Maison Tonina

The room was big and spacious, as it looked in the pictures. That's about the only good thing I can say. The building was under construction, and the elevator stopped working whenever people left its door open, so we had to climb several floors. Parking was possible, but neighbors or workers could block the car in. That happened to us at dinner time, and we had to use the bus or a taxi. The staff member put a lot of pressure on us to arrive at a time that suited her, even though we were still within the official arrival window. On checkout day we went to breakfast and came back before the stated checkout time, but she had already left our room door open with all our belongings inside. No privacy at all. The hot water ran out in the afternoon, so you'd better shower in the morning if you want warm water. This is one of the few B&Bs that doesn't offer breakfast, just a sad table with a badly burnt kettle that smelled of noodles. The price isn't low enough to make up for such poor service and experience.

Inside, the place is attractive and modern, with antique furniture and lots of trinkets in the main area. The rooms are clean, with tiled floors and blue accents, and the bathrooms are adequate, though the showers feel cramped. The nightly price is reasonable, but there aren't really any services. I'd sum it up as an Airbnb. Finding it is confusing. It's in an apartment block without signage or much street presence, and its address covers numbers 45 and 43 across two blocks. You have to pass through construction at the building's base, which looked dirty and cobwebbed, as if it had been inactive for a while. The old lift to the third floor sometimes failed. It fits two people at best, or one person with luggage. Our first night, the shower drain was blocked. It took some persuading by text to get the owner to send someone to clear it. All communication is by text, which isn't a good setup when there's a problem. There's a shared table for meals or breakfast, with cutlery, plates, a coffee machine, and a kettle, but no toaster. Water is only available in your bathroom.

The outside of Maison Tonina Sorrento is unassuming, but the 'Amalfi' suite was gorgeous, with fresh renovations, modern finishes, blue tiles, plenty of space, a balcony, good air conditioning, great amenities, and a comfortable bed. It felt very luxurious. The windows looked over the hills across the street on one side and mountains on the other. We also had a living area with a table, coffee, and tea. The location worked well, a short walk from the train station and just 3 minutes by train to Sorrento, which makes the rest of the coast easy to reach. One of our best accommodation choices. I'd recommend it to anyone visiting Sorrento or the Alamfi coast. Also, make sure to try local restaurant 'Lapillo' just up the street!

Don't book here. If something goes wrong when you arrive, like a cancelled flight or another circumstance beyond your control, you can end up stranded. Nobody talks to you, answers, listens, or tries to help.