Need some help with Naples and hotels

[mafiadon]

I will be staying in Naples for 3 days and don't know the city at all. We are doing the Amalfi coast and Capri on our own. We don't know the best part of the city to stay and a reasonable hotel, if someone could give me some direction as to which area and hotel I would really appreciate it. Thanks for and info Linda

[cberge]

I will be staying in Naples for 3 days and don't know the city at all. We are doing the Amalfi coast and Capri on our own. We don't know the best part of the city to stay and a reasonable hotel, if someone could give me some direction as to which area and hotel I would really appreciate it. Thanks for and info Linda

 

 

I can't help you out re Naples as have only benn in and out now and then,but have you considered staying in Sorrento? That was my first thought when I saw your post. I know there are much more informed poster who will be of help to you..it was just a thought.You can start by looking on Venere.com for hotels as it gives pricing and location as well. At least it is a start.

[cruisemom42]

If your main objectives are to visit Capri and do the Amalfi Coast, Sorrento might be a better choice. Ferries/hydrofoils depart Sorrento to Capri regularly and it's closer to the Amalfi drive. (The Circumvesuviana rail line also links you to Herculaneum, Pompeii, Villa Oplontis, and Naples itself.) It also happens to be a pleasant (if somewhat dull) place to base yourself. I stayed there for a week in 2012 while exploring all the area around Vesuvius.

[euro cruiser]

If you do decide to stay in Naples, I like the area around Piazza Municipio, as it's quite central and good for transportation. I've stayed at the Renaissance Naples Hotel Mediterraneo several times, and I'll be staying at the Mercure next month for one night before I can move into my apartment. A good friend stayed at Hotel Chiaia and loved the location (if not the hotel).

[I-Cruiser]

Lungomare Caracciolo is a pleasant area to stay in. Its by the beach promenade/wateront with wonderful views over the Bay of Naples. You can see Mt. Vesuvius and Capri.

We stayed a while back at the Grand Hotel Vesuvio.

 

Like someone mentioned in an earlier post saying Naples is a dull place to stay.

I thought the same until I found an internet site called Napoli Unplugged.

The site is loaded with info and things to do.

http://www.napoliunplugged.com/

[cruisemom42]

 

Like someone mentioned in an earlier post saying Naples is a dull place to stay.

I thought the same until I found an internet site called Napoli Unplugged.

The site is loaded with info and things to do.

http://www.napoliunplugged.com/

 

Actually, I said that Sorrento was a rather dull place to stay. Naples has a lot more going on. :D I'll be staying there next time I'm in the area. However, some people don't like the rather urban environment.

Edited January 11, 2014 by cruisemom42

[I-Cruiser]

Actually, I said that Sorrento was a rather dull place to stay. Naples has a lot more going on. :D I'll be staying there next time I'm in the area. However, some people don't like the rather urban environment.

 

Excellent:D

[Hlitner]

Hmmm. At the risk of getting chided by my fellow poster, Euro) we will agree with some of the other comments that Naples is not the best place to stay in the region. In fact, when we are doing long driving vacations in Italy, we generally avoid Naples like the plague...although the city does have some charms. If staying in the area (and we have spent 2 week-long stays in the area) we prefer to stay along the Amalfi Coast in a small town called Praiano. This is about 4-5 miles east of Positano and allows us to find a place with reasonable prices and free parking (a big problem in Positano). That being said, for 2 or 3 nights we think that Positano is the place to be (if you do not have a car). Sorrento is the major city on the Amalfi Coast and offers more reasonably priced hotels/motels and also serves as the main overnight place for most lower priced tours. But we just think that most of Sorrento lacks the charm we find in places like Positano, Ravello (another great place to stay if you have a car) or even our little village of Praiano.

 

Hank

[Tommy3putts]

Agree with previous posts. Sorrento is a great place to stay. We were there this past August. Much more convenient to Amalfi. If you do stay in Naples avoid the hotels near the train station.

[euro cruiser]

Hmmm. At the risk of getting chided by my fellow poster, Euro) we will agree with some of the other comments that Naples is not the best place to stay in the region. In fact, when we are doing long driving vacations in Italy, we generally avoid Naples like the plague...although the city does have some charms.

Had to end the quote with that particular line!

 

With a car I'd avoid the city as well, it's of no use and can even be a liability.

 

If relying on mass transit, on the other hand, Naples is a better location.

 

I've stayed in Sorrento and I just don't see the attraction. It's not even particularly well located, which was why we chose to stay there. I thought it would be a good place to radiate out from, but other than the day we took the boat to Capri and the day we drove down the coast and back, we wasted unending amounts of time getting on and off the Sorrentine peninsula.

