Casa Orietta was a lovely and reasonably priced place of lodging located just a few moments' walk…read morefrom the village centre of Corniglia. It's a sweat-inducing climb up the winding steps from the Corniglia rail station, or a brief bus ride up (free, if you bear a Cinque Terre tourism card). This one-bedroom flat offers sweeping views of the Mediterranean, along with glimpses of one of the western Cinque Terre villages off in the distance. The living room is the perfect spot to cosy up with that special someone over a cheese plate and bottle of wine (from the one general store in town) to watch a quiet, peaceful sunset. Corniglia as a village was charming in itself - by the end of our brief stay there, we'd pretty much gotten to know all of the employees/proprietors of the local shops by face. There's a sole convenience store, selling outrageously-priced basic products like soap and sunscreen, a few adorable cafés, and a handful of proper restaurants. Expect to spend your exploratory time in the other four villages; having the peace and respite from the hordes of tourists to come back to made Corniglia worth the inconveniences. My beef with Casa Orietta was the hassle of checking out and paying for our stay. Per various websites and some previously written communications with the eponymous owner of the establishment, credit cards were accepted. Unfortunately, that was not the case for us, and no intelligible reason was offered as to why. My unconfirmed suspicion was that Orietta, who's seemingly quite the matron about town, simply preferred cash payment. Good thing there's one ATM down by the village square - had it been out of order or lacking sufficient funds, we'd have been out of luck. For a place to stay in Cinque Terre that's a little off the beaten path, this served as perfectly suitable housing. It's a great way to obtain some local flavour and to escape the masses, while (literally) being in the middle of the chain of villages. Just beware that you may end up having to shell out some more cold hard cash than you expected.

Spectacular Coastal Location, Good Alternative to Staying in the Cinque Terre…read more Much recommended, this hotel is directly on the beachfront in San Terenzo, and a short walk from Lerici, another beautiful seaside setting just south of the better-known (and sadly, overcrowded) towns of the Cinque Terre. There are several hotels in San Terenzo/Lerici but this is the only one on the beach side of the roadway and may be the main reason it is rated 4 stars instead of 3. Our large balcony had an unimpeded view of the sea, the crescent of the beach, and charming town of San Terenzo. The room was spacious but not luxurious, the breakfast was good, and the view was unmatched. There are many good restaurants, nice beaches, and a lovely walkway between the two towns of San Terenzo and Lerici. For us, it was a wonderful way to decompress. From Lerici you can take a short scenic boat ride to Portovenere where you can also catch another boat to the Cinque Terre. On the way to San Terenzo from Milan, when the train passed through the railway stops for the Cinque Terre, the platforms were mobbed (they have recently had accidents). Sadly, the Cinque Terre has become too well known and is overwhelmed by tourists.

We were very surprised at how homey and clean this place was ... it's hard to describe it as a…read morehotel it is more like a short term apartment but highly recommend it! The price is right the location is walking distance to the main square in La spezia and to the train station for the trains to Cinque terra. Our concierge was a young lady by the name of giulia that would come every day to check on us and they gave us tickets for breakfast( simple) to the local cafe . The rooms are spotless and well maintained ( we had a washer and dryer in the bathroom). Very quiet neighborhood and you really don't see any of the other guests. My husband and I went on our honeymoon to Cinque Tera and found it very romantic and reasonable. Great wifi connection and free parking.

This is a wonderful place to stay in Lucca! There are four rooms in this very old building across…read morefrom a church that now holds exhibits... and the B&B is in the center of town. The owners who run the bed & breakfast are extremely helpful with any questions... Food, Places to go, Things to do... etc. I would highly recommend to stay here when visiting Lucca

Take a stunning physical space and add 2 delightful and helpful proprietors ( Brid and Stefano) and…read moreyou have the foundation for a perfect stay in charming Lucca. The location is central and ideal for those interested in historic Tuscan towns & touring. The 700 year old building with amazing original windows, yet updated plumbing, etc is a preservationist's dream. I recommend L'Antica Bifore very highly

This hotel is truly a treasure! We come here every other year with tons of family members when…read morevisiting for our family reunion! The hotel is a beautiful marble structure, with so much history!!! They have not damaged the integrity of the original design, which makes it all the more charming! The rooms are clean, air-conditioned and with updated bathrooms. The breakfast they provided is OUT OF THIS WORLD. Amazing! The family who runs this hotel are wonderful! They provide a warm, personal atmosphere! We love spending time sitting out front sipping vino and socializing, as well as spending time with our family in Carrara - we have come to look up;on Hotel Carrara as our family as well!!! They're even putting in a spa room on the main floor!! We love this place and we love the family who run it!!

Very nice gem of a hotel! Surprised there was no reviews! Rooms are super clean. bathrooms are…read morenewly remodeled and are very nice and clean. Breakfast is included in price and was a really good (not just bread and ham like most hotel) they had a good selection! Also pretty close to the beach side. Price was not expensive or over priced. Would come back and recommend to anyone in the area.

Our family returned to Hotel Acapulco after staying at the hotel briefly last summer. This small…read morehotel is a GEM. The location is amazing, close to everything. What makes this hotel a true stand out is its staff. They took care of my family of nine, we travelled with my parents and my aunt. They really went out of their way to make are stay memorable and a want to return. Particular staff, Stephanie & Giada, made all of our beach reservations and bikes for all. Called taxis, pointed us in the right direction and became our surrogate family! Stephanie lent her car to get us to the laundry mat one day when taxis were scarce! Book if you're looking for a four star hotel with a small feel and a big heart with their 5 Star Staff. We love you Hotel Acapulco! The MichelI Family

B&B Antica Corte dei Principi…read more The main reason we chose this B&B for our 3 nights is Lucca was the character. It is an old building, not sure how old, but it almost has a medieval feel. That comes with some things that other travelers may not like -- the walls are a bit thin, the stairway is narrow and a little steep, and the rooms and bathrooms are a little small. Though it may be small, this little place and the owner have a lot of charm. The owner was very sweet. She apologized over and over for her English, but we had no problems understanding her and thought it was great (definitely better than our Italian). She provided a map, as well as recommendations for eating and walking. If you stay here, do yourself a favor and pay attention to this part. All of her recommendations were great. She also provided a decent Italian breakfast, with juices, coffee drinks, pastries, yogurts, fruits, etc. You also can't beat this location. Although it could be a noisy at night (you could occasionally hear people walking on the street below) and it is a little hard to find, this hotel is right in the heart of Lucca, and probably one of the nicer spots to stay inside the walls. This is one of the cities in Italy that we will definitely include on our next trip!

I just spent 3 weeks traveling all over Northern Italy and my stay at La Marina Rooms was hands…read moredown the best of the accommodations. Chris was so helpful; he met us at the train station and helped carry our luggage up some steep and intimidating steps! We stayed in room N2 - the best room he has. The view from our private patio was stunning and the room was spacious and super clean. La Marina Rooms are located in the heart of Vernazza on a cliff overlooking the sea. If you're planning a trip to the Cinque Terre - do yourself a favor and book a room at La Marina Rooms!