Need Sorrento Advice--Lodging and Day Trips

Mary,

You might want to repost this question closer to your travel date, as any lodgings recommended now may not be in business next year. Also, you didn't provide any ideas on what price range you're looking for.

With that in mind, here are a few suggestions to start with.....

• for a more posh hotel experience, you might have a look at La Tonnarella, which is at the far end of town (but not really a difficult walk).
• for a more budget (but still comfortable) hotel, have a look at Hotel Desiree, which is right next to Tonnarella.
• you could also look at Hotel Il Nido, which is slightly above the city centre but offers a free shuttle bus at regular intervals.

Of course, if you have a large budget and want posh accommodations, there are some good choices in that price range. Have a look at the RS 2020 Italy guidebook or Trip Advisor for other choices. As I recall, it's a fairly easy walk from the main part of town down to Marina Grande, for day trips to Capri or wherever.

If you're interested in a wonderful meal and can afford to splurge, you might have a look at https://www.lanticatrattoria.com/newsite/en/ .

Hopefully travel to Italy will be possible then.

We thoroughly enjoyed our 4 night stay last May at Grand Hotel de la Ville.
Perfect location, beautifully furnished rooms, best bkft...we booked it for the view which did not disappoint. Fabulous.
Easy walk to center, train.
https://www.delavillesorrento.com

We used Mondo Tours for a boat trip to Capri and a Pompeii tour. Both were excellent, worth every penny.
www.sharedtours.com

I cannot imagine being in Sorrento and skipping Pompeii. It's a very interesting town. Don't need to see all, it's quite large.

There is lots of info and advice here on forum for Sorrento, etc. Do a few searches.
Not sure if April is feasible at all, ferries may/may not be running.

hey hey mary
since you'll be there 4 or 5 nights, my opinion is to look at an apartment with a kitchenette/kitchen
cuore di sorrento suites

relais del corso
sorrento central and sea view flats (has washer)
we like to sit for our morning coffee, a place to come to during day to rest and relax, stop at grocery store/deli shop to have snacks and drinks in apt. we also have a roll of paper towels and TP, you just never now. we also look for a balcony or terrace to enjoy happy hour.
read fine print, cancellations, stairs how high up, elevator, ease of getting keys, read reviews, noise level.
host/hostess there to answer your questions to give you best answers. ask about taking the ferry/bus/private driver and where they are.
posters have mentioned here about salderiso.it bakery/shop/restaurant/bar. maybe a ferry day along the coast and have lunch.
some hotels may not be open now or too early to book since their calendar not up. check booking.com and the others here will give good info.
aloha

In that part of the world I make a point of visiting Paestum.

The museum and walking around the buildings. Glorious.

Be careful to check what is currently open depending on health issues.

Given the health ups and downs I would avoid lodging requiring a deposit of any sort - even fully refundable. I'd rather pay on arrival. That way I don't need to get my money back.

April is a great time in a normal year.

I stayed in the Eden hotel in Sorrento but that was over 10 years ago,decent lower to mid range hotel and some rooms come with a view.there is a small alleyway from there that takes you right onto the main avenue and very close to the main sqaure. The Travel writer Bill Bryson mentions in one of his books that he stayed there.

My requirement would be a hotel with views of the Bay of Naples and Vesuvius. Stay in the main part of town, the flat area, not down at either of the marina areas where you would have to get back up to town frequently.
Day trips: Naples, Pompeii, Amalfi Coast.

Nigel Thanks for your advice. I agree that there are too many question marks about future travel to feel confident about the situation next spring. Even in the best of circumstances, that is a long way off so we plan convervatively.We are not booking anything that is not completely refundable.

** Suki**--Can you suggest any properties that fit the criteria you suggest? I assumed that being in the central, flat area would mean giving up on a view of the water.

Hi, Mary:

We were in Sorrento some years ago, and stayed at the Ulisse Deluxe Hostel. In spite of its name, it is not a hostel, but a hotel. Evidently there are a couple of rooms suitable for groups, hence the name.

I don't know about "posh," but our room was big and airy, and there were a number of quiet public spaces, both on our floor and in the lobby. The staff were very professional and helpful. Honestly, it may have been one of the nicest hotels we've ever stayed in. Well, the nicest one that we ourselves have paid for :-)

We found it in Rick's book, and evidently his tour groups often stay there. In fact, one of the RS groups was there at the same time we were. Our lovely double room was €80; breakfast would have been another €10. Now, this was about 5 years ago; no doubt it is higher now. It is just meters outside of the main part of town, close to everything.

If a sea view is important to you, you should probably email the hotel and ask. Our room didn't overlook the sea, but the hotel is on the road down to the harbor. Tip: there are several great restaurants on the harbor. Not fancy, but amazing fresh fish and seafood. The one we went to, O'Puledrone, is actually run by a fishing cooperative. They only serve fish caught that day.