 

If you want to be on the Amalfi Coast, go and stay there, as Hank suggests.

Edited January 12, 2014 by euro cruiser

[Tommy3putts]

Wow it's interesting how opinions differ from person to person. We spent three nights in Sorrento this last summer and thoroughly enjoyed it it. We liked the location and proximity. We will probably spend our Naples port day there and in Positano on our June Med cruise.

[24butterfly]

Naples is a real jewel that gets a bad rap.....There's the Archaeological museum, the Piazzale Reale, the magnificent sculptures and frescoes in the Capella San Severo, the food----....

[Tommy3putts]

The pizza don't suck

[agabbymama]

Actually, if you fork out the $$ for a private driver, Naples has quite a bit to offer. We didn't plan a lot of time there, as were heading to Pompeii and Sorrento, but our driver insisted we had to see the sights of Naples. I couldn't tell you now what we saw, but the architecture is awesome. We stopped at a University, a Museum, the Castello (of course), the Port Building, etc.

 

Unlike some other posters, I found Sorrento delightful. Just enough scenery for this old person with a fear of heights. I would not want to take the road to Amalfi :eek: Sorrento gave us the best of both Worlds. We were able to see just a bit of the scenery of the Coast, and shop for wooden goods and walk the back alleys to see their wares on sale, then have lunch at a restaurant right in the heart of town. We discovered a small train type trolley tour as we were leaving, so we didn't get to take that.

 

I think we spent 1.5 hours in Pompeii, 4 hours in Sorrento and 1.5 hours in Naples. With driving time, it filled the port day in Naples, at a cost of 100 EUR each.

 

We call it our best day of a 21 day trip, like watching the Lives of the Rich and Famous (tv show), but we were living it. Our private driver stopped when and where we wanted to stop, carried our packages, escorted us across the streets, etc. He was so concerned that two older ladies were travelling Italy by themselves, and became our protector.

 

If I were spending 3-4 days in the area, I would definitely give Sorrento a look. Have a great trip wherever you decide to stay.

Edited January 17, 2014 by agabbymama

[Hlitner]

Naples is a real jewel that gets a bad rap.....There's the Archaeological museum, the Piazzale Reale, the magnificent sculptures and frescoes in the Capella San Severo, the food----....

 

Oh My! Euro-Cruiser must have secretly put you up to posting that "gem" :). Actually, we do agree that Naples has its charm and the museum is certainly world-class. But to paraphrase W.C. Fields, all in all I would rather be in Ravello or Positano.

:cool:

Hank

[24butterfly]

Oh My! Euro-Cruiser must have secretly put you up to posting that "gem" :). Actually, we do agree that Naples has its charm and the museum is certainly world-class. But to paraphrase W.C. Fields, all in all I would rather be in Ravello or Positano.

:cool:

Hank

 

No--LOL...But I've been in all three that u list, and each has its charms...Depends on what u r in the mood for at the time.....

[cruisemom42]

Oh My! Euro-Cruiser must have secretly put you up to posting that "gem" :). Actually, we do agree that Naples has its charm and the museum is certainly world-class. But to paraphrase W.C. Fields, all in all I would rather be in Ravello or Positano.

:cool:

Hank

 

I am starting to think that Naples is an acquired taste. It has a complex history stretching all the way back to the Greeks -- I read somewhere it is one of the oldest continually inhabited cities. (Remember, Athens basically vanished as a city after the Roman empire faded...and Rome was also nearly deserted. Naples lived on.)

 

Here's a recent and interesting take on Naples from the New York Times:

 

http://thechronicleherald.ca/travel/1180517-the-gritty-charms-of-naples-cast-a-spell

 

Perhaps it is from years of looking at scattered Roman or Greek ruins and using my imagination to fill in what they used to be like, that I can do the same with cities. I can see beyond the dilapidation of an Alexandria or a Naples and appreciate what was once there -- and what is still there: a boatload of art and history.

 

"Easy" places like Positano and Ravello have little attraction for me. I've been in Naples 3 times on cruises and spent a week in Sorrento and some time in Pozzuoli. Soon I'll be in Naples for even longer than that -- but I have yet to visit the Amalfi Coast. (Probably won't on this trip either. ;))

[badtwin]

We gave Naples a second chance in November 2013. We walked from the cruise port to train station, then, after return from Herculaneum, from train station to archeological museum then somewhat circuitously back to port. There is wonderful architecture and some grand old buildings but what is most striking is the garbage. Literally piles everywhere as well as tons of litter. And no one seems to know how to pick up after a dog. It is hard to enjoy the scenery when you have to constantly watch where you step.

