Where to Stay in Sorrento

By Santorini Dave

Our Favorite Hotels in Sorrento

• 5-star: Excelsior Vittoria
• 4-star: Maison La Minervetta
• 3-star: Del Mare
• For couples: Bellevue Syrene
• For families: Hilton Palace
• Best pool: Hilton Palace
• Best view: Grand Cocumella

Where is Sorrento?
Sorrento is an enchanting town in Southern Italy. Set on the north side of the Sorrentine Peninsula, the city boasts views over the Gulf of Naples to Mount Vesuvius. The Amalfi Coast is on the south side of the Peninsula, about 10 km away (about a 40-minute drive to Positano on the winding, mountainous roads). Pompeii and Naples are also reachable within a 45 minute or 75 minute drive, respectively. The island of Capri is a short, 20-minute ferry ride away.

What is Sorrento known for?
Although its central location makes it a popular home base for exploring the region, Sorrento has a host of historic and natural attractions not to be missed. Most of these sights are in the Centro Storico (Historic Center). This is where you’ll find the Church and Cloister of San Francesco, a 14th-century Baroque gem built on top of a 7th-century monastery using the ruins of pagan temples with an open-air garden at its center. The Villa Comunale gardens are immediately next door. The landmark Sorrento Cathedral sits on Corso Italia, the main shopping street running through the center. The Museo Bottega della Tarsia Lignea is a charming little museum dedicated to Sorrento’s traditional wooden inlay art. Piazza Tasso is the main square of the city, lined with restaurants and bars. Set behind the square is the Vallone dei Mulini, a gorge carved by two rivers with the overgrown ruins of a 13th-century flour mill (a captivating view but inaccessible to visit). First-time visitors should stay in the Centro Storico. Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria is our favorite hotel here.

Are there beaches in Sorrento?
Most of Sorrento sits high above the sea on top of a sheer cliff. At the base of the cliff is a string of beaches, the ferry port (Marina Piccola), and a little fishing “village” (Marina Grande). Marina Piccola is on the east end of Centro Storico, and is the main port of the city with regular ferry departures to Positano, Capri, Naples, and Ischia. From Marina Piccola, walk west to find a series of beaches and beach clubs stretching for about 500 meters. The westernmost beach, Bagni Salvatore, is known for its ruins of an ancient Roman bath carved into the base of the cliff. Farther west, on the other side of Centro Storico, Marina Grande has a wide, sandy beach that is free to the public. Accessible from the center via a long but picturesque stairway, this beach tends to be less crowded than the central beaches. Visitors will find some kayak rentals, small boat tour operators, and a clutch of family-run seafood restaurants owned by local fishermen set on the shore or on the piers.

What else is near Sorrento?
East of Centro Storico (past Piazza Tasso and Vallone deil Mulini) is the City Center, which is still home to many historic buildings, like the one housing the Museo Correale di Terranova, with Neapolitan paintings, ceramics, archaeological finds, as well as more modern conveniences like the train station. Even farther east (about one km from Piazza Tasso), Sant’Agnello is a small town with restaurants and cafes catering to local tastes. The area has few hotels, and remains primarily an area for locals, although the stunning sea views and relaxed atmosphere are beginning to attract more visitors. The area has gorgeous views to Vesuvius and Sorrento, plus a train station, La Marinella Beach, and the Frantoio Gargiulo olive farm (olive oil tastings available).

How do you get around Sorrento?
All of Sorrento is walkable, though navigating from the clifftop to the port or beaches requires stairs or public elevators. A car is a major hassle here. And the unique cliffside geography renders most bus service within the city itself unhelpful. Buses good for longer distances, such as going from Marina Grand to the train station or from Sorrento to Positano, but walking will almost always be faster for in-town destinations. There are train station in the City Center and Sant’Agnello with routes to Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Naples. To reach the Amalfi Coast by train, a transfer is required in Naples to reach Vietri sul Mare, the only town there with a train station. The best way to reach Positano, the closest town on the Amalfi Coast, is by ferry, which takes about an hour. The bus from Sorrento to Positano is a little faster but much more crowded with few seats available and generally unpleasant if you are unlucky enough to have to stand for the entire route. Ferry tickets can be purchased at the kiosks at the port or online from Ferryhopper.com. Train tickets to Naples, Pompeii, or Herculaneum can be purchased at the train station or online at EAV. To continue on to Vietri sul Mare or Salerno, a second ticket can be bought at the station or online from Trenitalia. But don’t buy your second train ticket until your first train has left on time; tickets are refundable in case of delays, but it’s not a fun process. Bus tickets can be purchased before your ride at tobacco shops (tabaccherie), newspaper stands, souvenir shops, bars, and cafes. You cannot buy bus tickets on the bus.