One suggestion: be sure to check out the amazing presepio in the cathedral.

Someone upthread mentioned Mondo tours; we were scheduled for a Mondo tour of Pompei, but it was cancelled because only three people bothered to show up. But... the guide sat the three of us down outside the entry to Pompei and gave us a 45 minute overview of the site. He certainly did not have to do this, and it was wonderful. We fully intend to use them again sometime.

It is well worth it to have a hotel in Sorrento with a balcony and a view of the Bay of Naples and Mt. Vesuvius. The sunsets are spectacular and the lights across the Bay of Naples at night look like a jeweled necklace! We stayed at hotel Bellevue Syrene near Piazza della Vittoria and would highly recommend it, though it is expensive. There are less expensive hotels in that area with seaview rooms that look very nice also, such as Hotel Regina Sorrento. There is an elevator for 1 Euro in Villa Comunale Park next to hotel Imperial Tramontano which takes you down to Marina Piccola where the boats to Capri leave from. Our hotel was also only a few blocks walk to the Centro Storico area on Via Reginald Giuliani which has great shops and restaurant cafes. Favorite restaurants were the Blu Waters Restaurant on Via Reginald Giuliani and O'Parrucchiano La Favorite at Corso Italia 71 which is in a lovely indoor garden setting, both within walking distance of the hotel. This was one of our favorite trips! I hope you have a fabulous time!

Another vote for Grand Hotel de la Ville!
We stayed there with a tour group. It was lovely. Has the view of the Sea. convenient location, and wonderful cuisine. As previously mentioned Sorrento is a great base for Capri, Ana Capri and beyond.

We visited Sorrento and the Amalfi and Pompeii area at the end of December 2012. The owner of our B&B, who also ran a cooking school, told us that April was the the best time of year to visit, and would be when he’d go there, if he was visiting.

For what this might be worth, the site of Herculaneum (aka Ercolano) is another place that was buried in the same eruption as Pompeii. It’s fabulous as well, but smaller. Upon entering, we went down a long ramp to reach the excavated site, which was easier walking than Pompeii. I’d had both knees replaced 7 months earlier, and both Pompeii and Herculaneum were doable. Everyone’s situation is different, of course.

We had a rental car, and drove the Amalfi coast. We saw Paestum before reaching Salerno, and then Sorrento. Train made it easy to get to Naples for a day trip, with its Archaeological Museum that has most of the actual treasures from Pompeii.

Capri was a great visit by boat, but it can involve some walking, and some uphill and downhill. Didn’t investigate taking any taxis.

Our B&B was actually in Piano di Sorrento, one train stop down the line from Sorrento. It was a mixed lodging offering, with some hostel beds, too. No seaside views, so maybe not what you’re looking for in a room.

Re mobility issues: the main part of Sorrento is pretty flat. There is an elevator between there and the waterfront where you get the boats to Capri. On Capri, there is a funicular from the marina to Capri town. If I’m remembering correctly, we rode a bus between there and Anacapri. I think taxis are another option. The two towns are relatively flat, too.

Mentioned previously, Il Nido, has a balconies and view that I cannot imagine could not be as good as anything else you might find in Sorrento.

Check out their webcam--- https://ilnido.it/

Rates for next April not showing, but for Sept they show $130 per night and includes a Fantastic breakfast

The bus makes getting to/from town easy

Pompeii is mostly, but not entirely without hills. Being there in April would avoid the brutal summer heat and make wandering at a relaxed pace a pleasant and worthwhile experience.

I stayed at the Hotel Antiche Mura last year. Nice hotel, great breakfast, centrally located.

Hello Mary
We stayed at hotel plaza, centrally located, double paned windows so quiet with exquisite views of the BON and Vesuvius. One night there was live music on the rooftop lounge with a spectacular sunset and soft jazz in the background, it was wonderful. Check it out and pm me if you have any questions.

Mary, if you read some of the other threads, "fully refundable" doesn't mean anything if the hotel is bankrupt and I think Italy only requires businesses to issue vouchers for future travel, not refund payments.

cala--The refundable hotel reservations we make are made through Chase and paid for with Ultimate Reward Points or directly with specific hotels with loyalty points (Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, IHG, etc.)

I do not think there is much risk with this type of bookings but if you consider this a risky strategy, could you please clarify?

My understanding with the Chase Ultimate Reward bookings is that even if a hotel filed for bankruptcy and closed, Chase would refund the points to our account. Correct?

Take a look at Hotel Minerva. The views over the bay are amazing, the balcony is expansive, the breakfasts (were) huge, and the staff was so helpful.

It was easy and safe to walk the sidewalk into town during the day and night.

And there is a bus that takes you down to the dock to take the ferry to Capri if you don't want to walk all the way down.