Have you considered renting an apartment? You'll get a lot more elbow room for your money, and you might get a nice view in the bargain or a private garden. Plus, if you were thinking of spending for an upscale hotel, you can probably get an apartment with two bathrooms and two bedrooms for an attractive price.

Up to you whether you want to climb stairs. If not, stay in the town of Amalfi or, if you want to avoid "hordes of tourists" (almost impossible in the Amalfi in your time frame), take a close look at Atrani.

All the towns are chock full of restaurants, but nightlife is not a feature of the Amafli coast towns except in August. You can probably find tourists hanging out in Sorrento until the wee hours at some bars, but Italians tend to turn in after dinner. The young hang out in parking lots with their motorcycles.

The best places for public transportation links would be Sorrento and Amalfi. Best places for scenic beauty would be Positano, Praiano and Ravello.

Since you will be reliant on public transportation and will be "moving around" the Coast, you might seriously consider Sorrento and Amalfi.

Vietri sul Mare would be fine to visit Paestum, Salerno, Pompei, Cetara, Maiori, Minori, Atrani and Amalfi by public transportation, so it could be an alternative to both Amalfi and Sorrento (although Capri is better visited from Sorrento).

Hi sb,

We very much liked our stay at lesirene.com in Praiano.

Sue:
In september 2009 we spent a beautiful week in amalfi, visiting the Coast and Capri(as day trip).If you like to stay in two places, go for Amalfi(almost flat) and Sorrento(a bigger town, almost a city).From the two of them you can easily reach Positano; while amalfi is better for Ravello and Salerno(if you like) and eventually Paestum; while Sorrento is better for Capri and Pompeii.Any way there is almost no chance of error.
Don't worry about "rooms with a view"; they are nice of course, but if not available or too expensive, remember you are never more than 2 or 3 hundred yards fron the sea and the views.
If you like, you can click on my name and read the full report.
Enjoy!!!

I think Vietra Sul Mare is a hike from the heart of the coast towns and you'll regret staying there. If you don't want to climb steps, skip Positano and look at Sorrento or Amalfi.

If it were my choice, I'd go with Sorrento only because it has such easy transportation options to Capri, Naples, Pompeii and the towns of the Amalfi Coast.

There are lots of excellent hotels close to the old - and most charming part- of town. If you post back a budget, you'll get lots of recommendations.

Considering your inclinations, I would base in either Sorrento or the nearby town of Vico Equense - which, like Sorrento has some wonderful views of the Bay of Naples. We had stayed in the brand new high tech Cubo Apartments, overlooking the Bay of Naples from the back, if you are interested in going there, book the apartment which is on the highest level. Vico Equense is a nice town and has a train station. It is the town where you find the world famous pizza al metro restaurant. At Cubo apartments they even offer a light breakfast every morning, plus below the apartments they have a cafeteria/restaurant and casino, plus they are located extremely close to the town square, just up the road. Sorrento would also make a nice base, choose a hotel that is overlooking the harbour, really really beautiful view of the Bay of Naples and Vesuvius.

For your second stop you might consider staying in Praiano, which is only about 10km away from Positano, or maybe Amalfi town. For the spectacular cliff coastal views I would choose Praiano or Positano or Furore. For a livelier town I would choose Amalfi. Positano does have a lot steps, so take that into consideration.

here is driver if you want to do site seeing or need to get around. i used him ... lui è molto buono!! http://www.francescomarrapese.com/mycar.htm

Thanks everyone! We would like to keep our lodging cost to a maximum of $300 per night including breakfast and taxes if possible. Any specific suggestions for Sorrento, Amalfi and Positano that are extremely well located and nice? We hadn't really thought about an apartment but I guess we would explore that as well.

In Sorrento, has anyone stayed at the Palazzo Jannuzzi Relais? It is right across from the square.

Thanks!

In Sorrento it is a MUST that you choose a hotel overlooking the magnificent harbour. The view of the Gulf of Naples and the Vesuvius is amazing - even better view than Vico Equense as mountain seems to be even closer. The square itself in Sorrento is nothing special at all. There are various beautiful hotels overlooking the harbour - I was gazing at them longingly when I was down by the harbour.

