Italy: Accommodations Listings
Included in this section:
37. Cinque Terre
38. Hill Towns of Central Italy
39. North Italy Choices: Milan, Lakes, or Mountains
40. Naples, the Amalfi Coast, and a Steamy Volcano
41. Sassy, Spicy Sicily
37. Cinque Terre: Italy's Fiat-Free Riviera
Sleeping on the Cinque Terre
(€1 = about $1.40, country code: 39)
While the Cinque Terre is too rugged for the mobs that ravage the Spanish and French coasts, it's popular with Italians, Germans, and in-the-know Americans. Hotels charge more and are packed on holidays, in July and August, and on Fridays and Saturdays all summer. August weekends are worst. But €65–70 doubles abound throughout the year. For a terrace or view, you might pay an extra €20 or more. Apartments for four can be economical for families — figure on €100–120.
Book ahead if you'll be visiting in June, July, August, on a weekend, or around a holiday. At other times, you can land a double room on any day by just arriving in town (ideally by noon) and asking around at bars and restaurants, or simply by approaching locals on the street. Many travelers enjoy the opportunity to shop around a bit and get the best price by bargaining. Private rooms — called affitta camere — are no longer an intimate stay with a family. They are generally comfortable apartments (often with small kitchens) where you get the key and come and go as you like, rarely seeing your landlord. Many landowners rent the buildings by the year to local managers, who then attempt to make a profit by filling them night after night with tourists.
For the best value, visit three private rooms and snare the best. Going direct cuts out a middleman and softens prices. Staying more than one night gives you bargaining leverage. Plan on paying cash. Private rooms are generally bigger and more comfortable than those offered by the pensions and offer the same privacy as a hotel room.
If you want the security of a reservation, make it at a hotel long in advance (smaller places generally don't take reservations very far ahead). Query by email, not fax. If you do reserve, honor your reservation (or, if you must cancel, do it as early as possible). Since people renting rooms usually don't take deposits, they lose money if you don't show up. Cutthroat room hawkers at the train stations might try to lure you away from a room that you've already reserved with offers of cheaper rates. Don't do it. You owe it to your hosts to stick with your original reservation.
Sleeping in Vernazza
Vernazza, the spindly and salty essence of the Cinque Terre, is my top choice for a home base. Anywhere you stay here requires some climbing. Most do not include breakfast. Night noise can be a problem if you're near the station. Rooms on the harbor come with church bells (but only between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.).
Pension Sorriso is the oldest pension in town (and where I stayed on my first visit in 1975). Above the train station, it's run by Aldo and Francesca — the local Sonny and Cher — who welcome guests to their 19 rooms. While the main building has the charm, it comes with train noise; the annex, up the street, is in a quieter modern apartment (Sb-€60, D-€80, Db-€100–120, Tb-€130, includes breakfast, some rooms have air-con, peaceful garden, Via Gavino 4, tel. 0187-812-224, fax 0187-821-198, www.pensionesorriso.com, info@pensionesorriso.com).
Trattoria Gianni rents 27 small rooms and three apartments just under the castle. The rooms are in two buildings — one funky, one modern — up a hundred tight, winding spiral stairs. The funky ones, which may or may not have private baths, are artfully decorated à la shipwreck, with tiny balconies and grand sea views (con vista sul mare). The new (nuovo), comfy rooms lack views, but have access to a super-scenic, cliff-hanging guests' garden. Both have modern bathrooms. Steely Marisa requires check-in before 16:00 or a phone call to explain when you're coming. Emanuele (Gianni's son, who now runs the restaurant), Simona, and the staff speak a little English (S-€45, D-€80, Db-€120, Tb-€140, 10 percent discount with cash and current Rick Steves' Italy book through 2010 — request when you reserve, cancellations required a week in advance or you'll be charged one night's deposit, no breakfast, closed Jan–Feb, Piazza Marconi 5, tel. & fax 0187-812-228, tel. 0187-821-003, on Wed call mobile 393-9008-155 instead, www.giannifranzi.it, info@giannifranzi.it). Pick up your keys at Trattoria Gianni's restaurant/reception on the harbor square. If they're booked up, Simona may show you a room in a friend's place (no Rick Steves discount).
Albergo Barbara rents nine simple but clean and modern rooms overlooking the harbor square — most with small windows and small views. It's run by English-speaking Giuseppe and his no-nonsense Swiss wife, Patricia (D-€50, Db-€60–65, big Db with nice harbor view-€100, 2-night stay preferred, ask for a room with a fan, closed Dec–Feb, Piazza Marconi 30, tel. & fax 0187-812-398, mobile 338-793-3261, reserve online with credit card but pay cash, www.albergobarbara.it, albergobarbara@libero.it).
