Casa Cato in Vernazza vs. Hotel Stella della Marina in Monterossa in Cinque Terre

I would prefer to direct the extra 60 euros per night toward my dinner. Although it's great to have a view from your hotel room, you will also be out enjoying the view all day from a variety of public locations. Stella della Marina also has a rooftop terrace where you can relax after you come "home." Monterosso is the larger town, with more services. Vernazza can get crowded by day and less so in evening. Don't wait too long to decide, since availability can be tight.

I agree with saving 60Euro and choosing Hotel Stella - we have stayed here twice and love it! Great hospitality, breakfast (home-made jams=delizioso!) and nicely furnished/comfortable rooms - we've stayed in a room with relaxing terrace and a lovely view. Monterosso al Mare indeed has more services and is the most "Riviera-like" - if you'd like some beach time, there's a great one where you can rent chair/umbrella for the day - we quite enjoyed this option when we visited during the fall season. Visit Vernazza for part of a day instead - go to a cliff-side café (check out Ristorante al Castello for drinks after climbing to the Belforte Tower above) and enjoy the fabulous views from there! Ciao` Diane

ae,

I can't comment on the two lodgings you mentioned, but have a few thoughts on your second question.....

2.) Which town to stay in is mostly a matter of personal preference, and both towns have their "charms". Many RS readers tend to prefer Vernazza, but my favourite is Monterosso. As I've articulated in other Threads on this subject, a couple of my reasons are:

• Monterosso is the largest of the five towns, and therefore has the greatest number of accommodations, restaurants (some really good!) as well as other amenities.
• Monterosso has more "conventional" hotels (some of which serve a good breakfast) while Vernazza is mostly a collection of small B&B's and private rooms (many which don't serve breakfast). I always look forward to the breakfasts at my favourite hotel in Monterosso.
• Monterosso has the best beach of any of the five towns, with separate beaches in the "old town" and "new town". While some areas of the beach have a charge to use, other parts are free.

Both towns would be a good choice but I'll likely be staying in Monterosso again on my next visit.

Thank you to all for your responses.
It is so nice to hear from people who have visited and can give some advice.
Virtual Italian pastry as a treat for all who helped:)

I have another question regarding train travel out of Cinque Terre, and will post in a different section.

Grazie!

For 180 Euro Hotel Villa Steno gets my vote. Great views excellent shower spacious rooms rooftop terrace over the top friendly staff. Just went lest week....miss it already

@Steve,

For 180 Euro Hotel Villa Steno gets my vote.

I definitely agree! Villa Steno is absolutely one of my favourite hotels in Europe, but it's not likely that the OP will be able to get a short notice booking there (although miracles do occasionally happen). I typically have to start booking in February for travel in September, and even that can be challenging. On a couple of occasions in the past, I've had to adjust my Itinerary to fit their room availability.