In Amalfi, we loved the Hotel Floridiana, where we spent the better part of a week a few years ago. It is in the town center and will be well within your budget. I've made more trips to Italy than I can count and have experienced few hotels that come close to this one for service and general charm.

The town of Amalfi is bustling during the day, but you can walk away from the main street and wander almost alone through the covered walkways. There are quite a few appealing properties if the Floridiana is booked. Atrani, too, would be fine, as it is within an easy walk from Amalfi.

At that time of year, buses tend to be very crowded as service has been cut back but tourism is still high. For that reason, we regretted our choice of Praiano in late September of last year. (More accurately, we regretted having given up our car at the beginning of our stay there since we then had to depend on buses and taxis). Buses ran infrequently and when they did arrive, were jam packed, forcing us to stand. Taxis are very pricey.


Much better to stay in a town with ferry connections and/or a town at the terminus of bus lines (Amalfi, Sorrento), so you can be assured of a bus seat.

From Amalfi you have a choice of several bus routes, including routes to Cetara and Vietri/Salerno, and to Positano and Sorrento, as well as into the hills--Ravello, Scala, and other towns.

>>>There also seems to be a tradeoff between having a hotel with a scenic view of the coast and being in the center of town.<<<

Many of the hotels just outside of Sorrento (up in the hills with views) run hourly free shuttles (usually until midnight or so) for their guests. The Aminta has views with a shuttle and isn't far out of town so you may want to take a look at it.
http://www.aminta.com/

$300 per night will not get you upscale lodging in any tourist area of Italy. And the whole Amalfi cost is packed with tourists - although late Sept will be better than August. If you are sticking with public transit I would stay in Sorrento since you have numerous options - not just the one bus that runs up and down the cost road.

As for the "cities" - Sorrento is a largish town and Amalfi, Positano, etc are small to very small towns. the closest actual city is Naples.

(We go in late May, with a car and stay in Sorrento - so we have both road and ferry options - and the town also has train towards Naples as well s bus service. Also a larger choice of restaurants and shops that the smaller towns.)

Can't help with names, but in Sorrento, there were several gorgeous hotels along the water (some with private elevators to the beach). They were an easy walk to busses and train station as well.

I stayed at the Grand Hotel Excelsior Victoria in Sorrento. It is a beautiful hotel in a park right off the main square and is on the cliffs along the water with gorgeous views. It does have a private elevator down to the marina. I don't think you could get a room there for $300 a night though.

Thanks, everyone! I think we will stay 4 nights in Sorrento and 3 nights in Positano. We are thinking of renting a car in Positano for touring the Amalfi Coast. We are still thinking of using public transport in Sorrento because we will probably stay in town our first day, go to Capri for the second day, and maybe hit Pompei or Naples our third day. (My friend is reluctant to get a car because she's heard that driving is pretty difficult.) Does this make sense?

As far as the hotels, I've asked a travel agent to look into this for us because things are pretty heavily booked and the same hotels keep popping through on the Internet. The ones that are available don't look very nice.

What "type" of lodging do you think we can get for $300 per night? I generally stay at 5 stars in the US and with corporate rates, I generally do pretty well.

BTW, thanks everyone for the hotel suggestions but most of the ones mentioned were booked or $500 plus per night.

Stars in Europe are based on type of amenities (elevator, restaurant, etc.), not quality.

Are you searching hotels on www.venere.com?

I'm pretty sure you'd have to rent the car in Sorrento and not Positano. Regarding driving along the AC, you'll get different answers here. Some think the drive is difficult, if not scary, and others think it's enjoyable, if not downright fun. My husband/driver falls into the second category, but we have found parking can be a pain. But where were you planning to go that you think you need/want a car? And that it would be more convenient than buses and ferries?

Hi

For Sorrento maybe check out the 4 star rated Hotel Carlton International - http://www.hotelcarltonsorrento.com. It's showing € 200 for a triple room with full breakfast.

Echo ekscrunchy's recommendation of the Hotel Floridiana. Stayed there 2 years ago - absolutely wonderful hotel, in the heart of Amalfi, with good restaurants and access to ferries, buses, etc. Breakfast is excellent and Agnes, Ava and Marina will assist with every possible enquiry. We also took the Mumma Agata cooking day in Ravello - just perfect. Take the local Sita bus to Ravello and marvel at this Italian gem of a town. If you enjoy walking, take the "Valley of the Mills" walk - just walk to the end of the main street of Amalfi and keep going! This was our second visit to Amalfi.