Private Rooms (Affitta Camere)
Vernazza is honeycombed with private rooms year-round, offering the best values in town. Owners may be reluctant to reserve rooms far in advance. It's easiest to call a day or two ahead or simply show up in the morning and look around. Doubles cost €50–80, depending on the view, season, and plumbing. Most places accept only cash. Some have killer views, come with lots of stairs, and cost the same as a small, dark place on a back lane over the train tracks. Little English is spoken at many of these places. If you call to let them know your arrival time (or call when you arrive, using your mobile phone or the pay phone just below the station), they'll meet you at the train station.
Tonino Basso rents four super, clean, modern rooms — at a steep price. Each room has its own computer for free Internet access. He's in the only building in Vernazza with an elevator. You get tranquility and air-conditioning, but no views (Sb-€65, Db-€120, Tb-€150, Qb-€180, prices go down Nov–March, call Tonino's mobile number upon arrival and he'll meet you, tel. 0187-821-264, mobile 335-269-436, fax 0187-812-807, toninobasso@libero.it). If you can't locate Tonino, ask his friends at Enoteca Sotto L'Arco at Via Roma 70.
Camere Fontana Vecchia is a delightful place, with four bright, spacious, quiet rooms near the post office (no view). As the only place in Vernazza with almost no stairs to climb and the sound of a babbling brook outside your window, it's perhaps the best value in town (D-€70, Db-€80, T-€95, Tb-€110, fans and heat, open all year, Via Gavino 15, tel. 0187-821-130, mobile 333-454-9371, fax 0187-812-261, m.annamaria@libero.it, youthful and efficient Anna speaks English). If no one answers, ask at Enoteca Sotto L'Arco on the main drag.
Giuliano Basso rents four pleasant rooms, crafted with care, just above town in the terraced wilds (sea views from terraces). Straddling a ravine among orange trees, it's an artfully decorated, Robinson Crusoe–chic wonderland, proudly built out of stone by Giuliano himself (Db-€80, Db suite with air-con-€100, Db suite with private rooftop balcony-€100, fridge access, free Internet access, above train station — so with more train noise than others, mobile 333-341-4792, or have the Enoteca Sotto L'Arco contact him or his American partner Michele, www.cdh.it/giuliano, giuliano@cdh.it). Call to be met at the station. To walk there, head inland from the station and hike up the Corniglia trail; 100 yards beyond Pensione Sorriso, at the second Corniglia sign, follow the lane left.
Best Budget Option on the Cinque Terre
Manarola, one of the five Cinque Terre towns, has an excellent hostel.
Ostello 5-Terre, Manarola's modern and pleasant hostel, occupies the former parochial school above the church square and offers 48 beds in four- to six-bed rooms. Nicola and Riccardo run a calm and peaceful place — it's not a party hostel — and quiet is greatly appreciated. They rent dorm rooms as doubles. Reserve well in advance. Full means full — they don't accommodate the desperate on the floor (Easter–mid-Oct: dorm beds-€23, Db-€65, Qb-€100; off-season: dorm beds-€20, Db-€55, Qb-€88; closed Dec–Feb, not co-ed except for couples and families, optional €5 breakfast and €5–6 pasta; in summer, office closed 13:00–17:00, rooms closed 10:00–17:00, 1:00 curfew; off-season, office and rooms closed until 16:00, strict midnight curfew; open to all ages, laundry, safes, phone cards, Internet access, book exchange, elevator, great roof terrace and sunset views, Via B. Riccobaldi 21, tel. 0187-920-215, fax 0187-920-218, www.hostel5terre.com, info@hostel5terre.com). Book online with your credit-card number; note that you'll be charged for one night if you cancel with fewer than three days' notice.
38. Hill Towns of Central Italy
Sleeping in Siena
(€1 = about $1.40, country code: 39)
Finding a room in Siena is tough during Easter (April 4 in 2010) or the Palio (July 2 and August 16). Many hotels won't take reservations until the end of May for the Palio, and even then they might require a four-night stay. If you're traveling any other time of year, you should still call ahead, as all the guidebooks list Siena's few budget places.
Sleeping near Il Campo
Each of these listings is forgettable but inexpensive, and just a horse wreck away from one of Italy's most wonderful civic spaces.
