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Back to Naples Principe Umberto
Dear In Italy,
I have been meaning to drop you a line about our amazing stay in Naples. You may recall that we asked for your suggestions about what to do after our stay on the Amalfi Coast and you mentioned Naples. We were not enthusiastic because we had heard so many "unsavory" things about Naples … but we took your advice and booked a three-night stay at Naples Principe Umberto Hotel.
Well, actually, I have to say it was me that took your advice. In our group of 5 people, everyone else was extremely skeptical about Naples, so when we got to the Galleria had to wade through mounds of debris to get into the entrance of the hotel my heart sank! I was really starting to have second thoughts as we took the elevator up to the fourth floor: what if it turned out to be a dump! So you can imagine our reaction when the doors opened and we stepped into what looked like Versailles! Kristin, this was one of the most elegant places I have ever stayed! It was really only a B&B, but it looked like the home of a queen, and the staff treated us like we were queens. In the first place, we were there in mid-July when Naples was ON FIRE, I think it was close to 100 degrees out. But the hotel's air conditioning was fantastic! In fact, one member of our group pulled out his novel and declared he would stay at the hotel all day long! I've never stayed anywhere as elegant as this: everywhere you looked there were gorgeous framed paintings, sumptuous fabrics, marble floors, and the bathrooms were state-of-the-art with all the modern amenities you'd expect from a 5-star resort. But honestly, I don't think they would treat you so well at a 5-star resort. Since it's a small place, each guest is treated like royalty, all the time. There's just nothing you can ask for that they aren't happy to provide. The breakfasts, which started with fresh-squeezed orange juice, were truly memorable.
Since the hotel was so wonderful, everyone in our group was positively disposed towards Naples. I think we walked every street in the central part of town, and we loved all the local color: the little girls in their Communion gowns, the fish vendors plying their wares, the incredibly elaborate churches, the fascinating archeological museum, the spectacular views of the bay…… We took the commuter train out to Pompeii one day and rode the hydrofoil to Sorrento another day -- what a shopper's paradise that was! Thanks greatly to this wonderful hotel, Naples, which was a place no one in our group really wanted to visit in the first place, turned out to be a highlight of our trip. I am SO glad I listened to you! Please convey our thanks to the hotel staff. I really mean it when I say I would go back there in a heartbeat!
Thank you from all of us!
Samantha B.
Back to Naples Principe Umberto