 

It is one thing to look past decay of old buildings. It is another when the city can't seem to cope with basic sanitation. I don't see us returning to Naples on any future trip.

[Hlitner]

We gave Naples a second chance in November 2013. We walked from the cruise port to train station, then, after return from Herculaneum, from train station to archeological museum then somewhat circuitously back to port. There is wonderful architecture and some grand old buildings but what is most striking is the garbage. Literally piles everywhere as well as tons of litter. And no one seems to know how to pick up after a dog. It is hard to enjoy the scenery when you have to constantly watch where you step.

 

It is one thing to look past decay of old buildings. It is another when the city can't seem to cope with basic sanitation. I don't see us returning to Naples on any future trip.

 

ARGH! We can smell it from here :). Naples has a long and ugly history when it comes to garbage collection (and lack thereof) and I suppose some enterprising Italian has probably written (or will soon write) a book on the history of the Naples Garbage Dilemma. Like many frequent visitors to this part of Italy we have learned to stay clear of Naples whenever they have a garbage strike (which happens too darn often). But between those piles of garbage there might be a wonderful pizza place waiting to serve you a classic Pizza Margarita.

 

Largely because of the CC online prodding of Euro-Cruiser, DW and I have spent several days plodding the main and back streets of Naples. Some of the city is quite beautiful, but most is not. There are some fine buildings, and many more building that would be fine if they had been maintained anytime in the past century. There are excellent restaurants...and many that are not. The streets are relatively safe to walk in the daytime....but like any city there are neighborhoods where one would feel a degree of unease day or night.

 

And I really had to smile at "Cruisemom's" comment about "easy" places like Ravello. If one wants to use the "easy" term when it comes to some of the most beautiful places in Italy, then count me on the "easy" team. Ask DW what she remembers about Ravello, and she would quickly say the best glass of Lemoncello she has ever tasted. And then there are the amazing views (from all sides). A good friend of DD recently decided to have a destination wedding and could have done it anywhere in Europe. They chose Ravello. I a not sure that anyone on earth has chosen Naples for a destination wedding :). As to Positano, it has long been a destination for many jetsetters for good reason. But I would add that if you take a cruise ship bus excursion the only way you will see Positano is from the road above as this community has had the good sense to ban all tour buses from its streets.

 

One of my best friends lived in Naples for 2 years while he was in the US Navy (they had a maintenance base at the port). He loved Naples and has told his friends to visit the place. But my friend lived in Naples back in the early 70s...and he finally returned last year. He no longer tells his friends to go to Naples :) And yes, he had returned there during one of their lengthy garbage strikes.

 

Hank

[cruisemom42]

And I really had to smile at "Cruisemom's" comment about "easy" places like Ravello. If one wants to use the "easy" term when it comes to some of the most beautiful places in Italy, then count me on the "easy" team. Ask DW what she remembers about Ravello, and she would quickly say the best glass of Lemoncello she has ever tasted. And then there are the amazing views (from all sides). A good friend of DD recently decided to have a destination wedding and could have done it anywhere in Europe. They chose Ravello. I a not sure that anyone on earth has chosen Naples for a destination wedding :). As to Positano, it has long been a destination for many jetsetters for good reason. But I would add that if you take a cruise ship bus excursion the only way you will see Positano is from the road above as this community has had the good sense to ban all tour buses from its streets.

 

 

 

I'm sure Positano and Ravello are absolutely lovely. Like everyone else I've seen the movies and photos. It's just me; I'm a city rat. (Doesn't have to be a modern city; ancient ones that no longer exist -- like Carthage -- are fine too.)

 

I took a lovely New Year's cruise on Celebrity Silhouette -- beautiful ship, beautiful weather, beautiful views. I was bored out of my skull by about day 4-5. ;)

 

On the garbage topic, it's my understanding that Naples' longstanding garbage problems are largely related to organized crime.

[Hlitner]

I really want to be diplomatic and not ruffle any feathers, but let me be clear. If one is going to recommend one place over another, in an area with many options, they should first make it their business to sample all the options. If one has only had steak at Ponderosa..they might say that Ponderosa has the best steak on earth. But take that same person to Morton's or another world-class steak house and we suspect they might change their mind about the quality of that Ponderosa Steak. We think it is the same with the Port of Naples. There are many options for this place (Pompeii, Herculanium, Sorrento, Positano, Ravello, Capri, Paestum, and Naples are just a few of the options (there are more). If one has experienced most of what this region has to offer (and its pretty amazing) and still thinks Naples is the best (or one of the best) options, then one must really respect that opinion. But not having experienced all (or most) of the regional options makes any recommendation very suspect.