Albergo Tre Donzelle is a fine budget value with 20 plain, institutional, well-worn rooms. Don't hang out here...think of Il Campo, a block away, as your terrace (S-€38, D-€49, Db-€60, T-€70, Tb-€85, no rooms available for Palio; with your back to the tower, head away from Il Campo toward 2:00 to Via Donzelle 5; tel. 0577-280-358, www.tredonzelle.com, info@tredonzelle.com).
Piccolo Hotel Etruria has 20 decent air-conditioned rooms but not much soul. The hotel is a bit overpriced for what it is, though well-located and sleepable (S-€50, Sb-€55, Db-€90, Tb-€120, Qb-€150, optional breakfast-€6, curfew at 1:00 in the morning, one-night reservations not accepted more than a month in advance, next to recommended Albergo Tre Donzelle at Via Donzelle 1–3, tel. 0577-288-088, fax 0577-288-461, www.hoteletruria.com, info@hoteletruria.com, Fattorini family).
Locanda Garibaldi is a modest, characteristically Sienese place. Gentle Marcello rents seven pleasant rooms up a funky, artsy staircase (Db-€75, Tb-€95, only takes reservations a month in advance, half a block downhill from Il Campo at Via Giovanni Dupre 18, tel. 0577-284-204, Marcello and Sonia speak a little English).
Hotel Cannon d'Oro, a few blocks up Via Banchi di Sopra, has 30 airy and comfortable rooms, but is a bit noisy and group-friendly (Sb-€71, Db-€90, Tb-€115, Qb-€136, these discounted prices good with current edition of Rick Steves' Italy or Rick Steves' Florence & Tuscany through 2010, family deals, includes breakfast, a couple blocks from the bus hub at Via Montanini 28, tel. 0577-44-321, fax 0577-280-868, www.cannondoro.com, info@cannondoro.com, Maurizio).
Best Budget Options in Siena
The first two hotels are within a 10-minute walk northeast of Il Campo. Albergo Bernini and Alma Domus, which enjoy views of the old town and cathedral, are about the best values in town. The hostel is are well-served by city buses, but is less convenient.
Alma Domus is a nun-run hotel offering 43 clean, quiet little rooms for a steal. Bright lamps, quaint balconies, fine views, grand public rooms, top security, and a pleasant atmosphere make this a great value — but they only offer a limited numbers of doubles. The 10:00 checkout time is strict, but they will store your luggage in their secure courtyard (Sb-€45, Db-€75, Tb-€95, Qb-€110, breakfast included, cash only, ask for view room — con vista, central air-con, elevator, Internet access, suggested 1:00 in the morning curfew; from San Domenico, walk downhill toward the view with the church on your right, turn left down Via Camporegio, make a U-turn at the little chapel down the brick steps to Via Camporegio 37; tel. 0577-44-177, fax 0577-47-601, www.hotelalmadomus.it, info@hotelalmadomus.it).
Albergo Bernini makes you part of a Sienese family in a modest, clean home with nine traditional rooms (ask for a quiet room away from the restaurant). Giovanni, wife Daniela, and their three daughters welcome you to their spectacular view terrace for breakfast and picnic lunches and dinners (Sb-€78, D-€65, Db-€85, less in winter, optional breakfast-€7.50, cash only, non-¬smoking, free Internet access, suggested midnight curfew, on the main Il Campo–San Domenico drag at Via Sapienza 15, tel. & fax 0577-289-047, www.albergobernini.com, hbernin@tin.it). When booked up, they may have some charming, bigger, but more expensive apartments available (Db-€100, non-smoking, located just a few steps downhill from Albergo).
Guidoriccio Youth Hostel , which has 100 cheap beds and an institutional ambience, welcomes anyone (€20/bed in doubles, triples, and dorms with sheets, co-ed rooms, includes breakfast, Internet access and Wi-Fi, self-service laundry-€6, lock-out 10:00–14:00; take bus #10 or #77 from train station or bus #10 or #15 from Piazza Gramsci — about 20 min to Via Fiorentina 89 in Stellino neighborhood, tel. 0577-52212, fax 0577-50277, www.ostellosiena.it, info@ostellosiena.it).
Sleeping in Assisi
(€1 = about $1.40, country code: 39)
Assisi accommodates large numbers of pilgrims on religious holidays. Finding a room at any other time should be easy. Few hotels are air-conditioned. Locals suggest that you keep your windows closed in the middle of the day so that your room will be as cool as possible in the evening.
