Grand Hotel Royal

Grand Hotel Royal details

This elegant clifftop retreat comes with attentive service and amazing views.

It’s as if this hotel has a private box to take in Sorrento’s views. From its clifftop position, it looks right out over the Bay of Naples, with Vesuvius on the horizon. And when you look down, you’ll see the Marina Piccolo - the departure point for the tour boats that sail along the Riviera. On the subject of sightseeing, you’re also pretty close to Sorrento’s old centre. Its main piazza and the train station are just a five-minute walk from the door.

Looks-wise, the hotel is coolly classical. Fine antiques, oil paintings and period furnishings dominate in the foyer, with the rooms continuing in the same elegant vein. Expect Louis XV-style chairs, inlaid furniture and marbled bathrooms. And the colour palette is all soft aquas or rich yellows. Most come with balconies overlooking the gardens or sea, plus satellite TVs and air-conditioning.

Outside, you’ve got an oval pool surrounded by palms, orange trees and terraces peppered with canopied sunloungers. Alongside, there’s an al fresco restaurant serving authentic Neapolitan pizzas and ice- creams with a side order of sea views. A lift also runs down to the beach, where you’ll find sunbathing decks and steps down into the water.

There’s the cuisine to consider as well. Cue buffet breakfasts with generous hot and cold selections. Dinner is served in the same restaurant. The bow-tied waiters here synchronise the lifting of your silver service cover in time with your fellow diners. Nearby, meanwhile, there’s the Caprice - a balustraded drinks terrace where a pianist plays on high summer evenings.