We absolutely adored our quick trip (2days) to Rapallo and this charming hotel. Beautiful views,…read moreexcellent service and perfectly located. Drove to Rapallo after spending 3 days at Lake Como (hotel reviewed separately). We arrived on Sunday afternoon (drove in from Como). Upon checking in, weather was perfect so we went out to the pool area for some fresh made Bellini's and to catch some rays. Very nice and large area to lay out. Walked down the steps for a dip in the Sea. The gym is also excellent. Fully stocked with machines and free weights/dumbbells, treadmills and elliptical. Plan was to drive to Portofino for dinner. Being that it was Sunday evening and Mother's Day, traffic was light and parking was easy. Took advice from Angelo at front desk and went to a fabulous restaurant in Portofino "Dai Gemilli". (Amazing! Highly recommend) The next day we caught the ferry and took a trip back to Portofino to see the sights and light shopping. Ferried to Santa Margherita for lunch and walking around and back to our hotel. Will definitely stay here again our next trip to the area.

If you have never stayed at a quality hotel then this will be a fine experience for you. They are…read moreclearly coasting on the beautiful location that they are lucky to have. The hotel is well past it's golden age and it shows. The Excelsior Palace Hotel is a joke and a disgrace to all 5 star hotels. I have been treated better at a truck stop gas station, the staff (aside from a select few) are all extremely unprofessional and unpleasant to be around. They do not listen and talk over you, have an attitude when you ask simple questions and punish you if you ask for help. If you are used to staying at 2-3 star hotels you will have a fine experience. But if you are looking for quality, you won't find it here. Your money will be better spent at a villa or literally anywhere else. I can't say I was satisfied after any meal and was shocked by the high price and dismal portions. I can't speak for the lord byron restaurant because it was closed while I was there. My review on the food is for the beach club restaurant. Additionally, they only offer a buffet style continental breakfast. If you don't care about sick children breathing on all your food before you eat it then enjoy! Whatever the case, I do not recommend this place to anyone and it's baffling to me that they are able to maintain a 5 state status.

My wife, 24 year old granddaughter & I stayed one week at Hotel Vesuvio. The hotel is 50 meters…read morefrom the harbor. We stayed on the 3rd floor with a view from our balcony of the water that could not be better. We had a two room unit with A/C, One bedroom had two double beds and second smaller room one single bed. The bath room had a stall shower, toilet, bidet and sink. There is an elevator, breakfast room, front inclosed patio. The owner, manager Luciano did not hesitate to help in every way possible. All car parking is on the street and the parking enforcement police will ticket starting at 8:00am. Luciano helped with parking display recite each day without being asked. The area around the hotel has many fantastic restaurants, gelato shops, pizza shops and retail stores. Breakfast is served from 7:00 to 9:30am containing cold sliced meats, cheese, yogurt, pastries, bread, jellies, coffee, tea, juice. The morning we departed they had breakfast set up for "us" at 5:30am. Across the street is the pier for the ferry boat to Portafino. Our stay at Hotel Vesuvio was one of the best memories we have from our European trip. Thanks Luciano

While it didn't look like much from outside, this place is really great once you get in. It's about…read morea 5 or 10 minute walk to the waterfront/Beach or train station, respectively. Plus, its location off the main road makes it nice and quiet at night. Very clean hotel and room, and a crib was set up for our daughter upon arrival. Also of note- the owners are very eco-conscience; all the toiletries, tissues, etc. are made from compostable materials, etc.- it's one of the more progressive hotels we've stayed at! Breakfast was filling and plentiful with Italian espresso made fresh on ordering, with a back patio perfect for enjoying the meal. The owners were extremely friendly and knowledgeable and ready to help us with anything local. They were so nice, they even switched their lobby tv to english, then invited me over so we could watch a movie together. Not to mention my daughter loved their sweetheart little dog and saltwater tank (which boasts both nemo & dori, of course!) This hotel is highly recommended, we will definitely stay here again if we ever find ourselves back in the area.

Very clean, quite, good breakfast in the morning. The owner is very friendly and is happy to answer…read moreall your questions.

Beautifully appointed hotel. Room was spacious and the hotel was immaculate. Breakfast, which was…read moreincluded, was fabulous. Walking distance to everything, including the train station. Very accommodating owners. Would definitely return and certain do recommend.

Very cosy b&b in the beautiful mansion. Host Giovanni is very helpful even if English is not his…read morebest asset. It really is a mansion placed 3 minutes from the marine centrally and very close to good restaurants. It IS city and daytime noise from playing children and traffic is present if outside but inside it cannot be heard. There is good air conditioning. The breakfast is very nice and sufficient although not a bit continental breakfast. You get your own key for entering at all times. You can not hear your neighbors and you have a floor for yourself.