16 Best Hotels in Sorrento

1. Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria – Luxury

Hotel phone: +39 081 877 7111
Iconic, five-star hotel since 1832 in the heart of the city with a heated pool and luxury spa. Three restaurants and three bars offer a range of flavors from Michelin-star gourmet to poolside pizzas; complimentary breakfast is offered daily and accompanied by live piano music. Activities include wine tasting, pizza making, fine dining cooking courses, or coastal cruises in the hotel’s own yacht. All rooms have marble bathrooms, most have a French balcony or furnished terrace (those without offer more interior space), and half have sea views. Specialty suites add unique touches that may include clawfoot baths or pianos, while some historic suites have kept their original decor since hosting a famous guest (Enrico Caruso, Pavarotti, Princess Margaret, and more). Family-friendly amenities include a kids pool, playground, and spacious apartments and connecting suites. Stunning location over the ferry port at the edge of Centro Storico.

2. Bellevue Syrene – Luxury

Hotel phone: +39 081 878 1024
Refined and romantic hotel set in an aristocratic villa from 1750. The hotel offers gorgeous views over the Gulf of Naples from its clifftop pool, terraces, and Campanian restaurant, while the beach club rests on the water below. Most rooms features private balconies and sea views. Many one and two-bedroom suites have indoor jacuzzis or pools; the Lord Astor Suite has a private outdoor jacuzzi and indoor jetted bath. Complimentary snacks and drinks (including wine and prosecco) are available from 10:00 am to 10:00 pm in the club lounge; elaborate buffet breakfasts are included in the room rates. Ideal walkable location in the Centro Storico on the leafy Piazza della Vittoria, less than five minutes on foot to the Cloister of San Francesco, plus dining, shopping, and the elevator to the port and beaches.

3. Grand Hotel Cocumella – Luxury

Hotel phone: +39 081 878 2933
Luxury hotel housed in a 16th-century Jesuit monastery with a semi-Olympic pool, tennis court, and a private, sandy beach connected by a boardwalk to a sun deck in the sea. Guests have complimentary access to the sauna, steam, and jacuzzi in the holistic wellness center. More leisure activities include strolling the garden filled with roses and vegetables for guests to pick, a Neapolitan cooking class, and cruising on their meticulously restored ketch, a sailboat from 1880 with hand-sewn sails and a polished wooden interior. Dining is a highlight here with a gourmet Mediterranean restaurant, a casual pizzeria in the poolside orange grove, and a Japanese-Mediterranean fusion restaurant. Rooms and suites all vary but include a mix of antique and modern furnishings, much of it highlighting the traditional wooden inlay art of Sorrento. Most have private balconies; some have frescoes ceilings, maiolica tile floors, or a two-floor layout. Beautifully situated in Sant’Agnello right above Marinella Beach, about one km to the center of Sorrento and one km to the Sant’Agnello train station with routes to Naples and the Pompeii ruins.

4. Maison La Minervetta – Luxury

Hotel phone: +39 081 877 4455
Art-centric, luxury boutique hotel with just 13 sea view rooms. Halfway down the dramatic, cliffside stairway, find a delightful oversized jacuzzi with a view and sun terrace. A decadent breakfast buffet is complimentary each morning, while a smaller aperitivo buffet is on offer in the evenings. Due to its unique architecture, each room is different. All have bathtubs, some with hydromassage, and some with separate showers. Most have have floor-to-ceiling or wall-to-wall windows; two have private balconies or terraces. Quiet location above the fishing enclave of Marina Grande, about a 15-minute walk into the Centro Storico. The beach can be a bit daunting to access, about 300 steps down on the private pathway.

5. Grand Hotel La Favorita – Luxury

Hotel phone: +39 081 878 2031
Luxury hotel with a rooftop pool set in Centro Storico, steps to the Museo Bottega della Tarsia Lignea, Piazza della Vittoria, Cloister of San Francesco, the cathedral, and the elevator to the beaches and port. Rooms feature traditional, regional decor, including maiolica tiles, wooden inlay furniture, and frescoed ceilings. All rooms have private balconies; deluxe and superior rooms have separate showers and bathtubs; junior suite have jetted baths and larger balconies with sunbeds. The rooftop offers panoramic views over the sea and city with a heated pool and snack bar. Downstairs a gourmet restaurant and upscale bar serve Italian favorites made with locally sourced ingredients.

6. Lorelei Londres – Luxury

Hotel phone: +39 081 1902 2620
Wonderful boutique hotel on the clifftop with a beach club, two jacuzzis in the garden, and uninterrupted sea views. A Michelin-starred, Mediterranean restaurant and a seafood and sushi bar offer well-crafted food throughout the day; a la carte breakfast is included in the room rate. All rooms have private balconies, all but two have sea views, and many have jetted baths. Chilling Deluxe Rooms and some Junior Suites have spacious terraces with private, outdoor jacuzzis. Well-located in the City Center across the street from a large playground, near the Correale di Terranova Museum and about a 10-minute walk to the Centro Storico.