Given your situation I recommend the Ulisse Deluxe Hostel. We stayed there last year in July for 4 nights and it was wonderful. They claim to be a hostel but it is a very nice hotel. We paid €86 for three of us in one room. It is totally safe with a huge breakfast

It is near the Marina Grande which is the old section of town west of the the town center so it is a walk from the Circumvesuviana train station. On the other hand this section is less touristy and more quaint. Plus, the Amalfi Road SITA bus stops just up the street on the return trip from the Amalfi Coast.

I did a quick check on their site to do a pseudo booking, guessing at your dates. It looks as though there may be availability and the cost was only €75.50 for a double.

This was our 4th stay in Sorrento and this was the best place we have stayed...keeping in mind that we ignore stars and look for location and character.

Here is their website... http://www.ulissedeluxe.com/

You will have to rent the car in Sorrento, not in Positano.

Agree that Sorrento would be a good place for you to stay if you decide to forego Amalfi.


$300US will not get you anything close to Four Seasons-level-luxury in that area of Italy, even in late September. But you can find a lovely property, as many have mentioned above.

I had fun driving in that area last September and even the parking was not as bad as I had feared. But agree with Jean: Where do you plan to go from Positano that you will need a car?

What are the hotels that "do not look very nice" i your price range? Maybe some of us have stayed at them and can reassure you.

You seem to be bent on staying in Sorrento and Positano - then go for these two towns if they are your preferences, otherwise you might regret it.

When googling for hotel in Sorrento type in "hotel in Sorrento overlooking Marina Grande" to be more specific of location.

You might also go on booking.com, type in your dates, and see what hotels/B&B etc are available. Then email hotel or B&B (sometimes these can be as lovely as a good hotel and might offer better breakfasts) or whatever directly and see if they give you any special offers, ofgten these are not shown on booking engines. You often get a better deal by booking directly with hotel. If hotel offers you a more expensive rate, (it happened once to us, the owners told us they gave us the rate of a more deluxe accommodation) ask tham to match the rate of the booking site. Always check out reviews on both booking.com and Tripadvisor. By reading most of the reviews you will get a good picture on how good the hotel is.

The same goes for Positano. Checking out directly on booking.com website gives you instant confirmation on whether hotel has availibility, and approximitely the rate.

Thanks for all of the helpful responses. I was checking rates and availability on TripAdvisor which accesses all of the individual sites. Our dates are 9/28-10/8 and you'd be surprised how booked the centrally located properties are!

As far as the transportion, we are planning on exploring all of the towns on the Amalfi Coast from our Positano (hopefully) hotel. After reading alot of posts, we were starting to worry that it might be difficult to get around in an efficient manner on the fly and go wherever we decide spur of the moment using public transport. We were thinking our itinerary would look something like this: (I guess we will change the car to pickup in Sorrento -- I guess we will need to drop it off there as well?)

27-Sep Leave US
28-Sep Arrive Naples, Transfer to Sorrento
29-Sep Tour Sorrento
30-Sep Tour Capri
1-Oct More Sorrento (Hiking) OR Ruins (Herculaneum OR Pomei) AND Climb Mount Vesuvius OR Naples
2-Oct Transfer to Positano or Amalfi, Drive the Coast Via Bus Tour and Tour Positano or Amalfi
2-Oct Rent Car, Tour Amalfi, Ravello, Positano and Surrounding Areas
4-Oct Same and Other Small Villages Along the Coast By Car
5-Oct Transfer Rome. Tour More Amalfi (Return Car) or Tour Rome. Decide Day of.
6-Oct Tour Rome
7-Oct Tour Rome
8-Oct Fly US

The Hotel Floridiana was booked. Interesting, the Carlton International is rated 95 of 120 hotels in Sorrento while the Ulisse Deluxe Hostel is ranked #20! I guess we will look into the Ulisse. Is anyone familiar with the location of Palazzo Jannuzzi Relais in Sorrento and has anyone stayed there?

Thanks again, All!!!

