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Back to Sorrento Suites
Dear InItaly:
First, the accommodation at Sorrento Suites was very good, and the location near the hotel's well-appointed pool. The apartment was clean, modern, and spacious. However, the kitchen was a disappointment because of the lack of suitable pots and usable frying pan. Plus, the stove top only had two small cooking plates which could not accommodate the size of the available cookware.
That said, our trip was overwhelming. I could write a book about our experiences. The flight from Paris to Florence was aborted in mid air due to lack of gas and we ended up in Pisa minus our luggage. Apparently this has happened many times before on that route. The crummy train from Pisa to Florence should be avoided unless price is an overriding factor.
Naples, despite its reputation, is worth two nights. We found a family owned trattoria (Trattoria Nennella) that was like a scene from a madcap movie. And if you like to watch trucks clear garbage in the dead of night, that's the place to see it happen. Pompei was how I imagine a post-apocalyptic Washington to look, and the tourists were just as interesting. Herculaneum, on the other hand, appears as an ancient city arising from the basement of one's house. Cities built upon each other like a layer cake.
Amalfi cannot be described, only experienced, and lunch at the Il San Pietro in Positano took our breath away. The drive from Sorrento to Ravello should be taken in a slow limousine, but the return trip should be on a long bus, engorged with passengers, and driven at 40 miles an hour around the hair pin bends. Nothing in life will ever seem as serious again.
Finally, the Vatican and its Museum will live long in my memory. Its priceless works of art are an immeasurable legacy from Italy's history. No one can fail to be moved by the Pieta and the Basilica in which it resides, regardless of religious affiliation. Dinner at Edy's Restaurant, a gelato upon the Spanish steps, and a Metro ride around town will reveal a lot about Rome, even though most of the voices are American. A last meal at Taverna Dei Fori Imperiali near the Colosseum ended a perfect trip. It may be blitzkrieg traveling, but who knows when you get to go around again.
Regards,
Keith J. M.
Dear Gang at Italy Online:
You asked for my comments - to sum it up - a BIG GIANT THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Generally, thanks to your frequent recommendations and trading of emails back and forth our trip was fantastic and the logistics an accommodations were superb. I never could have planned this myself, and I never believed each place I stayed in could be almost exactly what I what I expected and wanted. Also, the instruction documents you included with each location we stayed at was EXTREMELY helpful and on the mark. It gave us great instructions on how to get to each location from the airport or train station, and the contact numbers included were helpful- and the contact ALWAYS answered immediately.
Sorrento - We took a train to from Rome to Naples, then decided to take a cab to the docks to catch a boat to Sorrento. I had called Sorrento Suites first, and was told to avoid taking the local train from Naples to Sorrento (good advice). We had a little problem on our way to the docks. First of all, Naples is a dump, and I would never think of staying there. We needed two cabs to get to the docks for the 4 of us and all our luggage. Your bulletin mentioned this was a 10 minute trip from the train station to the docks, and the fare should be no more than 10 euros. On the drive to the docks, the cab that my wife was in pulled next to ours and the drivers talked for a minute. When we got to the docks, I noticed the meter said 16 euros. I got out of the cab, my wife's cab pulled up, the drivers said we owed EACH of the 35 dollars. When I told him the meter said 16- he took me back to the meter and now it showed 35. I refused pay him or the other driver that much, and finally ended up giving them 50 euros for both cabs. The boat ride for the 4 of us was 60 euros, and the cab from the Marino Piccolo to the hotel was 20 Euro. The reason I am mentioning all of this is that on the way back from Sorrento, Giuseppe, the main man at the Suites, arranged for a private, air conditioned van driven by a very courteous man who escorted us right into the Naples train station for 120 euros, in about 1/2 the time from the inbound trip. I would recommend a private car for families as opposed to the alternatives.
Now to the Sorrento Suites - again for the fourth time a beautiful, newer upscale apartment 2 bedrooms 2 bathrooms, far enough from the noise and crowds of the city, but a short walk to everything (maybe 15 minutes to the main piazza and 20 minutes to the docks). Giuseppe and Raphaella, the main contacts there, were extremely friendly and helpful . Every question was answered patiently and honestly (every restaurant recommendation was on the mark). While the property doesn't have a pool, you do get the use of the pool of a nearby hotel (3 minute walk) and it is gorgeous, on a high cliff overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. A must is a boat trip to Postiano, where you get a trip right along the gorgeous Amalfi Coast. We stayed at Positano for the day, renting beach chairs and swimming in the beautiful waters.We also took a trip to Capri- my wife and daughters liked it because of the shopping- but I was disappointed in the commercialism there.
I have 3 restaurant recommendations
1. Donna Sophia - Via Talagano -081 8783826. I found this place while jogging one morning. It is off the beaten path, but they have a driver that will come and get you from your hotel and return you there after dinner. This is for that special romantic evening with your wife/significant other. A beautiful location among lemon groves, out door or indoor seating, and incredible food. It cost us 200 euros for the 2 of us with 2 bottles of wine, the wait staff was very professional yet friendly, when we ordered our deserts and espresso, they put a bottle of sambucca and a bottle of limoncello on the table and we drank whatever we wanted gratis.
