SD › Italy › Best Naples Hotels
Updated: May 2, 2022
By Santorini Dave
The Naples waterfront is home to the luxury hotels (from left to right) Grand Vesuvio, Grand Hotel Santa Lucia, and the Eurostars Hotel Excelsior.
Naples Hotels – Best Places to Stay
- Best Luxury Hotel in Naples: Grand Hotel Vesuvio
- Best Boutique Hotel in Naples: Hotel Piazza Bellini
- Best Cheap Hotel in Naples: Hotel Il Convento
- Best Hotel near Naples Train Station: Grand Hotel Europa
The 5 Best Hotels in Naples, Italy
1. Grand Hotel Vesuvio
Hotel phone: +39 081 764 0044
A Naples landmark, this seafront five-star hotel has seen its fair share of A-listers over the years, hosting the likes of Humphrey Bogart, Woody Allen, and Bill Clinton. The atmosphere is old-school luxury with uniformed staff and lavish décor – dripping chandeliers, period furniture, polished wood. Up top, a rooftop restaurant and small plunge pool command unforgettable sea views. Indoors, there’s a spa, good-sized swimming pool, sauna, steam room, and jacuzzi. In all honesty, the hotel has aged – mostly gracefully but a refurbish would be welcome.2. Romeo Hotel
Hotel phone: +39 081 604 1580
On the waterfront near the ferry terminal, the four-star Romeo is a stylish modern hotel. Its glass and steel exterior gives onto a sleek, contemporary interior with sharply designed rooms, the best of which boast sweeping bay views. There’s also a small rooftop pool, a spa, and a Michelin-starred restaurant on the 10th floor.3. Hotel Piazza Bellini
Hotel phone: +39 081 451732
The boutique Bellini offers a warm welcome, a contemporary look and a prime setting on a fashionable historic center piazza. Housed in a 16th-century palazzo, it’s within walking distance of many of the city’s big sights and has smart rooms furnished in a tasteful minimalist style. One and two bedroom apartments have a small kitchen and are great for groups and families.4. Grand Hotel Parker’s
Hotel phone: +39 081 761 2474
This grand old five-star hotel (in business since 1870) sits in lofty splendour above Naples’ historic center. Marble and crystal abound and its elegantly attired room feature high ceilings and gleaming antique furniture. There are inspiring panoramas to be enjoyed from the rooftop bar and restaurant.5. La Ciliegina Lifestyle Hotel
Hotel phone: +39 081 1971 8800
A relative newcomer, this classy boutique hotel is well positioned for the center and the hydrofoil terminal (for day trips to Capri). Its 14 rooms sport a Mediterranean look with tiled floors, white walls and the odd burst of color. A rooftop terrace comes with a hot tub, sun loungers and views over to Vesuvius.
Read More
- Naples Travel Guide
- Best Hotels for Families in Naples
- Best Budget Hotels in Naples
- Best Things to Do in Naples
- Best Time to Visit Naples
- Where to Stay in Naples & Amalfi Coast
- Best Hotels on the Amalfi Coast
- Best Time to Visit the Amalfi Coast
- Florence Travel Guide
- Best Hotels in Florence
- Best Hotels for Families in Florence
- Best Romantic Hotels in Florence
- Best Budget Hotels in Florence
- Where to Stay in Florence
- Best Time to Visit Florence
- Best Hotels in Milan
- Best Hotels for Families in Milan
- Best Budget Hotels in Milan
- Where to Stay in Milan
- Best Things to Do in Milan
- Best Time to Visit Milan
Hi Dave,
Would you be able to suggest tour/activity ideas for the Amalfi Coast? We will be staying in Positano for 5 nights the 1st week of June and would like to start booking our activities. We traveled to Santorini, Mykonos and Crete last year and stayed in your top hotels and did most of the tours you recommended and had an amazing time! We are hoping you can guide us again to a fantastic vacation.
Positano itself doesn’t have any must-see sights but it’s a great place to hang out. It has a small but beautifully-sited beach and its steep streets are lined with boutiques selling colourful fashions and local ceramic ware. To explore further afield, consider a day trip to Amalfi. Easily accessible by bus, taxi, or a summer boat service, the Coast’s main town boasts a medieval cathedral (Cattedrale di Sant’Andrea) and a fascinating paper museum (Museo della Carta) housed in a 13th-century mill. From Amalfi, buses continue up to Ravello. This charming hilltop town offers sensational views and a series of delightful gardens at its two historic villas: Villa Rufolo and Villa Cimbrone. Offshore, Capri is another popular day trip. The island, which is served by regular ferries and hydrofoils, is centred on two main settlements, Capri Town and Anacapri, both of which are worth exploring. A further highlight is the Grotta Azzurra (Blue Grotto), a sea cave famous for its other-worldly blue waters. (A Capri boat tour is recommended to do everything in one day.) If you’re into hiking, the Amalfi Coast’s best-known walk is the Sentiero degli Dei (Path of the Gods). This 12km trail links Positano and Praiano, offering fabulous views as it snakes along a high ridge above the coastal towns.
