The Amalfi Coast and nearby Sorrentine Peninsula are full of majestic 5-star hotels. It's an…read moreexpensive region to visit, so be ready to pay high prices. Having said that though, the amenities, facilities, service, etc tend to be top notch at these hotels of course and this adds to the magical aspect of vacationing in this beautiful region. When researching where to stay we were mainly looking for a centrally located hotel with a pool and Grand Hotel La Favorita met this simple criteria.
The hotel itself was on a great location, a few blocks away from the main strip, walking distance from all the main sites and just around the corner from the elevator that takes you to the lower level of the cliff from where you can walk to the port (this is important especially if you're using ferries as a mode of transportation).
The decor of the hotel is beautiful and enchanting. They have lemon trees all around the ground floor and in the garden area. The furniture in the common areas is elegant and classic.
Our room was very spacious, as was the bathroom, which had a tub (not separate from the shower). We didn't have a room with a view (we booked a classic double room) but honestly I'm not sure how much of a view other rooms have since there is a large hotel right in front of La Favorita which appears to block the views of the water. Perhaps the only rooms that I could see having a partial water view are the ones facing the side street (Via Tasso) and the ones on the top floors, but I'm not entirely sure.
The room had a safe, complimentary sparkling and still water, coffee maker and coffee, robes and slippers as well as nice toiletries. We got delicious Baci chocolates left on our nightstands after each time the room was made up. They also had a pillow menu, from which you could literally pick the type of pillow of your choice depending on your preference (soft, medium, feathers, etc). I have never seen a pillow menu at a hotel before so I thought this was an interesting and fine detail, however I didn't really take advantage of it, I just kept the pillows that were already on the bed. The bed was pretty comfortable and the room had blinds which when closed kept the room pitch dark.
The only two criticisms I have for this hotel are regarding the AC and the poor drainage in the bathtub. The AC really didn't work well and didn't cool the room much despite me trying to lower the temperature to 16C. Also, the water pooled in the tub as we showered and didn't drain completely until the water from the shower was completely turned off. and the poor drainage in the tub. We didn't actually complaint to anyone about this, not sure what if anything they could have done about it though.
The main highlight of this hotel has to be their fantastic rooftop pool with great views of the city, the hills and the Vesuvius. We took advantage of using the pool every evening after we came back from exploring the towns. The water in the pool is cold and that was perfect to cool off from the intense heat. The bar and restaurant are also on the rooftop and although we did not have dinner there, we did enjoy a cocktail while watching the sunset. The rooftop pool was a perfect spot to relax and it was everything we were hoping for.
Another great thing about this hotel was their fantastic breakfast served in a spacious dining area, on the balcony or out on the giardino. They had an amazing spread pastries, breads, cold and hot items, fruits, cereals, as well as an omelette station. Espresso drinks were made to order and to your liking (I always asked for my cappuccino to be made strong since I don't like them too milky). Service was impeccable.
Overall we had a great stay and would definitely recommend this hotel if staying in Sorrento.