2. Giardinello- Via Della'Accademia - 081 578 1927 - This is about 5 minute from the main piazza, and is the best value for the money we found in Italy. The wait staff is very friendly, the food is incredible, and the prices are VERY reasonable. We ate there twice, and ALL of the pizza, pasta and vegetable dishes were fantastic. We would have an antipasti, a couple of pizzas, a pasta or main course and 2-3 bottles of house wine, and the bill was about 70 euros. During second night limoncellos were on the house.
3. La Vela Bianca - Via Marina Piccola -081 878 1144- This was Guiseppe's recommendation and it was excellent. They also have a shuttle they will pick you up and return you to your hotel. Their speciality is Seafood. They bring around a glass case of the days fresh catches of fish, then explain how they can prepare each of them. House wines were great, pastas was great, fish was great. Cost about 180 euros for a family of 4 including wine.
Other Observations- you were right- I never needed a car, and having one would have been a complete hassle
Again please feel free to use any or none of my comments to assist you and others in planning their trip. To any future users of In Italy - trust these guys, they know exactly what they are doing. Not only did they help pick the right places to stay, but how many days to stay in each city, the order of cities to travel to, etc.
Bill G.
Dear InItaly,
I recently came back from two weeks at Sorrento Suites, which I booked through your agency. The apartment was a delight. So large and modern, it took my breath away. The very nice people at the reception, Rafaella, an extremely lovely and professional lady, and Giuseppe, charming, helpful and accommodating, made my stay even more enjoyable. Of course it didn't hurt that I speak the language rather well. Rafaella gave me an apartment facing the bay. I could see orange groves, the sea and Vesuvius from my little balcony. Yes, the motorbikes on the rather busy street can be a bit of a problem. But after the first night, I hardly noticed them. I had no trouble sleeping. The windows are double glazed.
InItaly was thorough and gave me lots of useful information about Sorrento, which is a great base from which to explore the bay area and Amalfi Coast. I fell in love with this part of the world at first sight and can't wait to go back. I shall use InItaly again!
Willys T.
Dear Kristin,
We loved Sorrento Suites and like many others, found both Giuseppe and the owner to
be very kind and helpful. The apartments were wonderful -- immaculately clean and state of the art. They actually exceeded our expectations. Since we were based in Sorrento for 2 weeks we managed to see a considerable amount of Amalfi sights, going to Capri, the coastal drive, including the towns of Amalfi, Priano, Ravello, etc., a separate trip to Positano, Ischia, Naples, Pompeii, and Herculaneum. Except for 2 museums in Naples, we found it dirty and depressing, but enjoyed all of our other day trips. In Positano we learned of a restaurant called Da Adolfo and boarded the boat with a red fish to reach it. It
was quite good.
Our favorite restaurants in Sorrento were: Da Fillippo (they will pick you up and take you home and are only a short distance from Sorrento Suites), L'Antica Trattoria, Vela Bianca (they also pick you up and take you home and are very convenient when you take the boat, hydrofoil, etc. to Capri and Positano). Another
one we loved was La Favorita Parachuterie or something like that.
All eight of us thoroughly loved the experience of using Sorrento and Sorrento Suites as our Amalfi base since we never needed or wanted to drive a car and since it was all very comfortable and convenient.
Best regards,
Ethel C.
Dear In Italy,
The Suites were excellent! My daughter and I ended up with two adjoining suites and the third suite for the other adult was right down the hall. Fortunately the weather was in the high 70's so the fact that the AC was not turned on did not prove to be a problem ... but could have been if the temp had climbed higher. Was happy to find that a washer and dryer were available in the building, something that was not expected from the Initaly on line description. Also not sure it was clear that bed and other linens would be replaced only once during a full week stay.
Guiseppe at the front desk very accommodating in spite of his allergies. AOL Internet access via the Suites computer was very slow even though the Suites had a DSL Internet line. That was an AOL problem.
I will ask one of my travel companions to send you the list of restaurants in which we ate in a subsequent email. The most memorable restaurant recommended by Renato was the "Frater Cosimo," a newly opened "family' type restaurant atop the Sorrentino hills ... the food was spectacular and the service casual but excellent. It is a bit of a drive from Sorrento.
Thanks to Initaly or its excellent help on this AND on previous trips!
Vito B.
Dear Jessica,
Just a little note to let you know that we really enjoyed staying at the Sorrento Suites. Guiseppe was very helpful and answered all of our questions.
The only things missing were very basic things - salt, pepper and something to clean your saucepans with. Everything else was there.
Many thanks for organizing our apartment.
Regards,
Afton J.
