I recently stayed in one of Martina Callo's rooms in Vernazza (Cinque Terre, Italy) and wanted to issue a friendly warning to my fellow travelers to avoid staying here. There are a TON of VERY STEEP stairs to climb. The staircase itself is winding, dark and claustrophobic. Rick mentions "plenty of steps" in his blurb about these lodgings, but let me tell you, that is an understatement. The steps are a HUGE issue.
[Edited]
going to make some popcorn...
Jim,
This is one main reason why I prefer to stay in more "conventional" accommodations in Monterosso, which in some cases have elevators and other amenities.
Good advice, Ken!
Jim,
Hopefully you'll give the Cinque Terre another try. One of my favourite hotels in all of Europe is there. They've won a couple of Trip Advisor awards which is not surprising.
Hi Ken
Which hotel is this? I have friends going to the CT and they would appreciate some tips on hotels.
Thanks!
Jim,
I'm most familiar with Monterosso so can provide a few tips on hotels there. When are your friends travelling, and will they be be staying in Monterosso?
The hotel I was referring to was Hotel Villa Steno. It's very popular so difficult to get a booking unless one plans far in advance (although it doesn't hurt to try). The hotel is a not the most easily accessed, but that's a benefit as it provides a tranquil oasis from the crowds. They have a sister property, Hotel Pasquale that's also excellent. Both hotels are in the "old town" area of Monterosso.
If you need more suggestions, let me know.
Jim, in addition to Ken's suggestions, La Spiaggia is also a good choice in Monterosso. It's a short, easy walk from the train station, and has an elevator. Book a sea-view room with a balcony, and well in advance as it's very popular. Cash only.
are there some parts of the thread missing here? It seems disjointed to me....
It seems a bit rough to shout with three !!!s in the title of the thread because you didn't like steps when you had been warned about them in the book.
For many, the winding steep steps mean a romantic part pf their holiday.
I really don't think anybody here has ever called the Cinque Terre area flat.
@ Nigel, half of the OPs original post is missing. He complained about the owner asking him to pay in cash and lie to the police about staying in Vernazza.
Hi Ken and Kathy,
I appreciate your taking the time to provide these tips on hotels. My friends will be in the CT for 3 days, 2 nights at the end of September. They haven't chosen a village, much less a hotel, in which to stay, so your postings will be really useful as they firm up their plans.
Cheers!
Hotel Villa Steno would be my first choice. It is a the top of a fairly steep hill, but the views from the balconies are great. Very quiet, friendly staff, and very few crowds just out and about milling around.
Hi TC,
Thank you for another great suggestion! I will certainly pass it on to my friends!
I can understand how some of the unique aspects of most places to stay in the Cinque can result in very bad reviews of a place for visitors that did not research previous reviews much.
While not saying the OP does not have a right to complain, had they read up on the place via online reviews I think there dissatisfaction would have been greatly lessened. A guidebook does not go into as much detail as you can find reading dozens of reviews, space just does not permit.
Is a good lesson for others though.
For your friends in Sept. , they need to get moving. Places like the Hotel Villa Steno are most likely fully booked for the month at this time.
I think as a blanket statement you can say outside of Monterosso in the other 4 towns there really are no hotels by the definition we think of. The places to stay would either be called B&B's or Apartments/Rooms for Rent.
They may or may not serve breakfast.
In most cases in these 4 towns if your place has a nice view you will have many, many steps often with narrow areas that make luggage a major hassle. This is the norm, there are some exceptions but generally this is the case and makes it very important to read reviews thoroughly as the walk when cumbersome is typically mentioned or if easy it is often mentioned by folks knowledgeable about the area.
Many tourists prioritize a view and/or want a small balcony and often don't realize the inconvenience to get up high that it means. In Vernazza this seems especially true.
Cash as payment is the case in probably 90% of the listings I have seen, the Cinque Terre seems very behind compared to the most areas of Italy that tourists frequent in terms of widely accepting credit cards.
I was surprised that it seems like Air BNB listings are often the only way to avoid paying cash at hotel for a booking since AirBNB requires the room be paid through their system.
There is also a room nightly tax to be paid in cash, which is true throughout the country not just in the Cinque Terre, rates vary but usually a minor amount.
I missed the chance to see the whole post, but now I have edited out the !!! from the headline.
Jim,
On the topic of paying cash, even hotels that take credit cards will often provide a discount for cash. Cash is often preferred in Italy, especially with small family-run operations. Something to think about.....
