I wish I could rave about this hotel... It was our first stop on our honeymoon and unfortunately,…read moreeverything was a little off. Our room was very tired. Weird linen bed sheets, old floors and decor, a dangerously old bathroom and a decent view. Service felt insincere form the moment we arrived and it was clear their priority was the guests that have been returning for decades. Rooms are all different but make sure you book a renovated room or you're sure to be greatly disappointed. Beds are uncomfortable and they use scratchy linen sheets. Wifi is terrible and barely worked in the room. The 'gym' was a room with a few cardio machines. The main public rooms of the hotel are so old and really deserve to be touched up. The best part of this hotel is the view from the restaurant and bar, which you do not need to be a guest to enjoy. This is more like a 3 star hotel than a 5 star hotel. I recommend staying at the Domino Piccolo Home for half the price.

The location is what you pay for, and the view does not disappoint. The linens are fretti,(the…read moreother reviewer doesn't understand what good linens are) and every detail is minded. We enjoyed dinner at both the la terrazza and splendid Mare, both had amazing pesto dishes which are local to Leguria. Great service all around and we had a blast at the bar with the piano singer. I would recommend this to any friend looking for a romantic location.

Short visit to Italy and going back to Portofino was my priority along with the Hotel Splendido…read more There aren't too many hotels that are destinations in themselves but this is one of them. Attention to detail is unparalleled among local hotels and the Splendido is in a league by itself. Just relaxing and taking in the views and of course dining were on the agenda and nothing disappointed. We didn't leave much except for a few drives to neighboring towns. Though I just got home I'm already looking forward to going back.

Portofino was the first destination for our trip to Italy last month. Arriving at Splendido after…read morean incredibly long day of travel was absolutely incredible. The views from check in (and our room, and the restaurant, and the gym) are absolutely stunning! The room was cozy and well equipped with a dyson blow dryer and the service throughout our stay was top notch. The breakfast buffet at Belmond hotels is always something that I look forward to and this was no exception. My only note would be that our room was right above the bar area so we could hear the music in the evening until about 12/1 in the morning from our room. If this is something that would be bothersome you may want to request a room further from the bar when you make your reservation.

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 husband and I stayed 4 nights at this hotel and we were very happy! The owner immediately upon…read moreour arrival was very accommodating, informative, and helpful! He seemed to express a genuine interest in helping us get the most out of the town and surrounding cities including hiking trails, restaurants, shops, and other entertainment. The building was tall, up-kept, and complete with amazing views! It is only a 5 minute walk from the Riva Trigoso Train Station but far away enough so the sounds of the trains do not bother you at night. Our hotel room was very sweet, comfortable, and spacious! The shower however is VERY small and challenging to maneuver in. There were MANY wonderful things about this hotel however one of it's best amenities is the restaurant's service, presentation, and quality of food. It is OUTSTANDING. My husband and I frequently chose to dine their opposed to exploring other restaurants. Perfect for any guest and for long stays. We would gladly stay here again!

One of the best classic Italian hotels With exceptional view…read more Service is perfect Restaurant one of the best in this area

What a gem of a hotel. It's located about 10 minutes from downtown Santa Margherita. The room was…read morespacious and very clean with a beautiful view. The brunch was fabulous. The staff was extremely professional and nice. The beach is located steps away from the hotel. Loved, loved, loved. I would recommend this hotel to anyone who is planning a trip to the beautiful Santa Margherita.

Lovely hotel with amazing setting. Room overlooking the sea. Hotel staff very attentive and…read morewelcoming. Food is great and the continental breakfast is a great start to the day. 40 min walk from Porto fino on very scenic walk. Pricey but you get what you pay for. If you want a cheaper place with less service and less cleanliness and not as pristine setting then go for it.