If you do intend to visit Heraculaneum or Pompeii and climb mount vesuvius or Naples, an option might be that you spend the first two or last two nights in Naples area - alternatively go for the day from Sorrento, and maybe from Naples hire a private driver to take you to two places you would prefer to go.

I had a look at booking.com for a hotel in Sorrento on the days that you request, and there does seem to be quite a few available which seem lovely and within your budget. Check out Hotel Minerva - it is 220 Euro per night for a double room and has very good reviews. I always like to choose the ones that have rating of 9 or over, at the top choose those starting with best reviews from all reviewers. That way you first view those with best ratings.
Do try and find a hotel which has open views to the bay of Naples and Vesuvius, you will understand why when you see the view!!

I forgot to add - sometimes I notice that on booking.com the search engine tells you that a particular hotel is fully booked, then when you go to the hotel's website, which allows you to book with instant confirmation (not by email), they would have rooms available. So if you are interested in any particular hotel, do check availability on their website or email them directly and ask them if they have any vacancies for the days you require. Some hotels leave some rooms to be booked only on their site, or by requesting a booking via email. Remember, they have to give a commission to the booking agent, so it does make sense. But these booking engines do help so much in checking out which hotels are in the area required, and to check out reviews. However, I do still occasionally book via booking.com.

We drove everywhere, both on Sorrento coast and Amalfi. If I were you, I would hire car from Sorrento and drive to Positano, since you intend to hir car anyway in Positano. On Sorrento coast it would be nice to visit some coastal towns, and also maybe take the funicular to Monte Fiato, it would be really nice since you enjoy hiking, an alternative to Mount Vesuvius, as Monte Fiato would be in the same area.

The advantage of driving on the Sorrentine/Amalfi coast is that you can do stops wherever you want in the many coastal towns and villages, many of them you pass through them when driving along the coasts, like Praiano, Amalfi, Minori, Maiori etc on the AC, and towns like Vico Equense, Massa Lubrense, Pian di Sorrento etc on the Sorrentine coast.
As Jean commented, some might find the driving difficult, and others very enjoyable. We too, like Jean, fall under the latter. It felt much less scary than we thought it would be, in fact I felt much more scared in Tuscany when driving up some narrow hilltop towns, or towns or villages in small high mountains, many did not even have barriers, and the winding roads were sometimes icy or misty. The coastal road on the AC does have barriers, and often you would be just following other cars slowly because of traffic, there is no high gradient like on steep hills (of course not considering places like Montepertuso or Ravello.) You drive slowly and you should be ok.

If you go to Vico Equense try out the restaurant Vic's Street, and the famous Pizza al Metro. The town is so very Italian, without the hordes of tourists of Sorrento.

Hi Sueblue,
I'm taking a similar trip at the same time: Naples, the Cilento, Positano and then Rome.

We found a place we think looks promising in Positano called Rifugio Degli Dei:
http://www.bbplanet.com/farmhouse-rifugio-degli-dei-positano_s19402/en/

It has 3 small apartments with great reviews on TA. My husband found it when he was 'flying' along the Amalfi coast on Google Earth. It looks gorgeous. I'm very much looking forward to a glass of wine (or several) on that terrace. It won't come up on a hotel search but the link will take you to a page to put in your dates and see.

Anna, the Minerva looks nice but I still think we would prefer being closer to town. Are you familiar with the location of Palazzo Jannuzzi Relais? Has anyone stayed there? A friend suggested the Grand Hotel La Favorita and it was $780 per night for a 4 star!

Thanks Rose. The only page I was able to locate for Rifugio was in Italian and it seems to show only one bed and we are two single women. Any other suggestions for Positano anyone?

Thanks!

Where are you planning to pick up the rental car?

I would not pay much attention to the hotel rankings on TripAdvisor. While the comments can be helpful, the rankings mean next to nothing.

Do you understand also that the government-accorded star system in Italy bears little resemblance to the stars awarded in the US?

No sueblue, I am afraid I have never been to Palazzo Jannuzzi Relais - but maybe you might have a look on what reviewers have to say in TA and Booking.com.