Wow! Such an improvement over our digs in Naples! We have a room that has a huge balcony over the…read moresea, the room is clean and so well appointed. The breakfast is nice too. Our bathroom has it all! Tub and separate shower stall. The staff is friendly, and the bed is comfy with nice bedding. I would come back in a heartbeat! It's a great place to have day trips to Cinque Terra as the train station is near by, and Rapallo has a nice riviera ambiance. By the way, Cinque Terra is beyond crowded-so don't bother.

Comfortable, luxurious, and convenient. Located just on the edge of town, free parking is offered…read moreto all guests and there is no driving through ZTL zones. The grounds are impeccable and tropical with colors and flowers and palms everywhere. The location is utterly stunning. Up on a cliff a bit over the water, the views reach both ways down the coast. The breakfast room (which also serves as one of the main restaurants) has giant windows that make you feel like you are in a painting. Just a two minute walk and you are on the main boardwalk with all the cafes and restaurants and shops Camogli has to offer. The grocery store, several other cafes, and several produce stores are a short walk up the hill. The private beach sealed the deal for me. Plenty of loungers were always available either on the beach or the little sun decks & jetties and the attendants were happy to set up for either sun or shade. The shore is not sand but small rocks - I had no trouble navigating but many others kept on sandals. There is also a diving platform down the small paved jetty that allowed easy entry into the water if you didn't want to walk in on the rocks. The floating barrier detracted a bit from the scenery but kept the water free of debris. It was also sometimes a little difficult to tell if lounges were available or being saved. The pool was large and clean and had great views from the cliff. Our lunch at the bar was alright, the trofie and shrimp were good but very oily. Breakfast was outstanding - ridiculous selection of pastries, fruits, hot dishes, meats, cheeses, etc. We had dinner once on the property and were treated to an almost private experience in the dining room and a delicious dinner of whole roasted sea bass. We walked to a local pasta shop for lunch and brought it back for a quiet lunch in the hotel garden. Our room was cool and comfortable with a fridge and luxury sized toiletries. Staff was friendly and helpful. I hope someday we can return.

A paradise on the Tyrethian Sea. My wife didn't tell me how much it cost, but it was worth it. The…read moreperfect place to relax, and try to forget the nightmare of traveling from West Palm to Milan. Customs sucks. Traveling sucks. Anyway , the view of the city and and sea is amazing. The room was perfect. The hotel also has a restaurant and a bar that serves drinks and snacks during the beautiful sunset. They have a pool, and a free private beach attached to the hotel. Everyone who worked there were very nice, helpful and diligent with there duties. The hotel is pristine. This was the best hotel I have ever stayed at. Period.

This hotel has been lovingly restored and designed. It's pink with white shutters, and seems to be…read moreone of the bigger hotels in this area. The staff are friendly, and they set up a third bed in a double room for me and my friends. We fit comfortably, and were exited to see a real bathtub. The floor we stayed on is lavender in color and theme which is really pretty. Towels are soft. The main beds were more comfortable than the cot, but that's to be expected.

We stayed for four nights at this hotel in order to visit Portofino and the Cinque Terre and we…read morewere almost happy with everything ! The hotel is perfectly located, 5 minutes from the station (on the way there is a supermarket), and really close to the beaches and the city centre too. The rooms were clean and nice, with air conditioning :-) The water debit in our shower was really poor, but apart from this, we were happy with our room. The breakfast is served as a buffet. You need to order any kind of coffee from the hotel staff but apart from this, everything is on self service. The juices were not freshly squeezed, there were different kind of pastries, bread, and also cheese, mozzarella, tomato, etc. Breakfast was ok. We chose the half board formula and so we had dinner there every night. There was a menu especially for the hotel members on half board with a choice of three primi piatti, three secondi piatti and two desserts. My husband is vegetarian and there was not always an option for him : the first day they offered him grilled vegetables as a secondo piatto (this was a bit disappointing as it was a side dish). The next day, they tried to offer the same option but he managed to get something else. The food was overall nice and tasty. On Sunday, they had a big buffet with tons of different food and an orchestra playing, it was really a nice evening ! The hotel also has a spa. As an hotel guest, you are entitled to 90 minutes in the spa for free. You need to book with the reception or the spa reception. There are a sauna, hammam, swimming pool with massaging jets and a relaxing room. It's a small area, maybe 10 persons can enjoy the spa at the same time. There are not enough chairs around the pool, so this was a bit annoying as we didn't know where to put our towels... Anyway, the lady at the spa reception was nice and helpful. We had a lot of questions for the staff at the reception about how to visit the area. They were really helpful and nice and gave us good advice. Regarding the restaurant, the waiters have to be sorted in two groups. Some were really nice and cheerful and friendly. Others looked annoyed, bored and like they really didn't want to be there... Take your pick. We really enjoyed our stay and we were really amazed by the beauty of the Cinque Terre and Portofino.