Hotel Umbra, a quiet villa in the middle of town, has 24 spacious rooms with great views and fine accommodations (Sb-€75, standard Db-€110, superior Db-€123, Tb-€155, 10 percent cash discount for 2 or more nights with current edition of Rick Steves' Italy, air-con, elevator, peaceful garden and view sun terrace, most rooms have views, good restaurant, dinner only, closed Dec–Feb, just off Piazza del Comune under the arch at Via degli Archi 6, tel. 075-812-240, fax 075-813-653, www.hotelumbra.it, info@hotelumbra.it, family Laudenzi).
Hotel Ideale, on a ridge overlooking the valley, offers 12 airy, modern rooms (all with views, 10 with balconies), a tranquil garden setting, and free parking (Sb-€50, Db-€90, prices good with with current edition of Rick Steves' Italy, 10 percent discount for stays of 3 or more nights, may be cheaper off-season, air-con, confirm your arrival time especially if it's after 17:00, Piazza Matteotti 1, tel. 075-813-570, fax 075-813-020, www.hotelideale.it, info@hotelideale.it, friendly sisters Lara and Ilaria). The hotel is close to the bus stop (and parking lot) at Piazza Matteotti at the top end of town.
Hotel Belvedere, a great value, is a modern building with 16 big, spacious rooms — nine come with sweeping views (Sb-€45, Db-€65, breakfast-€5, elevator, large communal view terrace, 2 blocks past Basilica of St. Clare at Via Borgo Aretino 13, tel. 075-812-460, fax 075-816-812, www.assisihotelbelvedere.it, info@assisihotelbelvedere.it, run by Enrico and Mary from New Jersey).
Hotel Sole, renting 38 rooms in a 15th-century building, is tired and forgettable. Service comes with a shrug, but the location is central (Sb-€45, Db-€65, Tb-€85, breakfast-€5, ask for a discount, easy parking, 100 yards before Basilica of St. Clare at Corso Mazzini 35, tel. 075-812-373, fax 075-813-706, www.assisihotelsole.com, info@assisihotelsole.com). Half of its rooms are in a newer annex across the street.
Best Budget Options in Assisi
Hotel La Rocca, on the peaceful top end of town, has 32 solid and modern rooms in a medieval shell (Sb-€43, Db-€55, Tb-€71, breakfast-€5, parking-€6, sunny rooftop terrace, 3-min walk from Piazza Matteotti at Via Porta Perlici 27, tel. & fax 075-812-284, www.hotelarocca.it, info@hotelarocca.it).
Hotel San Rufino offers a great locale, solid stone quality, and 11 comfortable rooms (Sb-€46, Db-€55, Tb-€70, breakfast-€5; from Cathedral of San Rufino, follow sign to Via Porta Perlici 7; tel. & fax 075-812-803, www.hotelsanrufino.it, info@hotelsanrufino.it). Their nine-room annex, Albergo Il Duomo (listed below), saves you about €6 a night for a double with no loss in comfort.
Albergo Il Duomo is tidy and tranquillo, with nine rooms on a stair-stepped lane one block up from San Rufino. Check in at Hotel San Rufino (Sb-€37, Db-€49, breakfast-€5, Vicolo San Lorenzo 2, tel. & fax 075-812-742, www.hotelsanrufino.it, info@hotelsanrufino.it).
Camere Annalisa Martini is a cheery home in the town's medieval core that swims in vines, roses, and cats. Annalisa enthusiastically accommodates her guests with a picnic garden, a washing machine (€7/small load, includes line drying and ironing), a communal refrigerator, and six homey rooms (S-€27, Sb-€30, D-€38, Db-€42, Tb-€58, Qb-€68, cash only but credit card required for deposit, 3 rooms share 2 bathrooms, no breakfast; 1 block from Piazza del Comune — go downhill toward basilica, turn left on Via San Gregorio to #6; tel. & fax 075-813-536, cameremartini@libero.it, Mamma Rosiguoli doesn't speak English, but Annalisa does).
Hostel: Francis probably would have bunked with the peasants in Assisi's Ostello della Pace (€16 beds in 4- to 8-bed rooms, €18/person in private 2- to 4-person rooms with bath, dinner-€10, laundry service, lockout 9:30–16:00, 23:30 curfew; get off bus at Piazza Unità d'Italia, then walk 10 min to Via di Valecchie 177; tel. & fax 075-816-767, www.assisihostel.com, assisi.hostel@tiscalinet.it).