It is true, as ekscrunchy commented, rankings on TA can be a bit misleading, as like if there is only a few reviews and all the reviewers give it full stars, TA still wouldn't - and this hotel might be the very best in the area. I have been to accommodations where I would not give full stars for its standard, but owners would be so incredibly lovely and accommodating (this is more likely to happen in Agriturismos and B&Bs) that most reviewers would give it a full rating, and whilst agreeing about the hospitality, I would not be too impressed with standard of accommodation or like maybe accessibility or area.

It is best to see both TA and booking.com, and read all reviews even if there are only a few and then make your own homework. However, naturally you would suspect something is lacking in a particular accommodation if it has 3 or less stars - personally I would prefer not to book it, I would may be only close my eyes if it had some teething problems, as I am addicted to newly-opened brand new accommodations.

The walk to the harbour is a very short walk from the centre square, and many of the nice hotels are on the cliff facing the harbour and have direct access via lift to the beach. Believe me, central square of Sorrento did not impress me at all, maybe it is because in that holiday we had visited Tuscany and had also already toured many of towns and villages of the AC before arriving in Sorrento. It was an ordinary, relatively not large square with lots of traffic going round, but of course, each to his own preferences, I do understand that some travellers prefer to stay in the very centre of things, personally I always go for the best views and least chaos.

You do seem really bent on staying at Palazzo Jannuzzi Relais, then do read all reviews on it, and if they are good book it as you would be rising it getting fully booked on days you reuest. I can understand that at times you can get hooked on one particular accommodation and would want to stay there at all means - i guess this happens to everyone.

Ekscrunchy, we planning to pick up the car in Sorrento at the end of our stay there. Anna, do you know how far the Hotel Minerva is from the harbor? Is it a comfortable walk? Is it easy to just grab a cab? How much is a typical cab ride?

As I remember, the Hotel is a bit of a walk from the harbor, since it is out of the town center, on Via Capo. The walk would be partly uphill, as I remember. (I stayed there many, many years ago, on one of my first trips to Italy) You might have to walk along the shoulder with traffic buzzing by; this would not necessarily be intimidating but I mention it just in case.

I am sure you can find a cab easily, but my guess is a minimum of 10 euro to the hotel. Keep in mind that taxi fares of very expensive in that area. There are plenty of taxi stands, though.
I am quite sure that there is a bus that would take you to the hotel from the harbor. Others can confirm.

Please keep in mind that at least some of the car rental agencies in Sorrento close for lunch.
We turned our car in to one of the Avis offices last year about this time of year, but there is a Hertz closer to your hotel on Via Capo, at #8--you can check the map.

We just returned from a week in Positano and we chose to return the rental car before venturing to the Amalfi Coast. If you really want to drive, you will need nerves of steel, patience, and a very small car! I would not recommend driving there.

It was very easy for us to visit Capri, Amalfi town and Ravello using the ferries and public buses (although the buses were chaotic and crowded in Amalfi).

We also used a private driver for transportation to and from Napoli Centrale train station. If your budget allows, you might want to consider hiring a driver for any towns that can't be reached by ferries.

Whatever you decide,you will have a lovely trip. That is one of the most beautiful areas of Italy.

I checked out Hotel Minerva for you again. This hotel does have lovely open views of the harbour, but not cliff-edge overlooking the harbour. It would probably offer transport to the very centre of Sorrento, but I would try to find a hotel right on the harbour. When searching type in hotel overlooking Marina Grande cliff edge in Sorrento, or hotel overooking Marina Piccola in Sorrento, and check them out.

Just did some searching - check out Imperial Hotel Tramontano - it does look lovely - on the coast and close to the centre - also checked prices, double room with sea-view costs about 300 euro a nigh, right on budget allowance!!!. Check out also Grand Hotel Riviera and Grand Hotel Royal, both also seem lovely, facing the harbour and close to town centre and within your budget.

I have been away from this site for a couple of years. And when I saw your post next to mine, I knew that I must reply. For your quieter town, pick Positano. We just loved it. Although my information is not current, we stayed at the Villa Rosa. It was recommended by the guide Karen Brown. We had a spectacular view from our balcony. Villa Rosa still gets great reviews on Tripadvisor. And it's near Hotel California, where I think Diane Lane stayed in Under the Tuscan Sun. Villa Rosa is across the street from Le Sirenuse, where we had an amazing dinner.

We took the train from Rome to Naples. Then hired a car from Naples to Positano. I don't like driving the California coast, and this is similar. We took separate day trips by boat to Capri, Amalfi and smaller towns.

