
You can go to Booking.com and book the rooms now--choosing the option that you can cancel the reservation. It might cost you a couple of bucks more, but I don't do any rooms that are non-refundable.
Some of the other online booking sites will go ahead and charge you for the room bill. I don't like doing business that way. I prefer to have them hold a charge card number and settle up when I get there.
Not knowledgeable enough to advise when to book.
Visited a few years back and looked at recently for a possible return visit in 2016 and found prices higher and more places booked than I expected / recalled ; I think the area is getting more and more known as a destination internationally.
Sorrento has a much different feel than the other towns.
We stayed 3 nights in Sorrento and 3 nights in Positano. Taking many day trips
In Sorrento you get more hotel for your money, larger common areas, nicer pools, amazing hotel views, etc...
Found it much more popular with tourists from UK. The town does not really have much charm and most of the hotels are a good walk from the town area. Town does have great shopping though and is best for taking the ferry to Capri.
Easy to catch the SITA bus to get into the other towns from there as well.
Capri is a must visit, so check the ferry as in the off season it does not run from Positano so you would need to catch from Sorrento. Easier to take a trip to Pompeii from here as well or reach Rome or Naples or course.
Positano has such a an amazing vibe and the town is so charming with the lack of cars and alleyways, we absolutely loved it.
Most of the tourists were from the US.
Much nicer than Sorrento as far as a place to stay other than your room likely won't have the same million dollar views or amazing pool and common areas and you will have paid more for less room for the priviledge of staying there.
You want to get out and walk all evening in Positano where Sorrento you want to retire to your cozy hotel balcony after dinner.
We rented a motor boat from the beach and was able to take that all the way down the coast which was cool, others took it to Capri but we were just there the day before.
I did not care much for the town of Amalfi to be honest. Wonderful for a day trip but would not stay there overnight.
The smaller towns like Priano are pretty and worth getting off the bus to visit but would get very bored very fast there.
Ravello is heaven, one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. There are 2 villas there which I think you have to pay to enter but are must visits. I would love to stay in Ravello for a couple of nights.
Be careful with all of the places that list their location as a specific town but they are actually aways down the road, if you can't walk into town easy you really aren't staying in that town.
Would love to go back and if I did I would break up 2 nights each in Capri to experience the island overnight after the ferry tourists leave, 2 in Positano and 2 in Ravello.
We stayed in the Hotel Eden Roc in Positano and loved it there. Amazing breakfast, views from room balconies are incredible, has a pool and location great for the SITA bus.
In Sorrento we stayed at the Hotel Bel Air ; view from the room balcony was probably the most amazing view from hotel I have personally ever stayed at. Like most places in Sorrento was on a road outside of the main town on the cliffs above and built right into the Cliffside with a dream pool!
I don't see any reason to wait to book your hotels. Unless you are doing the lowest fare internet rate, you can cancel. And yes...the hotels, especially the most desirable, book up this quickly.
I also would deal directly with the hotel...not a 3rd party. I would just go to their website, and make my reservations that way, or email them.
I book up to six months ahead, and never take a non-refundable option (when using booking.com). Another good thing about booking.com is that if you want to reserve at the last minute, there are usually deals available. In smaller but popular towns, though, the best places will be gone.
I'd book as soon as you know the dates. At least you have something. Most places have a free cancellation policy in case you find something else say 4 months from now that you want to stay. You still have say 2 months before you trip and can cancel you original hotel.
We just returned from 5nights in Sorrento and we booked a B&B almost 9months out. We absolutely loved Sorrento - more than we thought we would. Be sure to stay in the heart of town, so easy to walk everywhere. We did take a day trip to Positano, Amalfi, & Ravello - We LOVED the drive there much better than the actual towns. The drive is absolutely breathtaking (I suggest a driver/guide) - the roads are narrow and crazy hairpin turns). We enjoyed our time in each of the towns, but found them WAY TOO TOURISTY for us . . . 1.5-2hrs in each spot was more than enough to see and walk thru and even got a coffee and lunch at one stop. We also took a day trip (train - easy from Sorrento) to Herculaneum and it was a highlight of our trip... the ruins are amazing - mosaics and frescos still preserved from the 79AD volcano of Mt.Vesuvius (more preserved than Pompeii). You will love Sorrento - some of our best meals in our 3 weeks in Italy - delicious mozzarella and tomatoes. If you want real, organic Limoncello and Italian Cream Liquors- check out THE CORNER SHOP . . . they have nice reviews on TripAdvisor.
Sorrento needs to be booked nine months ahead, or you'll be in your fifth choice, or over-budget. Stay here for day-tripping, not for a pastoral, rural seaside. It's an attractive post-war reinforced concrete town on a cliff. No beaches.
Edit: Re your OP: Sorrento is not on the Amalfi Coast. It's 1/2 hour away on a jammed public bus- No train to the AC.
When I stay in Positano each June, I book at least 9 months ahead, if not more. Many of the good places with decent prices book a year in advance.
But Sorrento is larger and not on the Amalfi Coast, so you may have more wiggle room. Last June we were stuck in traffic coming from the Naples airport and it took an hour and a half to get from Sorrento to Positano.
2993mer, I too am in the process of booking hotels for an Amalfi Coast visit. I am finding that hotels are showing they are booked. I have emailed the hotels directly and they inform me they do have rooms- but are not showing yet. So it's best to just email the hotels directly. Good luck!
Lots of hotels wait until January to post availability for summer.
