You generally get what you pay for and we did!
Yes, the accommodation was comfortably dated, there was a whiff of drains in the bathroom and a reasonable amount of gaffer tape holding the plumbing together but the shower happily gushed hot water on request, the views were spectacular and it was clean. How much time are you going to spend in the room in this part of Italy anyway!?
The food was excellent. Breakfast was continental in style but plentiful with cereals, eggs, ham, cheese, fresh rolls and different fruits everyday. (The figs were fabulous!) The central 'help yourself' table was replenished constantly and coffee was made to order and arrived quickly. We were on a half board deal and even as a semi-veggie I was able to find something perfectly acceptable on our 3 + 3 and dessert choice dinner menu. The starters in particular were very generous which meant the smaller main course was not an issue. There was definately a sense of them and us with regard to a la carte diners versus us in the cheap seats however, we were able to sit at the same 'front row' table all week and did dine later than 8pm some nights. The owner was very pleasant and amenable, it was the maitre'd who appeared to have an issue with the whole breadstick/table choice scenario. The young waiters were lovely and the service efficient but it was tedious...You generally get what you pay for and we did!
Yes, the accommodation was comfortably dated, there was a whiff of drains in the bathroom and a reasonable amount of gaffer tape holding the plumbing together but the shower happily gushed hot water on request, the views were spectacular and it was clean. How much time are you going to spend in the room in this part of Italy anyway!?
The food was excellent. Breakfast was continental in style but plentiful with cereals, eggs, ham, cheese, fresh rolls and different fruits everyday. (The figs were fabulous!) The central 'help yourself' table was replenished constantly and coffee was made to order and arrived quickly. We were on a half board deal and even as a semi-veggie I was able to find something perfectly acceptable on our 3 + 3 and dessert choice dinner menu. The starters in particular were very generous which meant the smaller main course was not an issue. There was definately a sense of them and us with regard to a la carte diners versus us in the cheap seats however, we were able to sit at the same 'front row' table all week and did dine later than 8pm some nights. The owner was very pleasant and amenable, it was the maitre'd who appeared to have an issue with the whole breadstick/table choice scenario. The young waiters were lovely and the service efficient but it was tedious to have to ask for black pepper and parmesan at every meal! The views from the dining room of Capri, Versuvius and evening sunsets were well worth the trip alone and one barely noticed the lack of breadsticks........
The location was ideal if you want peace and quiet. There was a beach about 20 minutes walk away in Poulo which had a few bars and was an easy (but dark) stroll for a drink after dinner. The buses ran sort of frequently during the day to Sorrento or it was possible to walk there from up behind the hotel on a marked path - look for small tiles on the floor or red paint dabs on posts! Again, easy to walk the other way into the little town of Massa Lubrense (as long as you avoid the main road) and down into the pretty harbour. Access to all that the area offers is easy from Sorrento and we can see why people do return year after year.
All in all, a beautiful holiday with good food and outstandingly views in a quirky setting. We met some great people and fell in love with the owners dog.More
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