Hotel La Tonnarella

We loved our room at La Tonnarella and would be happy to return. There was plenty of space in the bathroom, wardrobe, and drawers for our things. Breakfast was the best of the two hotel breakfasts on our 14-day trip, with lots of fresh choices, and the indoor and outdoor dining areas both look out over the bay and Vesuvius. Everyone was friendly, and Ana Lisa at reception and Rosaria in housekeeping were especially memorable. Rosaria kept the room spotless and welcoming each day. Our sea-view room had a roomy terrace with two loungers, an umbrella, and a table and chairs. The views of the bay and Mt Vesuvius were beautiful, with boats and wildlife close by. We enjoyed sitting out there with cocktails in the evening and espresso in the morning. The hotel is away from the busiest part of town, but it’s about a 20-minute walk in. We also liked the small rocky beach. Getting down involves a little elevator and a lovely walk, though there’s no sand, as I’d already seen in pictures and reviews. For us, the view, comfortable sun loungers, towels, umbrella service, and nearby drinks and snacks were what mattered. It was peaceful and almost empty on our wind-down day after touring three Italian regions. The water looked choppy while we were there, and it’s very rocky, so I wouldn’t bring small children. The snacks could be better, too, and you shouldn’t go down hungry.

We stayed three nights at La Tonnerella and had a lovely time. The rooms were clean and nice, and both the restaurant and breakfast were very good. The staff were helpful, especially AnnaLisa at the front desk.

The restaurant was a 12/10 for me, while the hotel itself was only a 4/10. We had a couple of frustrating issues. Booking.com said laundry was available for an extra charge, and other hotels I’ve stayed at usually offer it daily, but that wasn’t the case here. The laundromats suggested to us were broken or destroyed. We also found a brown-stained towel, possibly dirty, folded in the bathroom. When we asked for a clean one, the housekeeper came in without knocking while I was getting out of the shower, with the door wide open. The view of Mount Vesuvius gets plenty of attention, but it felt like you had to pay to get close to the balconies. The hotel is really all about the view.

From the outside, the property looked great, but once I’d unpacked, the stay became a nightmare. My room door wouldn’t lock properly, which made me feel unsafe, and the WiFi was extremely weak. The air conditioning barely worked, so the nights were uncomfortably hot and I had to use my own mini fan. There was no daily water refill, unlike at other hotels I’ve stayed in. Breakfast had very little variety. The servers were fine, but the experience overall was poor. The building and system need serious renovation, and this definitely didn’t feel like a four-star hotel. I wouldn’t recommend it without major improvements.