This hotel has a restaurant we anticipated would be exceptional. I had the special of the day…read more Pasta and lobster. The dish should have been brimming with flavor. Lo and behold there was no flavor. The sauce and the lobster were made for people on bland diets. At 36 euros this was a major disappointment to me. Nobody inquired how our food was. The staff asked if we wanted dessert. That was the only communication we had with them. As they say "You can't go through life on good looks alone. A stately hotel such as Miramare can not run their kitchen any less. Disappointed customer being honest.

Small lobby with one classic elevator to use. They are connected to another hotel which they work…read moretogether. Our room was really large and spacious with a very nice bathroom. Bed was super comfortable with ocean wallpaper with fishes. We did find a take out box in the fridge from the previous guests. A three minute walk to the train station which was nice. I would not recommend walking the port at night. Good location overall and staff were nice and spoke English. Wish I could have used the spa!

Hotel Continental was recommended by our tour coordinator since its close to the Principe Railway…read morestation where our shuttle bus would be picking us up and taking us to the cruise port in Savona. Don't expect anything overly fancy since the hotel is old as could be seen from the antique elevator system. Space is also limited in Italy so you'll notice buildings are built upwards with limitations to room size. But the lobby area and room was clean. The front desk speaks some English which is helpful. We stayed 2 nights, one night before our cruise and then one more night after our cruise. ----- Review after first night's stay: I'd say my main gripe is that the bathroom is way too tiny. With a narrow layout, it's challenging for even one person to maneuver in there. While using the sink, you're practically sitting on the toilet. They have a bidet which for us went unused. I really wish they would have used the limited bathroom space more efficiently. The shower is so compact that it's hard to wash yourself and they don't even have anywhere inside the shower to put the soap and shampoo. So I ended up pulling the plastic chair that's in the bathroom, next to the shower to use as a toiletry holder, and sticking my hand out to grab what I needed. It was a bit awkward and inconvenient. ----- Review after second night's stay: The room seemed bigger although most likely there wasn't much difference, only a better layout. The shower was bigger with a tub and with a more square layout, the bidet did not get in the way. It was definitely more comfortable than our first stay. ----- The first night was reasonably priced at €76 which is just under $85 with the current exchange rate. I paid a little more for our 2nd stay, €105 which is about $112. My reservation shows "Classic Room" for both so I imagine it was slightly more being Saturday night vs. Friday night and not necessarily the room we received. But which room you end up getting does make a difference in experience. If I had to choose again, I'd probably stay here again due to the convenience and proximity to the railway station. You can literally see it from the front door and it was a short 2 minute walk. They also provide free wifi and outlet adapters per one of the signs, but I already had my own. If you want something fancier, the clerk said their sister hotel, Grand Hotel Savoia, is directly next door and he claims it's a 5-star establishment.

One of the most adorable cities I've seen on the western coast of northern Italy. Easily walkable…read moretown with an abundance of history and culture. The train in town can take you down the coast to other towns such as Vernazza which is part of Cinque Terre, the five towns. The whole area is beautiful and a must see for tourists.

So I couldn't check in on my way over as I seem to be monopolizing this part of Italy with my…read morereviews. This is a small little train station for a must-stop town that one can do in an entire day. I saw that water was for sale and I didn't look for a br, but not sure if I would have used it anyway. Then again, the train bathrooms can be a nightmare, and the worst I have seen are in fact in business class! It's a lot different from an airplane (or maybe not too different in the end). There are loads of stairs (well, two double flights) which would not be a problem if I hadn't packed enough clothes for a month on my two week hiatus. One could easily walk to their hotel from here in 5-15 minutes, but a cab is only 15 euros so it was just worth it to do that in the end. I was worried that I would not be able to get a seat with all of my stuff, but as this is one of three first stops I finally got a pick of the seats. The problem is that you have to hoist your luggage pretty high as the seats fill up. My shoulders are finally hurting from all of this but I am hoping it will help burn off my daily feast of pizza, pasta, croissants and of course gelato...but I digress. In the end, the station is at least a 3 as it was pretty clean and I was not hassled by beggars! Nor did I worry about the little money I still have left.