Grand Hotel Vesuvio

Everything was amazing

The view from the room - once we requested to move from a back bedroom - was beautiful. Stunning view from the restaurant over the sea to Mount Vesuvius.

The breakfast was disappointing: instant coffee (despite appearances) and terrible juice. Nothing was fresh, unless you knew to request fresh-cooked eggs. The staff in the restaurant were rude, especially the restaurant manager. The first room we were put in was dark and faced an ugly hill right at the back of it. The hotel was a long walk from the town centre - although there was a regular shuttle bus provided by the hotel. The food was dreadful, and room service was unavailable - when I tried to access it for dinner the staff did not answer the phone.

We stayed at this hotel last week and got back on Saturday. the hotel is located out of town and is around a 20 minute walk into the centre. There is a free shuttle bus to take you to and from town which runs like clockwork. it doesn't run between 1 and 4.30 so if you want to come back to the hotel or go into Sorrento between those times you will need to walk. We walked most days into town and although there are no pavements for around 50% of the walk we had no issues and it was a nice walk with lovely views. However, I would not recommend the walk in the dark! We walked once back to the hotel in the dark and it wasn't safe due to the volume of traffic, bendy roads and the Italians drive like crazy people! opposite the hotel there is a car park and Olive grove you can walk through which cuts a few minutes off the walk. The hotel itself is clean, the staff can't do enough to help you and the sea view was amazing. The rooms were cleaned every day and was to a high standard. We stayed half board. The breakfast was lovely, pastries, hot food, cereals cheese ham etc and one morning the waiter got us ham and cheese omelettes which were huge and delicious. the evening meal, this was a bit hit and miss. the first night we weren't impressed at all but it got better. The food was hot and there was around 5 choices of starter and main. We found the starters nicer than the mains most nights. We did see people ask for one starter and then another starter as a main and that was accommodated no problem. We ate at the hotel every night and all the staff were friendly and couldn't do enough to help. The meat was far too over cooked for me and so I stuck to pasta or fish dishes. There was two choices for desert along with fruit and ice cream, the cheesecake was amazing the best cheesecake I have ever eaten! there is no children's menu, which wasn't an issue for us as my son is 14 but I could see it being an issue for younger children. We had a good laugh around the bread rolls as they were like rubber. We had an early check out so the day before we got a note through our door saying there would be a breakfast packed up for us at reception to take with us. It had meat cheese 3 bread rolls fruit and a drink which we weren't expecting and was very much appreciated. There was a gym, we didn't use it but looked clean and tidy. the pool bar was closed due to the time of year so I cant comment on that. the pool looked lovely but again we didn't use it as the water was freezing but it was end of October so expected. Football was on in the bar most nights, we didn't watch it but it was there if that's what you wanted. The views from our room were of Vesuvius and the Sorrento coast line, including the harbour and Marina Grande. The room had the metal shutters to keep out the light in a morning. The hotel was very quite while we were there as it was the week they were closing down for the winter. All in all it is a lovely hotel, I would have no hesitation in going back to stay there I would consider going B&B instead of half board.

I found the staff/waiters was a lot older & didn't have a lot of time for you specially in the restaurant I asked a couple of questions about the food & he just walked off so rude. The food is rubbish same every day you don't get a buffet you pick from the menu but I found i didn't like anything on menu you only had a limited choice. An the pudding are awful if you don't like the choice of 2 you've got to have fruit. We didn't know that you could get salad which is yr starter. When we first went to the restaurant the first night me & my husband just looked at each other an "said is that it is that all you get" honestly you do not get a lot in yr plate when the waiters bring it. A lot of people was complaining about the food. The hotel was very clean spotless. No other complaints just the food let it down. 🙁

The staff were excellent in their service and seemed content in their duties. Clean rooms and public facilities. Excellent pool but sadly too cold to use on this trip. The food was of mixed quality and evening meals were often buffet style. The Italian dishes supplied were excellent but the attempts at providing U.K. style meat dishes were much less successful. The courtesy bus to and from central Sorrento was very useful although there is a long gap of ‘no service’ in the middle of each day. Room 433 was not the best. There is a corridor above and early morning wheeling of baggage was disturbing to sleep. The rooms are staggered in geography and the bathroom of the adjacent room (432) abutted the bed head. The early morning bath between 04.30-05.30 taken by the next door resident was very disturbing as each time a tap was used there was a resounding clunk through the wall. Noise from use of the toilet was similarly transmitted. The room had a balcony and sea view over the bay of Naples. The balcony faces north and was not usable as the outside temperature was low. Timing of visits should be considered carefully as there was no heating in the hotel. The air con suit in the room was a reverse cycle type but declined to provide any heat. 2 duvets and a blanket sufficed to keep warm when in bed.

Lots to like about this hotel plus a few niggles which we’ll get out of the way first. Breakfast was a bit disappointing: I don’t eat meat and asked if vegetarian sausages were available. Was told, nowhere in italy were meatless sausages available. Gotta be nonsense! Scrambled egg and mushrooms were it. Not even any baked beans. Every day? Nah. Were there several days before we discovered you could ask for fried or boiled eggs and omelettes. Endless quantities of carbs displayed though. Fortunately i do eat fish, useful as the menu flags up aubergine or courgette parmigiana as the vegetarian option, which it isn’t of course as Parmesan is set with animal rennet. We were there a fortnight and I shan’t be in a hurry to eat fish now I’m home. The free shuttle bus works well but it would’ve been nice to have a safe walk into town. Twisty roads, no pavement and kami kazi Vespa drivers put us off. Views from the hotel are stunning but Sorrento is v busy, noisy and full of diesel fumes. Didn’t like the place at all, unlike when we were there 25+ years ago. Totally ruined. Lots of pluses at the hotel, though. Lovely staff, beautifully clean everywhere, public areas spacious and well appointed - full of luxurious plants. Gardens lovely, as is the pool area. Only place with piped music was the pool bar but there were loads of peaceful corners to hide away. Some comments on here complain of there being no toiletries in the bathroom. We had shampoo, soap, body lotion, shower caps all good. Our room, balcony and en suite all spacious and welcoming. We chose not to pay extra for a sea view as that puts you at the front where the busy road is and the sun disappears off the balconies early. Stick with a garden view. Not sure i need the bed linen changed every day - think of the environment! - but maybe that’s necessary when temperatures are high. All in all loved the hotel, just wished it wasn’t in Sorrento!

Our room is on the sea view side. Our bed is huge and firm. We both slept well. We are here half board. The food changes every day and is brought to your table, by one of the host of waiters. The hotel bar has a large veranda where you can soak up the sun, the views and a cool beer. Before we arrived, I had a romantic notion that we could walk down into the town. Italy doesn’t use footpaths and therefore you would have to walk down the road, which in this part of the hillside are very tight. The hotel has a free shuttle bus. The only negative is the price of drinks in the bar and restaurant. A can of beer costs €4.50, but in the supermarket only €0.79. And that there isn’t a kettle in the room. We brits like a cup of tea in the morning.

Great location but far from everything, they have shuttle but once an hour which is not very convenient