7. Parco dei Principi – Luxury

Hotel phone: +39 081 878 2858
Design-forward, luxury hotel set in an enormous botanical garden with a private beach and a seasonal, saltwater pool. Part of the hotel dates to 1780, while the main building has been completely preserved as it was originally built and decorated in 1962. Each room is a gorgeous, mid-century modern time capsule with its own unique tile floor pattern and coordinating wall art. All have either a Juliet balcony, full balcony, or spacious terrace and views to the sea or gardens. There is a fine dining restaurant with sweeping views from the clifftop, as well as a casual Mediterranean restaurant on the beach, plus bars in the lobby and by the pool. Breakfast is included in the room rates, and room service is available 24 hours a day. Romantic Sant’Agnello location about one km to the train station and one km into central Sorrento (free shuttle available several times a day).

8. Palazzo Marziale – Luxury

Hotel phone: +39 081 807 4406
15th-century palace converted to a boutique hotel in the Centro Storico, just steps from the Villa Comunale park and the 14th-century monastery, the Cloister of San Francesco. Rooms feature antique art and furnishings, marble bathrooms and parquet or terracotta floors, many with French balconies, and some with frescoes. The Executive Suite has a generous 120 square meters of space and an interior courtyard patio. A buffet breakfast is always complimentary.

9. Hilton Sorrento Palace – Luxury

Hotel phone: +39 081 878 4141
Lavish mountainside resort just south of the Centro Storico with sweeping views toward the sea. About a 15-minut walk to the heart of the Centor Storico. Enjoy six interconnected pools (including two kids’ pools), an indoor heated pool, tennis courts, an a garden with a citrus grove. Family-friendly amenities include a seasonal kids’ club for ages four to twelve, a playground, suites for up to four guests, plus connecting rooms to expand to even larger quarters. A wide range of cuisines is on offer at the onsite restaurants from traditional Italian to modern Japanese, plus a casual grill house, pizza, poolside cocktails, and more. Rooms and suites run the gamut in size (12 to 124 square meters), layout (single up to quadruple), and view (sea, hill, interior, grounds), but all have minibars and coffee/tea stations, and most have private balconies.

10. Cristina – Midrange

Hotel phone: +39 081 878 3562
Hilltop hotel featuring an outdoor swimming pool, restaurant, 24-hour bar, wellness center, and spectacular sea views. All rooms have private bathrooms, refrigerators, and balconies. Located on the western edge of Sant’Agnello, he hotel sits one km from the train station with routes to Pompeii and Naples. A complimentary shuttle ferries guests to and from Sorrento’s town center.

11. Relais Villa Giusso – Midrange

Hotel phone: +39 081 802 4847
Historic farmhouse-turned-hotel located 12 km from Sorrento’s Piazza Tasso, just outside the coastal town of Vico Equense. The property features a farm, a restaurant, free breakfast, private bathrooms in every guestroom, sea and garden views from the terrace, and free on-site parking.

12. Hotel Del Mare – Midrange

Hotel phone: +39 081 878 3310
Friendly hotel with a rooftop sun terrace in the charming little fishing port of Marina Grande. Rooms feature colorful maiolica tiles from Vietri sul Mare and private bathrooms with showers. Some rooms add private balconies or sea views; family rooms sleep three to four guests. The hotel offers a complimentary breakfast buffet in a dining area carved straight into the cliffside. A lobby bar offers light refreshments throughout the day. Wonderful location mere steps from a sandy beach, beach clubs, and a handful of excellent seafood restaurants. Centro Storico is just under a 10-minute walk away.

13. Hotel Nice – Midrange

Hotel phone: +39 081 878 1650
Midrange hotel in the City Center just a couple of minutes on foot from Piazza Tasso and Sorrento Station and within blocks of many shops, restaurants, and cafes. The front desk is open 24 hours and a rooftop terrace features city views. A free continental breakfast buffet is offered daily.

14. Ulisse Deluxe Hostel – Budget

Hotel phone: +39 081 877 4753
Budget hotel with standard rooms, dorm rooms, and apartments, as well as a bar and restaurant on site. Located on the westernmost edge of Centro Storico, about 500 meters to the cathedral. The hotel offers discounted access to the gym, pool, and spa in the same building.

15. Sorrento Relais – Budget

Hotel phone: +39 081 877 4834
Modern guesthouse in the City Center near the Correale Museum and less than 10 minutes on foot from Sorrento train station and Piazza Tasso. A breakfast buffet is included. All seven rooms feature private bathrooms and minibars. Small pets are allowed for a fee.

16. Camping Nube D’Argento – Budget

Hotel phone: +39 081 877 4834
Eclectic property featuring a campground and individual bungalows with kitchenettes and private bathrooms. Facilities include free on-site parking, a restaurant, two bars, a market, and a playground. Set in the west side of Centro Storico about 800 meters to the cathedral, one km to Marina Grande and Piazza Tasso, and about 1.5 km to the Sorrento train station.

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