Residence Le Axidie

The only small letdown was breakfast on our last day: the room was packed and the hot buffet food had gone cold. It barely took away from a stay we really enjoyed. Our room was spacious, clean, and had plenty of storage; reception happily found extra coat hangers when we asked. The view was lovely, and the wellness area was beautiful, with a heated pool and cold pools set against great views. We also had an amazing massage. Everyone was friendly, including the shuttle drivers who took us to the train station. From there, it was easy to reach places like Pompeii, Sorrento, and Naples.

The staff are the best part of L'Axidie: professional, patient, helpful, and kind. On this, our third visit, they arranged a brilliant trip to a cheese

Vico Equense was a quiet break from the Amalfi Coast crowds, and we didn’t mind being there even though the hotel is about a 30-40 minute drive from sorrento during the day. As a Canadian traveller, I’d recommend it as a base for Sorrento, Positano, Amalf, or Capri. The Capri ferry leaves 100m from the hotel entrance. Driving is handy if you’re comfortable with it, since buses can be very slow. Without a car, there’s a free shuttle to the train station, and the train to Pompeii or Naples is cheap and quick. We visited in early May, more of an off-season period, and the staff were AMAZING. Reception replied quickly on WhatsApp, helped us with everything, showed us around, and even upgraded us to a better suite on arrival. We had an electric vehicle and could charge it on site. Breakfast was pretty good, with attentive, friendly staff taking drink orders and serving à la carte. The rooms aren’t especially luxurious, but they’re clean, refreshed when you arrive, and restocked every day. The wellness centre was a pleasant surprise, with pools and other water features to enjoy in the sun. Drinks and other extras weren’t too expensive. We had a great stay at Resort Le Axidie.

If you’re after a resort holiday by the marina, with boat and train connections close by, this hotel could suit you, as long as you’re okay with spending more on food. We were younger, budget travellers, and found the location remote and a bit restrictive. That’s more down to the setting than the hotel itself. Our apartment was spacious and clean, with a lovely terrace and stunning bay views. Staff were kind and helpful, especially reception and Luigi at the pool bar. After a late flight, we couldn’t catch the train and had forgotten to book a transfer. The quotes we found were all €200+, but the hotel arranged one for a much more reasonable price. There’s a free hourly shuttle with a friendly driver. It runs until 10pm, and the 15-minute walk back via the steps was manageable. Trains connect to Sorrento, Pompeii, Vesuvius, and Napoli; boats to Capri, Positano, and Sorrento leave right outside the hotel. The beach is rocky, so sea shoes are a good idea, but it was lovely and had beach toys and inflatables. Cocktails were reasonably priced and good value. There’s also a free grass tennis court, worn but playable, with rackets and balls provided. This is a good place to lounge by the pool and beach and eat and drink at the hotel. A few things disappointed us. The pool advertising was misleading: only the saltwater pool at the beach club was available to use, it was open to the public, and it had no shallow end. The other pools shown are part of the spa and cost extra. There are no supermarkets nearby, local restaurants are expensive, and breakfast at the hotel is €18 per person, too much for a continental meal. Snacks were limited to the short lunch service, so we went to the nearby campsite minimart for cheap croissants and snacks. Without a car, the steep walk up to Vico Equense centre is tough, and the marina can feel isolating. One evening we returned from Sorrento to find the whole hotel shut off, with no driveway or entrance access. Eventually someone let us in after we’d started climbing the fence in desperation. That’s concerning if you arrive from a late flight. The advertised beachside tennis court was just a patch of dirt, without a net or markings. The lifeguard wouldn’t let us use the paddle boards, even though they were stored with the inflatables. And it seemed odd that wine, beer, and spirits cost as much as cocktails, or even more.