It's a wonderful trip!

My husband and I took the same trip last year. We stayed at the Inn at the Spanish Steps in Rome. Fabulous location and a terrace for breakfast that is so refreshing. Staff is excellent. We made the Excelsior our home base in Sorrento. Staff was wonderful and the marina is just an elevator ride away to take the ferry to other cities. We took day trips to Capri (fabulous little restaurant a the top of the mountain; quite a hike), then took the ferry over to Positano for drinks and dinner at La Sirenuse (sp?) - forgive me, I'm traveling and don't have my notes with me, so I'm winging it.
Positano was a lot of fun and the drinks/dinner was superb, as we requested a corner table where we could survey the crowd. Very fun watching all of the people (singles, families, gal pals, etc.) enjoying. It was a slurge, but worth the 5 hours we spent there, just relaxing and enjoying the sunset.
Villa Cimbrone in Ravello was a sight to behold. The best peach bellini I've ever had. gorgeous.

We did a similar trip and stayed in Sorrento at the Hotel Capodimonte it is just outside of the town set into the cliffs overlooking the harbor. It serves a lovely breakfast and the breakfast room overlooks the bay and Naples. We had a view room and it was in your price range. We walked everywhere in Sorrento, took the ferry to Capri for the day and hired a driver to Pompei and to tour the coast. You can also ferry to the hill towns. As for a car everyone suggested and other travel sights suggested leaving the driving to someone else. Unless you like adventure, (narrow roads and unpredictable conditions and closures) I would think twice about renting a car.

We stayed in Positano in the already recommended Villa Rosa and we absolutely loved it. Having breakfast on our huge terrace overlooking the sea and Positano was heaven. There are many steps though and no elevator in the hotel. We traveled to Amalfi by ferry and returned by bus. I don't know if the ferry would still be running in October.

Sue

It seems you are set on Positano and Sorrento and renting a car. I have visited twice and stayed in Praiano both times. Once in the off season when buses very a breeze and once mid-Sept whentheywere a nightmare!r

Just don't forget about the ferries. The views from the sea are the best of all and no crowds or traffic. Fresh air andthe wind in your hair.


Buon viaggio!

Thanks everyone! I just returned to searching after being away for the weekend. I will check on all of your new hotel suggestions. BTW, after searching and searching for something nice in Positano that was well located (we are holding Posa Posa which I don't think is well located but a travel agent told me it was), I started looking at Amalfi. I saw something for the Grand Hotel Convento di Amalfi on Prestigia that seemed much less expensive than all of the other travel websites. Is anyone familiar with this site? It seems to be based overseas.

I will report back tomorrow. Thanks again everyone!!!

If you're still interested in a hotel in Positano, you should check out Hotel Marincanto. We just returned from a week there and absolutely loved it. There are a lot of stairs there (and everywhere in Positano), but if you're fit, it's a magical place to stay.

I would definitely suggest you stay at the Grand Hotel Convento in Amalfi if you can afford it. This hotel was completely refurbished and I believe restructured - I was certainly interested in staying there for our holiday in AC - but it was too expensive for us as we need two rooms for our family.

You mean Hotel Prestige for Sorrento? It is a nice hotel but up high on a hill, not on Sorrento centre or harbour area.
Same goes for Hotel Posa Posa - it is high up in Positano and you would have a twenty minute walk, plus I just checked it out on Tripadvisor and second latest review did not say nice things about this hotel, especially regarding cleanliness - of course opinions might differ to other reviewers.

Thanks, Anna! The Hotel Imperial Tramontano and Grand Hotel Royal both look great. I have already written to the Hotel Imperial. Regarding the Amalfi Hotel, I am holding a room at the Grand Hotel Convento. I used a booking site called Prestigia which came up on Tripadvisor. Prestigia’s rate for Convento was lower than any other site and therefore I am a little skeptical. BTW, your suggestion of writing directly to the hotels was great! I wrote to and am also looking into the Hotel Santa Caterina in Amalfi. Are the Convento and Santa Caterina hotels well located and close to town center in Amalfi?

Tilburg, the Villa Rosa was booked.  Cybertraveler, the Maricanto was also booked.