Any suggestions on where to stay on Procida Island? We’d like to stay a couple of days just to relax by the sea, and thought the relative obscurity and un-touristy nature appealed to us.
Rowena
There are numerous hotels and B&Bs dotted around the northern part of the island. You could try Albergo La Vigna, a lovely four-star near the picturesque fishing village of Marina Corricella. Housed in a red hillside villa, it has elegant, simply furnished rooms, an in-house spa and, outside, its own vineyard. For beach time, your best bet would be to head over to Chiaiolella on the other (southern) side of the island.
Hello Dave,
I am planning to stay about a week with my 2 teenage kids early July in Naples.
Do you know any nice, clean and not expensive monasteries that welcome visitors?
I look forward to your reply.
Thank you very much!
Céline
To find a monastery stay I’d suggest checking monasterystays.com, an online booking service with several properties in and around Naples. Alternatively, ospitalitareligiosa.it lists a couple of religious institutions in Naples.
As to things to do in the city, I’d strongly recommend the Museo Archeologico Nazionale, a fabulous museum famous for its ancient sculpture and mosaics from Pompeii. Then there’s the Cappella Sansevero , a lavish baroque chapel, and the Certosa e Museo di San Martino, a hilltop monastery with glorious views over the bay. An easy 35-minute train ride away, Pompeii is another must-see – take the Circumvesuviana train from Piazza Garibaldi (adjacent to Stazione Centrale). Neapolitan pizza is the best in the world and you’ll find pizzerias across the city. Some of the most popular places – like Pizzeria Gino Sorbillo – draw large crowds, so be prepared to queue to get in. It’s well worth it, though. As a general rule, always go for pizzerias with a wood-fired oven (forno a legna). If you’re planning to cover a lot of sights, consider the Campania Artecard. This is a cumulative ticket which provides free and discounted admission to a long list of places and free public transport in the city. A final tip for Naples – don’t be tempted to buy a mobile phone from the sellers on the streets. Instead of the bargain of a lifetime, you’ll get home and discover you’ve bought a brick. It’s a well-known scam.
How would you compare Herculaneum and Pompeii? Have heard from friends that Herculaneum might be the better choice regarding size and crowds. Could you explain the pros and cons? Is doing both worth the effort? Will be staying for 2 nights in Naples in early September.
Both are remarkable sites, and both are easy to get to from Naples. From underneath Stazione Centrale, take the Circumvesuviana train to Ercolano Scavi for Herculaneum (about 20 minutes) or to Pompei Scavi for Pompeii (35 minutes).
Of the two sites, Pompeii is the bigger, busier and more visually impressive. Here you can see houses, temples, public baths, an amphitheatre, even a brothel (the Lupanare). Body casts lend a sinister edge to the place.
It is a big site, though, and it requires plenty of time – it’ll take you at least a morning just for the highlights. Crowds are worst at the main entrance and at the best known features but tend to thin out across the rest of the area.
Note also that in early September it’ll be quite hot, so make sure to take a hat, comfy walking shoes and bottled water. Herculaneum is a much smaller, more compact site. There are fewer ‘big’ features but the houses are better preserved than at Pompeii and there are some wonderful frescoes. It’s also less tiring than its better known neighbour and it attracts far fewer people. You can do both on a day trip from Naples – buy a combined ticket – but be ready for a very full day.
Whichever you go to, try to find time for the Museo Archeologico Nazionale in Naples. One of Italy’s best archaeological museums, it displays many exhibits from Pompeii, including a series of awesome mosaics.
hi dave,
I was wondering if you had any suggestion for Amalfi Coast hotels?
A couple of recommendations. About a kilometre from Amalfi, the historic Santa Cristina is one of the best hotels on the coast. A luxury five-star, it occupies a handsome Liberty-style villa, offering summery majolica-tiled rooms, magnificent sea views, and private access to the sea. For a more lofty location, the Belmond Hotel Caruso is a great option in hilltop Ravello – for years the hometown of writer Gore Vidal. It has elegantly attired rooms in a restored 11th-century palazzo, an extraordinary infinity pool, and sensational coastal views.
We are an older couple that has a little trouble getting around. Walking more than a few hundred feet becomes a problem but love being right in the heart of lively neighborhoods. Could you recommend a hotel in Naples within a short walk of good restaurants and cafes. Budget not an issue: 3 star, 4 star, or 5 star hotels are fine as long as close to street life and buzz.
Two suggestions, both in Naples’ buzzing historic center. Hotel Piazza Bellini is a lovely boutique hotel on Piazza Bellini, a handsome cafe-clad square in the heart of the action. It’s housed in a 16th-century palazzo but rooms are furnished in a contemporary minimalist style. Also in the historic center is the Decumani Hotel de Charme. Occupying a former Cardinal’s palace, it has elegant rooms, period furniture, and a stunning salon. The surrounding area is fascinating with its cobbled lanes, Dickensian street life and pretty, though somewhat faded, piazzas. You’ll also have your choice of trattorias, cafes, and some of Naples’ most celebrated pizzerias.