The Best Hotel in Naples, Italy

Naples, the largest city in southern Italy is near Mount Vesuvius and the Isle of Capri. One of the oldest hotels in Naples is the historic Excelsior Vittoria, and one that surely qualifies as the best hotel in the city. It combines the ambiance of old with the technology of today, has some of the best views of any hotel in Naples and with its fine restaurants, is just what a great hotel is supposed to be.

History

The Excelsior Vittoria is located in the cliffs overlooking the Gulf of Naples. The hotel first opened it doors in 1834, a time when Italy as we know it today did not yet exist. Today the hotel is owned and operated by the same founding family. It now consists of three buildings, the last one built in 1880. Guests have included European Royalty as well as the royalty of the entertainment industry, including Richard Wagner, Enrico Caruso, Marilyn Monroe and Sophia Loren.

Accommodations

The rooms and suites are decorated with antiques from the early days of the hotel, but they have modern bathrooms, air conditioning, satellite TV, minibar, direct dial phone and free Wi-Fi. Most of the rooms have a veranda or terrace that overlooks the Gulf of Naples or the hotel's private gardens and orange orchard. The 12 suites are decorated with antiques, although a few of them have modern furniture and fixtures.

Amenities

There is a large swimming pool on the grounds and meeting rooms that can accommodate up to 250 persons. The on-site spa in the garden is the former greenhouse and is available for guests to stroll or relax in. The garden's paths are perfect for jogging, and it contains columns left over from ancient Rome. The hotel has two bars: The Bar Vittoria, which is open all year and serves alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails, aperitifs, snacks and appetizers, and the Pool Bar, which is open only in swimming season and serves drinks, quick snacks, desserts and ice cream.

Dining

There are four choices for dining at the Excelsior Vittoria: The main formal Ristorante Vittoria, the Terrazza Bousquet, on a terrace overlooking the Gulf of Naples, the Vittoria Terrace, which serves a special buffet and hosts a weekly dance during the summer, and the casual Pool Restaurant, open from June to September, which serves pizza, grilled entrees, salads, ice cream and homemade desserts.

Contact Information

Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria
Piazza Tasso, 34
80067 Sorrento, Napoli, Italy
011 ([phone]

Note: To call Italy from the United States or Canada, dial the international exit code which is 011 for both countries. Then dial 39, which is the country code for Italy. The area code for Naples is 081. The last set of numbers is the local phone number.

References

• Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria
• Naples Information

Resources

• How to Call Abroad

[axleskat]

on 8/8/2009 Nice article