Al Corbezzolo

Michele at Al Corbezzolo made this one of the most welcoming stays I’ve ever had. He took care of what I needed and helped me get around Naples and see the things I wanted. Hotel staff even got in touch before my flight to welcome me and help with the visit. Michele has a heart of gold, and really was like “your Cicero.” After his shift, he even offered me a ride on the back of his Piaggio, which felt like a very authentic Italian experience. 10 out of 10 for Michele, way beyond what I expected. Staff were easy to talk to in English, and Google Translate helped with the more complicated conversations. The hotel sits in a peaceful pine wood at the foot of Vesuvius national park, in Torre Del Greco outside Naples. It’s a handy base for Pompeii, Herculaneum, Vesuvius, the beach, or the city. The small station is a five minute walk away, with direct trains to the central station and Pompeii. There’s also a supermarket about ten minutes away, and getting into the city takes around 40 mimutes. The entrance is off Via Giovanni XXIII. It was difficult to spot on Google maps, but easy to find in person, with a sign by the entrance path. The google map coordinates are 40.7752009, Long. They offered to pick me up from the airport for €50 for the ~30 km drive, which was a good offer considering I’d paid €28 for a taxi on a different occasion for just the 5 km trip from the airport. My room in the small building in the woods was comfortable, clean, quiet, and a good size. The hotel has two buildings, the main one with the restaurant and rooms with balconies, and the smaller one where I stayed. The facilities were basic, as expected for the price, so don’t expect luxury. WiFi was available in the main building but not the small one; my phone internet worked perfectly, and I liked the quiet there. Breakfast was free and included delicious local pastries. I arrived late, so didn’t try the restaurant, which was closed the next day. Local pizzarias delivered even late at night. I bought water at the local supermarket and preferred it to the tap water. This little hotel is a pleasant hidden gem in the shadow of Mt Vesuvius, and I’d love to return.

The food was delicious, and the staff were very accommodating even though our group arrived late for the reservation. We had a truly amazing meal and will definitely be back.

A good time for birthdays or just getting together with friends.

It was okay.