This hotel was a true gem run by the loveliest people you’ll ever meet. However, be prepared for lengthy commutes to and from downtown Sorrento if you do not have a car.

Villa Fiorita has a lot to offer – quiet surrounding, astonishing views, excellent food, pool and the most wonderful staff. The only downfall is the lengthy and tiresome commute to and from Sorrento’s downtown. After the initial excitement from the scenic bus ride up the mountain wears off, the commute becomes a tiresome ordeal. Unfortunately, the buses to and from the hotel are not very frequent and by the time the bus reaches Villa Fiorita from the neighboring village of Saint Agatha, it is often packed full, so you have to stand if you can get on at all. The air conditioners did not work on a single bus we took. The commute down to Sorrento’s downtown is around 30 minutes and involves a rather scary drive down the narrow mountain road.

Even more difficult it is for the unprepared tourists to discern which of the many buses leaving the Sorrento train station will take them to the hotel. The hotel staff has given me very useful instructions on how to reach them. Buy the 1 euro bus tickets in the newspaper shop right outside of the train station. You need to stamp one ticket per person as you board the bus. The buses aren't numbered, only the destination is shown. Look for the following destinations: SANT'AGATA VIA NASTRO VERDE or NERANO VIA NASTRO VERDE or any destination with VIA NASTRO VERDE or VIA PRIORA. For good measure ask the driver whether the bus stops at Villa Fiorita. Normally they would remember your question and stop the bus in front of the hotel, but you should sit close to the driver the first time you make this trip and maybe remind them of where you need them to stop. Unfortunately the drivers do not speak a word of English, so the confused tourists are a very familiar site at the train station.

Keep in mind that in the evening (ask the front desk for exact bus schedule), the bus leaves from BEHIND the train station and not in front of it as it does during the day.

On the positive side, the hotel was absolutely lovely and charming! Our room had the most fantastic view and was very cozy. Unfortunately the sewage smell from the bathroom drain was quite strong, so we placed a wet towel over it, which helped a lot. When booking, try and reserve a room with the ocean view – it is truly worth it!

We stayed in Villa Fiorita in May, and although it got quite hot, the pool never warmed through and it was almost impossible to get in since the water was so cold.

The hotel offers dinner service in the evenings and although we did eat in Sorrento once on the front desk’s recommendation, after we tried the hotel food we decided not to eat in the city again. This allowed us to relax and enjoy our meal without having to worry about missing the bus back to the hotel and having to endure the 20-30 minute commute in a stuffy bus. The meals were affordable and delicious.

The breakfast in this hotel is spectacular! They offer it all – fruit, yogurt, cheese, ham, variety of breads, delicious pastry, milk, cereal, jam and chocolate/hazelnut spread, juice, coffee and tea. This is the best european breakfast we had during the entire trip. Come down for breakfast early and you might score the table by the window and enjoy the view during your meal.

Overall, the good in this hotel so far outweighed the bad for us (namely, commute – nothing against the hotel itself) that we would definitely recommend anyone to stay here. Very friendly atmosphere of this family-run hotel is sure to please any traveler. The views alone make this a definite winner in our opinion. We’ll definitely stay here again if we ever found ourselves in Sorrento again and will recommend this place to anyone.