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Cinque Terre hotel recommendations

Ciao all! Well after several years away, my family is headed back to Italy, this time with our kids (8 year old twins). We plan on doing a relaxing 3 days in the Cinque Terre for our kids to get some beach time. I know Riomaggiore has the best beaches for tourists, but we’re open to any of the beautiful towns to stay. Any suggestions for a family? Thank you.

Posted by
5 posts

Thank you! Yes, mind slip, I meant Monterosso as being the best tourist beach. I will definitely check out your suggestion.

Posted by
14811 posts

Relaxing? Cinque Terre? With those mobs?

Have you considered nearby areas such as Levanto that is quieter yet only a few minutes by train to Monterrosso?

Posted by
32173 posts

edlr,

I suspect it will take awhile for the cruise ship hordes to get back to the same levels they were prior to the pandemic. I would also agree that Monterosso has the best beaches, although a bit rocky in parts. There are actually two beaches, one in the new town and one in the old town. Note that some parts of the beaches are reserved and there's a small charge to use the beach or the lounge chairs. However other parts are free for anyone to use. Your hotel staff can fill you in on the details.

Monterosso has the best choice in hotels so that's another reason to stay there. As mentioned in a previous post, Hotel Pasquale is a good choice. It's right across the street from the beach in the old town and the ferry dock, and only a short walk to the beaches in the new town and the rail station. This is a photo of the beaches in the new town.

You could also consider their "sister" hotel, Hotel Villa Steno. It's uphill a short distance but only a short walk down Via Roma to the beaches. For other hotels, check the newest edition of the RS Italy guidebook.

There are lots of good restaurants in Monterosso and this is a favourite of many here (including me) - https://www.cantinadimiky.it/ .

Posted by
16028 posts

Hotel Villa Steno has family rooms for 4, so that is an excellent choice. But they are already partially booked up for next summer, but if your dates are flexible you may find a room there.

Posted by
471 posts

On a May 2019 trip, we didn't find the crowds bad in Monterosso. We stayed in an Airbnb there which was a nice, refreshing break in our trip. If you have light sleepers in your family, be careful about how close you are to the train tracks. I suggest checking out the farmers markets that cycle through the towns on different days.

Posted by
424 posts

In August we stayed at one of the Alla Marina apartments in Riomaggiore with our two kids. They had their own room, which was nice as it allowed us to be up and moving around after they were asleep. It also had a balcony with a beautiful view, which we all loved. We spent a day at the beach in Bonassola (just north of Levanto) to try something different and we all really enjoyed it, though I’d recommend making reservations if you want to go to one of the lidos. Good luck with your trip planning and feel free to message me if you have any questions.

Posted by
11056 posts

In Monterosso we stayed at Hotel Porto Roca which is up a hill from the beach away from the crowds. It has awesome views and great dining too.

Posted by
1077 posts

I agree the Porto Roca is excellent, easily one of the best places we stayed in Italy.

Posted by
40 posts

We stayed in Monterosso at the Hotel Pasquale in late September and it was lovely. We had a room with a balcony that looked out onto the beach. The hotel also offers a good breakfast. One thing we liked about staying in Monterosso was that it was relatively flat and easy to navigate.

Posted by
5 posts

Thank you all for your responses! Great ideas and while we’re locked into out calendar and schedule (which I know includes the crazy summer crowds), we are still excited to visit. We have some great ideas now and found a couple of ideal spots. This is the last of our summer vacation bookings, now we just need to let the end of May arrive!

Posted by
18 posts

We loved staying in Monterosso - great food and it was actually less busy than the other towns since it was larger. One hotel to avoid however is Hotel La Villa Degli Argentieri. https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g187820-d489159-Reviews-or15-Hotel_La_Villa_degli_Argentieri-Monterosso_al_Mare_Cinque_Terre_Italian_Riviera_Li.html - They cancelled our reservation 2 days before we arrived. We received an email they could not charge our card (odd since no one else had this issue) so we instantly ran back to our hotel and sent them all new info. When we called them to verify and they told us they already cancelled our reservation and that there were no vacancies. Based on the TripAdvisor reviews it appears they have done this to others so just beware. It's not worth the stress!

Posted by
102 posts

Hotel Baia has a great location but I cannot say it is a great hotel. Our room was small and the bathroom absurd. They did assign me a room with a good bed and a small balcony on the water which made it tolerable. The front desk staff were cold, but the restaurant staff very nice, go figure.

Posted by
1016 posts

Monterosso was a disappointment for us. Not a beach by North American standards as it mostly pebbles, not sand. Plus its the only Terre with cars, so less distinctive. Could be replaced by any of a 100 Riviera towns.

Vernazza was our favourite, and my recommended accommodation is Gianni Franzi. High on the hill, meaning yes, some stairs to get to the hotel, but the view are way worth it. https://www.giannifranzi.it/english/rooms.html

Posted by
15680 posts

La Spiaggia, Monterosso. Family owned, easy walk from the train station, practically on the beach (we didn't spend time on it but sounds like you might), easy walk to restaurants; Cantina di Miky is just a couple doors down and highly recommended! The rooms are small and plainly furnished but very clean, and there's an elevator; rare in the CT! Maria, the owner/manager is a real gem. Book a sea-view room with balcony!!!!!!

booking.com pix/reviews:
https://www.booking.com/hotel/it/la-spiaggia.html#tab-main

TripAdvisor reviews:
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g187820-d564968-Reviews-Hotel_La_Spiaggia-Monterosso_al_Mare_Cinque_Terre_Italian_Riviera_Liguria.html

Hotel site with email and phone #:
http://www.laspiaggiahotel5terre.com