Piccolo Paradiso

Our room was across the road in another hotel, in what I assume was an older building they'd bought. It was clean, had a large balcony with a beautiful harbour view, and the maids came daily without disturbing us. I'd happily stay again if I could have that same room. The hotel is outside Sorrento's main town, but buses make it easy to get in. Direct services are a bit limited, though there are plenty of routes where you change buses. Tickets are sold at the hotel, but you need cash. Breakfast was simple, with bread, eggs, croissants, and fruit. I liked it all, and it was quiet as long as we didn't go first thing. I tried the steak one night and asked for it medium, but it arrived very rare, so I wasn't keen on the evening meals. The bar service was lovely. The women there were always pleasant and offered to bring drinks out to our balcony.

We were here again from 19 to 26 September, and my wife and I still love staying at this hotel. The staff are welcoming and great, and it's handy for harbour trips to Capri. Breakfast is very continental, but it suited us. I'd recommend it and hope to see you soon, piccolo.

The room we were first shown, number 19, was in a different place with another hotel's name, outside the main building. It was old and had two single beds pushed together as a double, nothing like the photos on Booking. I was shocked and asked for a change because the pictures were misleading. After a long discussion, when the employee tried to tell me everything was fine, they moved us the next day into one of the rooms I'd seen online. The two stars are for the good breakfast and the manager's willingness to change our room. Cleanliness was only mediocre: the floor was a bit dirty and some areas dusty, even though the cleaner came each day to change towels and tidy up. The location is fine if you have transportation. Without it, getting around is a real hassle. The area is barely inhabited, and walking there after dark made us feel scared.

The location is good, with a five-minute walk down to the harbour and a bus stop by the entrance for rides into sorrento that take 15-30 minutes. But the staff weren't always friendly, and thunderstorms brought frequent power cuts. The pool was freezing, colder than the sea, and not the cleanest. There's no bar seating by the pool, so you have to go inside to get drinks. I'd only recommend staying here if you're mainly there for the scenery and don't plan to spend much time at the hotel.