 

We have enjoyed this part of Italy on several vacations as well as many port days. For a port day when you must pick and choose (you cannot possibly do it all in a port day) we think that Naples would be near the bottom of our list. Yes, DW and I have enjoyed exploring Naples, and part of the reason we did spend time in Naples was because of some comments made here on CC That being said, of all the options in the region..Naples would still be very low on our list and we say this having been all the aforementioned places (some on many occasions).

 

Just one humble travelers opinion...

 

Hank

Edited January 22, 2014 by Hlitner

[Tommy3putts]

Morton's steaks are over priced. We prefer "Rays the Steaks" here in NoVA! :-)

[cruisemom42]

I really want to be diplomatic and not ruffle any feathers, but let me be clear. If one is going to recommend one place over another, in an area with many options, they should first make it their business to sample all the options. If one has only had steak at Ponderosa..they might say that Ponderosa has the best steak on earth. But take that same person to Morton's or another world-class steak house and we suspect they might change their mind about the quality of that Ponderosa Steak. We think it is the same with the Port of Naples. There are many options for this place (Pompeii, Herculanium, Sorrento, Positano, Ravello, Capri, Paestum, and Naples are just a few of the options (there are more). If one has experienced most of what this region has to offer (and its pretty amazing) and still thinks Naples is the best (or one of the best) options, then one must really respect that opinion. But not having experienced all (or most) of the regional options makes any recommendation very suspect.

 

 

We have enjoyed this part of Italy on several vacations as well as many port days. For a port day when you must pick and choose (you cannot possibly do it all in a port day) we think that Naples would be near the bottom of our list. Yes, DW and I have enjoyed exploring Naples, and part of the reason we did spend time in Naples was because of some comments made here on CC That being said, of all the options in the region..Naples would still be very low on our list and we say this having been all the aforementioned places (some on many occasions).

 

Just one humble travelers opinion...

 

Hank

 

You haven't ruffled any feathers. You've always been extremely helpful and I've gotten much good advice from you over the years on DIY at various ports. However, I think I may have inadvertently ruffled yours with the "easy" comment. :o

 

I meant no slur on Positano or Ravello. All I was trying to say, perhaps unclearly, is that towns like them (and many others) tend to put all their charms out there for everyone to see and easily grasp. Other places require you as a traveler to work a bit harder to understand their own, very different charms. That's all I meant. And clearly many vacationers enjoy places such as this, hence their popularity.

 

If you review all my posts, you'll find I don't necessarily recommend Naples for everyone. In fact, if you'll go back to the beginning of this thread, I recommended that the OP stay in Sorrento instead, for logistical reasons based on what they wanted to do and see.

 

What I do say occasionally is that Naples need not be dismissed out of hand or regarded as the gutter of the world.

 

For what it's worth, I have been to most destinations in and around Campania, including Capri, Paestum, Pompeii, Herculaneum, Pozzuoli, Baia, Cumae, Sorrento and Naples. (In my previous post I was only listing places where I've actually spent more time than just a day trip.) I'm sure I will eventually make it to Positano and Ravello. ;)

[Hlitner]

We do agree that some cities (especially the larger cities) can take some work and lots of research to figure out how to best discover it's charms and hidden gems. But we also see some folks saying things like, "I would never go to Capri because it is a tourist trap" or "I would not waste time at the Vatican because its full of tourists." :)

 

The reality is that many of the most popular tourist "traps" are have become tourist traps because they are simply the most amazing places. While we also love ferreting out those hidden little gems that are not well known or understood, we think a majority of tourists are often taking "the trip of a lifetime" and want to see the most famous attractions on their first (of even first few) visits. DW and I have been working hard at learning about the ins and outs of Naples (on our last two trips to the area) because we were shamed here on CC by Euro-Cruiser :). But to be honest, the more we learn about Naples the less we like it when compared to other places in the same region.

 

And Cruisemom, you need to somehow visit the Amalfi Coast on a future trip. Just do not do it on a cruise line excursion...since the only way to really explore this part of Italy is on a small private tour or on your own (not easy to do). DW still likes to talk about her first visit to Positano where she found a great pair of handmade loafers at a fair price. I have never understood the female thing about shoes...but I guess there are quite a few ladies who rate places based on their shoe stores :) Its just another example of how different folks are looking for different things on their trips.

 

Hank

[mafiadon]

We have decided to stay at the Grand Hotel Santa Lucia, it seems to have a good location and it was also recommended by one the the Dr.'s that is friends with the couple we are traveling with. I guess I won't know until I get there but it has good reviews. Thank you all so much for your input I greatly appreciate it. Linda