Our Favourite Hotel
We have just finished our fifth visit to this utterly superb hotel to celebrate our thirty-fifth wedding anniversary. Immediately before we left, we booked to return at the same time next year; this should tell you all you need to know, but that would hardly constitute a proper review, so ...
Situated literally on the edge of a cliff, a scant few minutes walk from the centre of Sorrento town, the Bellevue Syrene is perfectly placed. The majority of the rooms face north over the bay of Naples and give a stunning panoramic view of the bustling bay, with Vesuvius looming ominously in the background; there are a few rooms on the south side of the hotel which overlook the courtyard.
This is our favourite hotel - it has a beautiful, peaceful ambience and is very elegant, with a charming mix of modern and classical decoration. It is extremely comfortable, antiseptically clean, and the staff are, without exception, very capable, very friendly and generally lovely people, who (and this is important) all seem to be happy to be working at the hotel.
There are several levels of accommodation available, from standard rooms all the way up to self contained suites with private pools, but they are all beautiful and have every facility you would expect at this standard. For this visit we were in a Comfort Room, with a huge walk-in shower, a bed the size of a football pitch and a balcony on which we spent hours sat gazing at the beautiful view across the bay.
Breakfast is taken on the covered terrace at the rear of the hotel, so you can start the day whilst still gazing across the bay to Vesuvius. Despite the Covid crisis, there is still a comprehensive buffet available, although it is now served to you by one of the attentive staff (rather than than you helping yourself). You can also have eggs, etc., cooked to order and as you like (although scrambled eggs, bacon and sausage is available from the buffet).
From 10:00 every day when breakfast is finished, the Club Lounge opens; this gives you access to snacks, fruit, soft drinks, wine & Prosecco, beer and hot drinks all day. At midday, salads, light lunch-type snacks and freshly baked bread rolls appear; at 15:00 there are cakes and from 18:00, you can help yourself to spirits, as well as nuts, crisps, olives and warm canapés.
The hotel restaurant has an á la carte lunch and dinner menu; we have eaten from both and the food and service are superb. It is also perfect for a romantic dinner, situated as it is on the cliff edge terrace with those amazing views across the bay, with the lights of Naples glittering and twinkling away in the distance.
At the foot of the cliff, there is a private bathing platform, reached either by a dedicated lift, or, rather excitingly, through a series of steeply downward sloping tunnels and steps in the cliff face. There’s a small bar for cold drinks and a couple of lifeguards who provide towels and sun beds. The water is crystal clear and, at this time of year at least, at the perfect temperature for swimming.
The hotel has made more than ample provision for your health and safety, too. On arrival your temperature is taken digitally and all of the staff wear face coverings at all times. This must be very uncomfortable for them, but they bear it with good grace. There are hand-sanitiser dispensers scattered throughout the hotel, as well as a comprehensive cleaning and sanitising regime. Guests are required to wear face coverings when in public spaces inside the hotel. This means that while you walk from, say, your room to breakfast, you need a face covering, and this holds true also when you leave your table to get food from the buffet. It’s a little awkward, but you soon get used to it.
We have nothing negative to say about this hotel, but it is a five-star establishment and you should expect to pay accordingly. It’s worth every penny, though.
We have had a splendid, relaxing, romantic and very happy week at the Bellevue Syrene and we’re really looking forward to next year. We’ve already started saving ...