Sleeping in Civita and Bagnoregio
(€1 = about $1.40, country code: 39)
When you leave the tourist crush, life as a traveler in Italy becomes easy and prices tumble. Finding a room is easy in small-town Italy.
Civita B&B, run by Franco Sala (who also owns Trattoria Antico Forno and the only dog in Civita — Birillo), has three fine little rooms, each overlooking Civita's main square (D-€65, Db-€70, T-€85, continental breakfast, Wi-Fi, Piazza del Duomo Vecchio, tel. 076-176-0016, mobile 347-611-5426, www.civitadibagnoregio.it, fsala@pelagus.it).
Romantica Pucci B&B in Bagnoregio is a haven for city-weary travelers. Its eight spacious rooms are indeed romantic, with canopied beds and flowing veils. Both homey and elegant, it's like sleeping at Katharine Hepburn's place. Pucci and Lamberto take special care of their guests (Db-€80, air-con, free parking, her "Trust Pucci" €20 special family-style dinner is popular with guests, Piazza Cavour 1, tel. 076-179-2121, www.hotelromanticapucci.it, hotelromanticapucci@libero.it). It's just above the parking lot you see when you arrive in Bagnoregio — look for a sign marking its private parking place — and it's half a block before the town's main square, facing the main drag.
39. North Italy Choices: Milan, Lakes, or Mountains
Sleeping in Milan
(€1 = about $1.40, country code: 39)
I've tried to minimize traffic-noise problems in my listings. All are within a few minutes' walk of Milan's subway system. With Milan's fine Metro, you can get anywhere in town in a flash. Anytime in March, April, September, and October, the city can be completely jammed by conventions, and hotel prices jump way up. I've listed high-season prices, but not convention-gouging prices. (For the convention schedule, see www.fieramilano.it.) Summer is usually wide-open and prices are discounted, though many hotels close in August for vacation. Hotels cater more to business travelers than to tourists, so Fridays and Saturdays are generally cheaper and available.
Hotel Star is a comfortable, modern 30-room place (Sb-€160, Db-€215, prices drop about €40 outside convention times, interior rooms are quieter, air-con, fridge, Wi-Fi, closed Aug, Via dei Bossi 5, tel. 02-801-501, fax 02-861-787, www.hotelstar.it, info@hotelstar.it).
Antica Locanda dei Mercanti feels like a library in heaven. It's well-located and seriously quiet (no TVs, lots of books), with a small breakfast area off the lobby and fresh flowers in each room. There are six suites, each with kitchen facilities and a surprise such as a secret door, and four rooms with private terraces (Db-€275, 2-4 person suite-€275-€350, optional €15 breakfast served in room, fans, elevator, free Internet access and Wi-Fi, Via San Tomaso 6, Metro: Cordusio; tel. 02-805-4080, fax 02-805-4090, www.locanda.it, locanda@locanda.it, Eri).
Best Budget Options in Milan
Hotel Arco Romana is a newly renovated, economical place with 15 fresh rooms, most with sunny private balconies. Its friendly owners are eager to please (S-€60, Sb-€80, D-€90, Db-€110, breakfast-€5, air-con, elevator, Wi-Fi, Viale Sabotino 16, on sixth floor, Metro: Porta Romana, tel. 02-5830-8797, fax 02-583-000-60, www.hotelarcoromana.it, info@hotelarcoromana.it). From the Porta Romana Metro stop, exit to Viale Sabotino and turn left onto Via Crema, then cross the road by the Darty store onto the continuation of Viale Sabotino. The hotel is 100 yards ahead on the left, and may still have its old name, Hotel Sabotini, on the bell.
Ostello la Cordata, a good choice, has 17 singles and doubles as well as dorm rooms (€21–25 for beds in 6-, 8-, and 16-bed dorms; hotel-type rooms on the third floor — Sb-€40–70, Db-€70–90, Tb-€90–120; reserve ahead, 14:30–24:00 check-in, no curfew, elevator, free Internet access and Wi-Fi, self-serve laundry, Via Burigozzo 11, Metro: Missori — on the yellow line, tel. 02-5831-4675, fax 02-5830-3598, www.ostellolacordata.com, ostello@lacordata.it).
Lake Como: Sleeping in Varenna
(€1 = about $1.40, country code: 39)
Reservations are tight in August, snug in July, and wide open most of the rest of the year. Many places close in winter. All places listed are family-run and have lakeview rooms. If you're expecting friendliness, especially during peak season, you'll likely be disappointed. Enjoy the view. View rooms are given (sometimes for no extra cost) to those who telephone for reservations and request a "camera con vista." High-season prices are listed here; prices get soft off-season (Nov–April).
