The Secret Garden Relais

We stayed for two weeks at The Secret Garden Relais, a lovely B&B in a quiet part of Piano di Sorrento. The grounds were beautiful, and the whole building was kept neat and clean. Our pretty room had every amenity we could imagine, and it was looked after every two to three days. Our host, Alessandra, was very kind and answered our questions, as well as offering several activity recommendations. The room came with cards for breakfast at a nearby restaurant. There were also tables in the common room where we could make and eat simple meals ourselves.

Our host was incredibly helpful and informative, always available on WhatsApp, and booked everything we asked for. We didn't have to arrange a thing ourselves. The breakfast was very good too, freshly prepared with several choices, and you could pick multiple items. There are two rooftop terraces, one for breakfast and another higher up for the view or sunbathing. We spent about a week here and loved it. The room was comfortable and clean, with powerful air conditioning. The location worked perfectly for us, five minutes from the train station and ten minutes from the beach and Piano center. It's a little hard to find, but the host sent directions through Google Maps ahead of time. Piano is a nice town with restaurants, shops, services, and public transportation. I can fully recommend it.

Gennaro was a real find for my wife and me. He was genuinely helpful and patiently answered all our many questions. The garden was another treat, spacious and lush, with fruit and vegetable patches throughout. It was a lovely place to sit and rest after a long day before heading to our room. We needed somewhere to park while driving through Europe, and the stay arranged secure garage parking for a small fee. There may also be free street parking if you're lucky. The location made a great place to relax near the end of our trip, within walking distance of the train station, the seaside, and a cool pizza place. Breakfast was divine, and looked as good as it tasted.

When I arrived, I couldn't find the entrance and walked around the area more than three times. An older woman passing by said she'd seen tourists going in and out somewhere nearby, and that's how I finally found it. I was also surprised there wasn't a parking lot for guests, while cars that seemed to belong to the managers were parked at the hotel. This is a rural guest house, not a hotel, so anyone expecting hotel service will be very disappointed. Breakfast wasn't buffet style; they brought it after we ordered. The portions were too small overall, which made it an uncomfortable experience.