Sorrento hotels

Perched above Marina Grande is La Minervetta, a family-owned boutique bed and breakfast that is one of the best hotels in Sorrento. With just 13 guestrooms, this nautical-themed coastal retreat is quirky and colorful and feels more like staying with stylish friends than checking into a hotel.

What I love most about La Minervetta are the views. Floor-to-ceiling windows reveal unobstructed panoramic vistas over the sparkling Bay of Naples, towards legendary Mount Vesuvius and Naples itself. If budget allows, treat yourself to one of the Superior Corner Rooms, where you can soak up the panoramas from dual windows.

Equally magical are the breakfasts at La Minervetta, served in the blue and white tiled kitchen. Enjoy sticky buns, fresh-from-the-oven cakes, made-to-order eggs, fresh mozzarella and juicy tomatoes.

One of the things I love most about Marina Piccola 73 is its family history. Housed within a 19th-century palazzo right by the port, the building dates back to the 1860s. Over the years it has housed the local boat club, the offices of the Port Authority, and the most famous tailor in Sorrento. Today, it's one of the best hotels in Sorrento.

Abandoned for a period, the family set about restoring the historic property and today it’s run by a fantastic mother-and-daughter team, Roberta and Alice. Each of the five rooms and suites (they also have two apartments) have been individually decorated with colorful tiled floors and a mixture of antiques and modern furnishings.

I'm a big fan of the port-facing Deluxe Rooms with sea-view balconies, perfect for watching life on the water below.

If you want to escape the everyday, then I highly recommend Hotel Capo La Gala and Wellness. Tucked away on a low cliffside along the palm-lined Sorrento peninsula (the hotel is five miles from Sorrento itself), Capo La Gala is one of only a handful of hotels in the area to stand right on the sea.

The hotel first opened in the late 1950s and quickly became the place to be seen. Today, it's been reimagined as a glamorous hideaway and is especially popular with couples.

Check in at this luxury retreat for the infinity pool with sea views, the marine-inspired Aquarium spa and Maxi, the hotel's Michelin-starred restaurant. We stopped for dinner one evening and enjoyed the best spaghetti alle vongole in town.

Built on the ruins of a Roman villa, the grand Bellevue Syrene sits perched upon a sheer cliff above Marina Grande, with blockbuster views of the Bay of Naples and mighty Mount Vesuvius.

This is not only one of the best hotels in Sorrento, but also one of the most interesting. The present structure dates from 1750 (although the interiors have been updated since then). The current design is by interior architect Marco De Luca and its timeless elegance celebrates Italy's famed Dolce Vita era.

There's a beautiful swimming pool, the chic Club Lounge and an excellent restaurant, La Pergola, that serves the most delicious Sorrento lemon-scented risotto. Don't miss dining at nearby Il Buco either. Translating as “hole in the wall,” this excellent Michelin-starred restaurant sits inside the cellars of a former monastery.

The undisputed grand dame of the Sorrento hotel scene is the Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria. Located off the Piazza Tasso, with far-reaching views over the shimmering Bay of Naples, this storied family-owned hotel first opened in 1834 and is still managed by the Fiorentino family today.

This hotel has welcomed countless famous faces over the years, including Sophia Loren, Marilyn Monroe, Luciano Pavarotti and King Edward VII. The wonderful thing about the Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria, however, is that it extends the same stellar service to regular guests as it does to A-listers.

Highlights from my visit included an Aperol Spritz aperitivo on the clifftop Terrazza Vittoria, a rejuvenating facial at La Serra Boutique Spa and afternoons spent lazing by the pool.

If you’re a fan of small, intimate hotels, then you will love Villa Manning Relais. With just five rooms, this is one of my favorite boutique hotels in Sorrento.

The property is a 10-minute walk from the heart of historic Sorrento, a white-stuccoed villa built around a watchtower from the 16th century. This former defense tower later became the home of the Neapolitan playwright, Roberto Bracco. Today this family-run retreat sits secluded from the summertime Sorrento hustle and bustle thanks to its peaceful garden, planted with citrus trees, lavender plants and roses.

I'm also a big fan of the swimming pool; while not large, it's perfect for a refreshing dip. Breakfast must also get a mention, where everything is freshly prepared, much of it created using produce grown in the hotel’s own garden.

Typically, my list of the best hotels in Sorrento is filled with places near the sea. This, however, is not the case with the Grand Hotel Aminta. Set high on a hillside some two miles from the center of Sorrento, this 4-star hotel offers panoramic vistas of the Bay of Naples and Mount Vesuvius, as well as the little volcanic island of Ischia.

Known as Italy's island of legends and love stories, Greek mythology says that Ischia was created when Zeus defeated the Titan monster Tifeo. The hotel can help organize a day trip to this magical island, for those who want to learn more and experience it for themselves.

Other hotel highlights include the breezy hotel pool and the nightly entertainment (this isn’t for everyone, but we found it charmingly retro). And, if you want to head into town for dinner, the hotel runs a free shuttle service.

It's hard not to fall head over heels for Parco dei Principi. Perched on a sheer cliff above the Bay of Naples, this white cubic retreat was designed by Italy's iconic 20th-century architect, Gio Ponti.

Don't worry if his name doesn’t ring a bell—all you need to know is that this is one seriously good-looking hotel. Everything from the individual blue and white floor tiles (patterns differ in each of the 96 guestrooms) and the saltwater swimming pool's diving platform to the pebbled walls of the hotel's Lounge Bar was designed by Ponti.

Other reasons that this is one of the best hotels in Sorrento include the seven acres of tropical gardens, the wood-fired pizza from the hotel's Poggio Siracusa restaurant and the tunnels built into the rock that leads to the hotel's private beach. In my books, this spot is just perfect.

Not only is Casa Mazzola one of the best hotels in Sorrento, it's also one of the most charming. Set in the hills of Sant Agnello, within easy reach of the old town and marina, this family-run B&B is a delightful retreat.

Sure, Casa Mazzola might not come with 5-star hotel amenities, but it does have two of the friendliest hosts you’re likely to meet. Luigi and Hugo go above and beyond to help with everything from dinner recommendations to parking tips.

What is particularly special about Casa Mazzola, however, is the artwork. Luigi is a confessed “mad artist” and his “art glass” can be seen throughout the property, as well as in some other fancy hotels in Sorrento.

One of my favorite things about the Sorrento hotel scene is that so many of the properties are housed in family homes and managed by family members. The same is true of Palazzo Marziale, a stylish boutique hotel located within a 15th-century, strawberry sorbet-colored palazzo that has passed down through the generations.

It’s located near the Villa Comunale, Sorrento's lofty park, where locals and visitors gather for sunset views across the bay to Mount Vesuvius and to grab the elevator down to the marina and beaches. Buzzy Piazza Tasso is also just a short walk away.

The 13 individually designed rooms are all lovely, decorated with silk curtains, antiques (many of them belonging to the family), and artwork. If you're wondering which room to choose, my favorites are the light-filled Junior Suites on the upper floors.