Albergo Milano, located right in the old town, is graciously run by Egidio and his Swiss wife, Bettina. Fusing the best of Italy with the best of Switzerland, this well-run, romantic hotel has eight comfortable rooms with extravagant views, balconies, or big terraces (Sb-€120, Db-€150, €10 extra for view terrace, €5/day cash discount, no elevator, closed Dec–Feb; from the station, take main road to town and turn right at steep alley where sidewalk and guardrail break; Via XX Settembre 35; tel. 0341-830-298, fax 0341-830-061, www.varenna.net, hotelmilano@varenna.net). This place whispers luna di miele — honeymoon (see website for 3-night honeymoon deal). Nearby are three elegant and comfortable annexes that are all a great value and good for families, with lake views (at Casa Rossa), kitchenettes, or living rooms (Db-€120–150, breakfast served at main hotel). For €29 per person, enjoy Egidio's culinary creations for dinner.
Hotel Olivedo, facing the ferry dock, is a romantic, Old World hotel with antique furniture scattered across elegant parquet and Venetian pavimento floors. Most of the rooms have tiny lakeview balconies. It's a fine place to practice the art of la dolce far niente and watch the children, boats, and sun come and go. Brusque, hardworking manager Laura runs a dictatorial regime at the front desk and routinely offends readers — come for the location and the good-value rooms, but not for a warm reception (prices vary with season, Laura's mood, and views: S-€65, Db-€145, cash only, air-con, no elevator, Wi-Fi-€5 covers entire stay, closed mid-Nov–mid-Dec, tel. & fax 0341-830-115, www.olivedo.it, info@olivedo.it).
Villa Cipressi is a sprawling, centuries-old lakeside mansion with 33 warmly outfitted, modern rooms, and public spaces that are often busy with wedding parties. Rooms without views face the street and are noisier. The villa sits in a huge, quiet, terraced garden that non-guests pay to see (Sb-€125, non-view Db-€140, view Db-€170-180, extra cot-€40, extra bed-€60, prices promised with current edition of Rick Steves' Italy, elevator, Internet access in lobby, Wi-Fi, Jacuzzi, garden access, free mountain bike use for guests, Via IV Novembre 22, tel. 0341-830-113, fax 0341-830-401, www.hotelvillacipressi.it, info@hotelvillacipressi.it, Davide).
Eremo Gaudio stands in isolation halfway up the hill, with a commanding lake view high above Varenna. Once an orphanage, it became a hermitage run by the Catholic Church, and then — since 2000 — a modern hotel accessed by a funky private funicular. Perfect for monks with champagne tastes, it's peaceful, with awe-inspiring view balconies and a breakfast terrace. Thirteen bright, plain-but-comfy rooms climb up the main building, and 15 less-dramatic but recently updated rooms huddle below at the foot of the funicular (upper rooms: Sb-€100, Db-€120, Db with balcony-€135; lower rooms: Db-€100–125; 7 percent discount with cash and 3-night stay, closed Nov–Feb, all rooms have lake views, air-con, taxi from station recommended — about €11, quarter-mile south of Varenna's main square at Via Roma 15, tel. 0341-815-301, fax 0341-815-314, www.eremogaudio.it, eremogaudio@yahoo.it). Suppers are served on the upper terrace, weather permitting.
Best Budget Options in Varenna
Albergo Beretta, on the main road a block below the station, has 10 pleasant rooms, several with balconies (and street noise). Second-floor rooms are quietest. This place, above the locals' coffee shop which doubles as the reception, feels homey, lacks any lakeside glamour, and sometimes smells smoky (D-€60, Db-€70, extra bed-€12, breakfast-€6, free breakfast for stays of 3 nights or more, no elevator, Via per Esino 1, tel. & fax 0341-830-132, www.hotelberetta.it, hotelberetta@iol.it, Signora Tosca doesn't speak English, but Giulia and Laura do). This place reportedly tends to overbook — it's essential to reconfirm your reservation.