Dear David,
Nothing but the highest compliments to InItaly, Sorrento Suites and our host Giuseppe and his staff. Our suites were immaculate, modern and furnished with everything we wanted and needed. Our questions were answered and good advice given. The location is convenient to all travel connections and we (with great relief) dropped the car used in Lecce the previous week at the rental place and spent a much less stressful week in the Sorrento area. Even though the Suites are in a very busy area (which, I guess, includes all of Sorrento) the solid construction of the unit allowed virtually no street noise in when windows were shut.
An extra word or two about Giuseppe...he met us at the door with a huge smile, personally assisted with luggage, reviewed all the many features of our suite, helped all week with day-trip planning and was open to friendly conversation when not assisting others. HE IS A GEM!
Thank you for making our stay in Sorrento a pleasure.
As for our personal experiences, it's important to come to Sorrento expecting crowds of tourists, even on shoulder seasons. That means local buses are crowded; when they fill up there's no second bus to take the overflow. Lines are non-existent at crowded bus-stops and it's chaos that decides who gets on. Therefore, a much saner way to view the coast is by mini-cruise from Sorrento's Marina Piccolo. Spend 8 hours viewing the sights on an uncrowded, unrushed cruiser to Capri (for a brief swim) and short stays in Positano or Amalfi, and it's only 20Euro.
Lawrence K.
Dear In Italy,
We had a very successful trip to Italy and especially enjoyed the food! The apartment was exceptional, tasteful furnishings, well equipped and very comfortable. In addition the hospitality and service from all concerned with the suites was second to none.
We shall certainly recommend the suites to our friends. Thanks for all your help with this trip
Jenny L.
Hi,
We found Sorrento Suites to be very convenient. The apartment was very modern, comfortable and clean, with plenty of room for our toddler to run around in. For that reason, the kitchen and microwave, as well as the washer and dryer (downstairs) were also very convenient (although 8 Euros for 1 load seemed high). Our bed, and the baby crib they supplied, were both of high quality. The staff/manager was very friendly and helpful as well. The only negative was that it was a 10 minute walk to the old and interesting part of town (not a big deal, but a little work with a toddler).
We took advantage of the public transportation to go to Capri by ferry for a day, and to go to Pompeii by train for a day. Both were really easy to do and fun.
Thanks,
Sarah D.
Jessica,
We really enjoyed the trip.
Sorrento Suites was great. The accommodation looked good on the website and it seemed even more spacious when we arrived and was excellently equipped. The reception area was manned all the time and the staff were very friendly and helpful.
We probably went to the same restaurants around the old town as every other visitor but found them all to be pretty good. We'll go back to Sorrento in a few years time in the autumn again and would definitely go back to the Sorrento Suites.
We haven't visited Italy much before but will certainly go to other areas in future and I think look in your website first. Thanks for your help in arranging this trip and finding such good accommodation.
Stuart M.
Dear David
I booked the Sorrento Suites on behalf of my parents and as they have not got an email address I will reply briefly on their behalf. They were very happy with the apartments they said they were well appointed and spotlessly clean and the staff there were very nice and very helpful. The location was also great right in the centre of Sorrento and an ideal base for exploring the Islands and the Amalfi Coast.
Regards
Elizabeth R.
Dear In Italy,
The Sorrento suites were great...seemed to have just be redone...great location to be able to walk around Sorrento (i.e. the days we spent in Sorrento alone, did not need a car)....the manager there, Giuseppe, (sp?) was very helpful and courteous....
The only very small minus was that I had to pay for parking for my vehicle at the hotel, which (in my experience in travelling to a great many places around the globe) is usually in the price of the room...that said, not terribly expensive...
Thanks for all of your help....
Rich S.
Dear Jessica,
My husband and I found Sorrento Suites a wonderful place to stay. It felt like very much like home. The apartment was clean, tastefully furnished and equipped with modern fittings. The location was very convenient - close to the train station, the old town and public transportation to other Amalfi towns such as Positano, Amalfi, Capri etc. A car is definitely not required!
The hotel staff was ever so helpful and polite. We really enjoyed our stay and would recommend Sorrento Suites to anyone reading our comments.
Best regards,
Yvette O.
Hi jessica,
My wife, Denise, and I had an amazing honeymoon in Sorrento. The apartments were more than we had wished for and Giuseppe (is this right?) was such a lovely person to be greeted by every morning. Despite arriving a day late and having to pay a small fortune to get there, as my wife got dates mixed up and we nearly divorced, we found Sorrento to be a beautiful place with so much to offer, and so romantic, just what the doctor had ordered after our bad start. We look forward to going back ,thanks for all you help and information. Our favourite restaurant was one recommended by you, I think it was Z'Intonio? brilliant food and the staff great fun.
Bye for now.
Denise C.'s husband
Jessica,
Sorrento Suites was a beautiful and wonderful place to stay. We had a great trip and the accommodations were wonderful. Thanks so much for assisting us in making our arrangements.
Jane R.
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