Vista Napoli Residence

From the roomy terrace, you get a fantastic view over Napoli. The place was spotless, stylish, and air-conditioned, which we hadn’t even found in the 4-star hotels where we stayed in two other Italian cities. Getting here from napoli centrale by public transport took about 10 minutes and was very easy. This was our favorite stay anywhere in Italy. We loved it and would tell anyone heading to Napoli to stay here.

Mario was such a lovely host, and Mr. Giovanni kindly drove us up and down the private road. We had a terrific three days at Vista Napoli. The room was roomy, nicely decorated, and had everything we needed. I’d definitely recommend it for a group trip.

I never stayed at Vista Napoli Residence. I booked three nights through booking.com because I was excited to visit Napoli with two family members and thought I’d found a safe place for us. More than a month after booking, just days before we were due to arrive and after the free-cancellation period had passed, the owner contacted me on WhatsApp, outside the booking platform, asking for extra fees that hadn’t been disclosed in the original reservation. I had already provided details for all three guests and the other relevant information when I booked. I was uncomfortable with an unexpected request for more money through an unofficial channel and didn’t feel safe staying with this host. The same day, I asked to cancel and get a full refund. The owner refused. I would rather pay more for a hotel than stay at this property. I contacted Booking.com support and reported the owner. They advised me never to communicate with a host outside their platform or respond to payment requests through WhatsApp or similar apps. They said they wanted to help with the refund, but couldn’t because the owner wouldn’t cooperate. I’ve also filed a dispute with PayPal and my credit card, and hope one or both can help. My view is that hosts shouldn’t ask for extra money through unofficial channels, whether the reason is real or made up. If there are legitimate additional fees, they should be raised when booking or soon after, not more than a month later and certainly not after the cancellation window closes. If there’s a genuine misunderstanding, especially one caused by the host missing information already provided, the host should treat customers respectfully, acknowledge the mistake, apologize, and offer a full refund. I didn’t see any interest in a peaceful resolution. It seemed to me that money mattered more to the host than anything else. To future travelers, think twice before booking this property or any other place owned by this host. And to the host: I do read messages on booking.com when I make travel bookings. That’s how I communicated with you, and later with Booking.com support when I reported your WhatsApp requests for money. I’ve never had an issue with anyone contacting me through the official booking platform. Your explanation for requesting money on WhatsApp didn’t change that.

The rooms are bright and large, with comfortable beds and roomy bathrooms. Everything was meticulously clean, modern, and fully air-conditioned, and there’s a lovely terrace too. Vista Napoli Residence, hosted by Mario & Giovanna, has spacious, contemporary apartments that suit families or groups of friends. It’s centrally located, with great views of the bay, the city, and Mt. Vesuvius. The funicular and the famous stairs to the castle and Vamero are right next door.