Villa Elena, a grandmotherly, low-energy place on the main square, offers a tranquil rest and the best budget beds in town. English-speaking Signora Seta (Silk) Vitali, who lives downstairs, rents her four characteristic antique-filled rooms at the same price — room #1 has a shabby bathroom and view terrace (first come, first served), while the others share a simple bathroom on the same floor. With only twin beds, it's not for romantics, but it is a great value for the money (D-€45 with or without bath, cash only, no breakfast, it's the vine-covered facade at Piazza San Giorgio 7 near Via San Giovanni, tel. 0341-830-575, www.villaelenavarenna.it, milkiriver@alice.it). Ask to see the carved choir-seats (corale) from a local church.
Dolomites: Sleeping in Castelrotto
(€1 = about $1.40, country code: 39)
The ideal home base for exploring Alpe di Siusi, Castelrotto (town population: 2,000; district population: 6,000; altitude: 3,475 feet) has more village character than any other town I know in the region.
Alla Torre (in German, Gasthof zum Turm) is comfortable, clean, and alpine-traditional, with great beds and modern bathrooms (small Db-€64–120, big Db-€97–146, Tb-€99–156, price depends on season — highest in Aug, includes breakfast, €4 extra for 1-night stays, closed April and Nov, elevator, behind TI at Kofelgasse 8, tel. 0471-706-349, fax 0471-707-268, www.zumturm.com, info@zumturm.com, Gabi and Günther).
Hotel al Lupo (in German, zum Wolf) is pure Tirolean, with all the comforts in 23 neat-as-a-pin rooms, most with balconies (Sb-€35–50, Db-€60–95, prices vary with season and view, includes buffet breakfast, non-smoking rooms, elevator, coin-op laundry, closed April–mid-May and Nov–mid-Dec, a block below main square at Wolkensteinstrasse 5, tel. 0471-706-332, fax 0471-707-030, www.hotelwolf.it, info@hotelwolf.it, Arno).
Hotel Cavallino d'Oro (in German, Goldenes Rössl), on the main square, has plenty of Tirolean character and plush, welcoming public rooms. Run by friendly and helpful Stefan and Susanne, the entire place is dappled with artistic woodsy touches and historic photos. If you love antiques by candlelight, this 650-year-old hotel is the best in town (Sb-€45–65, Db-€85–110 depending on season, discount for 4-night stay, elevator, Internet access, laundry, parking garage, Piazza Kraus 1, tel. 0471-706-337, fax 0471-707-172, www.cavallino.it, cavallino@cavallino.it). Stefan converted his wine cellar into a Roman steam bath and Finnish sauna (free for guests, great after a hike, just book an hour for exclusive use) — complete with heated tile seats, massage rooms, a solarium for tanning, and tropical plants.
Residence Garni Trocker is run by the Moser family who rent 13 great rooms in a place that's bomb-shelter solid yet warm-wood cozy. Their compound is beautifully laid out with a café/bar, garden, and top-notch plumbing (Sb-€34-48, Db-€60–86 depending on season, Fostlweg 3, tel. 0471-705-200, fax 0471-707-427, www.residencetrocker.com, garni@residencetrocker.com). Nonsmokers should request a room far from the smoking rooms. Sunday is the family's day of rest; if you're coming on a Sunday, be sure to let them know in advance what time you'll arrive.
Best Budget Options in Castelrotto
Haus Harderer, below Hotel Kastelruth (take the middle lane where it forks), rents a single plush, woody apartment for up to four (Db-€55, Tb-€65, no breakfast, cash only, 3-night minimum stay in summer, lots of stairs, view balcony, Plattenstrasse 20, tel. 0471-706-702, run by Oswald, Heinz, Ida, and Maunz the cat).
Haus Trocker, on the edge of town, is a modern home where Frau Trocker rents two delightful rooms that share one WC. Frau Trocker doesn't speak English, but her son Roland does (D-€50; from the bus station, walk away from the church spire, past Hotel Kastel Seiseralm to Fostlweg 6, look for yellow zimmer sign at top of steps; tel. 0471-707-087).
Tirler Hof, the storybook Jaider family farm, has 40 cows, four Old World–comfy guest rooms, and a great mountain view. The ground-floor double has a private bath. The top-floor rooms share a bathroom and a great balcony. Take a stroll before breakfast (D-€45, Db-€50, discount for stays longer than 1 night, includes breakfast, cash only, open year-round, definitely most practical for drivers; it's the first farm outside of town on the right on road to San Michele, Via Panider/Paniderstrasse 44; tel. 0471-706-017, info@tirlerhof.it).
