Monterosso

it really doesn't matter, the whole area is very small
pick a hotel that suits your tastes and budget

True, the whole area is rather small...and overrated in my opinion.

Debbie, I agree with Toni. Find a Hotel that suits your taste, regardless of whether it's in the old or new town area. It only takes about a short time to walk from one end of town to the other, so you won't be far from anything regardless of what you choose. If you want some "beach time", the new town has a larger beach area along with canopied beach chairs, etc. Many of those are "pay per use", however I believe some Hotels in that area provide spaces for their guests. Check the hotel websites for details on that. I stayed in the old town section last year, and will be again this year if I can my hotel booking arranged. The area is very popular, and even for September some of the Hotels are already fully booked. For travel in October, you may not have any problems, as the area will be starting to "wind down" for the season. Are you using the Italy Guidebook or other sites to find Hotels? I don't agree that it's "overrated". I quite enjoy visiting there, but of course this is much a matter of personal taste. Happy travels!

Yes it truly is a matter of personal taste. Where mountains meet the water...take me to the Amalfi coast. Unfortunately I think the CT was probably WAYYY better before RS publicized it so heavily and turned it into a tourist mecca.

@Tim, I'm not sure that Rick was entirely responsible for making the Cinque Terre such a popular tourist destination. I had relatives that lived in the U.K. for several years, and they didn't have access to RS Guidebooks but were still well aware of the C.T. anyway. Also, when travelling in that area, I routinely encounter Europeans, people from the Orient, Australians and New Zealanders, most of whom have never heard of Rick Steves and they've all managed to find the C.T. using Lonely Planet or other Guidebooks. It's probably safe to say that Rick has only popularized the C.T. with North Americans. Cheers!

The old city is going to have a little more laid back, small town feel. I think more locals live in this area. The new city is kind of "ritzy" with boutique tourists shops and rental beach loungers. There are more ocean side room options in the new city but it may be more expensive. To well seasoned travelers who have had a chance to visit CT a couple times, it may seem overrated but it is beautiful and you should be excited to be going. I have been to Italy three times and CT always makes its way into the itinerary. It is charming.

Thanks for all the ideas!! We will be staying at a rental in the 'new city' and looking forward to exploring CT in Italy!