40. Naples, the Amalfi Coast, and a Steamy Volcano
Sleeping in Sorrento
(€1 = about $1.40, country code: 39)
Hotels in Sorrento often charge the same for a room whether it has a view, balcony, or neither. At hotels that offer sea views, ask for a room "con balcone, con vista sul mare" (with a balcony, with a sea view). "Tranquillo" is taken as a request for a quieter room off the street. Hotels listed are either near the train station and city center or along the way to Punta del Capo, a 20-minute walk (or short bus ride) from the station. While many hotels close for the winter, you should have no trouble finding a room any time except in August, when the town is jammed and many hotel prices go way up. Most hotels have two rates: high season (April–Oct) and low. Outside of summer, prices can be soft — it doesn't hurt to ask for a discount (always show your Rick Steves guidebook). Splurge for a hotel with air-conditioning if you wilt in the heat, but be aware that it often costs extra.
Grand Hotel Ambasciatori is a sumptuous four-star hotel with 100 rooms, a cliffside setting, a sprawling garden, and a pool. This is Humphrey Bogart land, with plush public spaces, a relaxing stay-a-while ambience, and a free elevator to its "private beach" — actually a sundeck built out over the water (viewless Db-€230, sea-view Db-€300, frequent online specials, closed Jan–March, air-con, balconies, parking, Via Califano 18, tel. 081-878-2025, fax 081-807-1021, www.ambasciatorisorrento.com, ambasciatori@manniellohotels.com).
Hotel La Meridiana Sorrento, a fine three-star option with everything but character, offers business-class public spaces and 45 soulless rooms (Db-€160, Tb-€190, Qb-€240, discounts often available, air-con, big rooftop terrace with grand views, next door to public Lemon Grove Garden, Via Rota 1, tel. 081-807-3535, fax 081-807-3484, www.lameridianasorrento.com, info@lameridianasorrento.com).
Hotel del Corso is a funky, Old World, three-star hotel with 26 decent rooms. While this family-run place is central and comfortable, the staff can seem impersonal (Db-€120–140, Tb-€160, Qb-€180, €10/day discount if you mention this Rick Steves and pay with cash, ask for a room off the busy street when you book, air-con, rooftop sun terrace, near Piazza Tasso at Corso Italia 134, tel. 081-807-1016, tel. & fax 081-807-3157, www.hoteldelcorso.com, info@hoteldelcorso.com).
Best Budget Options in Sorrento
Casa Astarita B&B is a shining gem in the middle of town, with a crazy-quilt-tiled entryway. You'll find six bright, tranquil, air-conditioned rooms (three with little balconies) and a fully stocked communal fridge and sideboard for help-yourself breakfasts. Despite double-paned windows, pub noise can seep into some of the rooms (Db-€95–105, Tb-€130, prices promised with current Rick Steves' Italy book, double-paned windows, elevator, free Internet access in rustic-yet-elegant common room, just past Ristorante Parrucchiano as you're coming from the station on Corso Italia at #67, tel. 081-877-4906, fax 081-807-1146, www.casastarita.com, info@casastarita.com). Reception is only open from March through October (7:00–19:00). If you visit off-season, check in at Hotel Mignon Meublè (at Via Sersale 9) — the same family runs both hotels.
Ulisse Deluxe Hostel is the best budget deal in town, with public areas that feel more like an elegant hotel than a hostel. The 56 marble-tiled rooms have big, private bathrooms, so unless you choose to sleep in its dorm, the only thing that makes this place feel hostel-like is the price. It's a great value (Db-€70, Tb-€105, Qb-€140, €25/bunk in 2- to 8-bed single-sex dorm, get these rates by mentioning Rick Steves when reserving, breakfast-€5, spa and pool use extra, hostel membership not required, a 5-min walk from the old-town action at Via del Mare 22, tel. 081-877-4753, fax 081-877-4093, www.ulissedeluxe.com, info@ulissedeluxe.com).
41. Sassy, Spicy Sicily
Sleeping in Sicily
(€1 = about $1.40, country code: 39)
In Palermo
Grande Albergo Sole (splurge, Corso Vittorio Emanuele 291, tel. 091-604-1111, www.ghshotels.it).
Hotel Moderno (budget, Via Roma 276, tel. 091-588-683, www.hotelmodernopa.com).
In Cefalù
Hotel Riva del Sole (Via Lungomare 25, tel. 092-142-1230, www.rivadelsole.com).
In Taormina
Hotel Continental (Via Dionisio 2a, tel. 094-223-805, www.continentaltaormina.com).
Updated for 2009. For lots more information, check out our best-selling Rick Steves' Italy and Rick Steves' Florence & Tuscany guidebooks.