Xgapeach 1, we are going to looked into the Inne at the Spanish Steps. Someone else had also suggested this to us.

Thanks again, everyone!

Hi Sueblue - you are very welcome.

I am not sure about the booking site Prestigia (sorry I thought you were referring to the Hotel Prestige in Sorrento -I have never booked with them, but probably it should be ok since you say you saw it through Tripadvisor). Do you have to give your credit card details to this site or a deposit for the booking? If not, maybe it might be a good option to book through them, but always double check afterwards by emailing directly the hotel so that they confirm that they have the booking and so that they confirm the stay and rate offered by the booking site.

Alternatively, contact hotel and ask them if they would give you a special offer (if rate is higher than Prestigia) and also ask them to match the rate of Prestigia - they usually do (since they have to give a commission to the booking agent) - a much better option. When you book, always make sure that you print a copy of any emails exchanged by hotel and/or booking site, and take them with you as proof in writing of rate and stay, when you go on your trip. We always do that when we go on holiday.

I was again thinking about your holiday, and ALWAYS in my opinion, I think that in your case since you won't be driving, it might be a better option to stay in Amalfi rather than Positano. From Amalfi you are closer to towns like Minori, Maiori (lovely promenade), Ravello, Vietri Sul Mare, Paestum ruins and of course Amalfi town itself - in my opoinion, Amalfi town has the nicest square of all the towns on the AC. You can easily do a day trip to Positano, maybe stopping at towns on the route on the coastal road of the AC like Furore (where there is the Grotta della Smeralda)and Praiano so that you would also be able catch the enchanting views and take some photos at your own pace. You might use public transport, take short taxi rides or hire a private driver. A lunch up the Montepertuso mountain, not far from Positano, would also be nice, as you would have a very good view of Positano and the AC from above. There are plenty of nice restaurants there (the food of la Tagliata in my opinion, despite having very good reviews, did not impress me that much, but the owners are really nice friendly people. You might even go for an evening to Positano and take a taxi cab - it is still not far from Amalfi, so that you can have a drive on the AC in the evening, it is so wonderful to see it all lit up - we were there during Christmas time, and with lots of lights lit up everywhere in the towns and along the coast it was so breathtakingly beautiful.

Positano is best seen from afar not in the town itself - although if you find accommodation higher up on the hill of Positano, the views would be even nicer. Also you would need to take steps almost to everywhere, as this town is built on a narrow terraced winding road with steps in between - so some parts of it are even only for pedestrians. So be careful about your choice of hotel if you book in Positano - although I am sure that hotels of the category you are searching would have the facilities to accommodate you. But of course, it is up to you if you prefer to stay in Positano, as it is a unique beautiful town.

Hotel Convento is about 400m away from the centre of Amalfi, and Hotel Santa Caterina a couple of hundred metres even further - towards Positano - (600 or 700m away - please check this out exactly with hotel or on google maps). WOW the Santa Caterina is also so incredibly beautiful, and has really raving reviews regarding accommodation and hospitality, a full 5/5 stars. If I had to stay in Amalfi, these two hotels would certainly be on my toplist - if it were not for my budget as I always need two rooms for my family - but luckily for me, hotels nearly always end up giving me really good deals.

I just love cliff edge accommodation with breat-taking sea views, yet still close to the centre. So maybe you might choose between these two (if you ultimately decide to stay in Amalfi, according to best rate they give up, or location. But both are easily walkable to city centre, and probably hotels of that category would even offer a shuttle to town centre - anyhow, maybe if you would not feel like walking it back late in the evening, you can always take a very very short taxi ride back (when you go on holiday take note of any car hire companies/private drivers etc on the AC, as you would probably be charged less than having these arrangements booked at hotel, since these two are high-end hotels. You would probably find taxis at Amalfi town that wait for tourists near the harbour without needing to prebook(always ask for the rate, don't trust Italians in this) - where the coach buses also park, which is only literally a few steps away from the main Amalfi Square. But ultimately you can easily take a short walk back to hotel.

Bottom line, read all reviews of both hotels which, besides your budget, would also ultimately help you to decide which one of those two you shortlisted, you would choose.

Regarding Rome - In December 2010 whilst planning our holiday, I was making some research as we were thinking of doing an overnight stop in Rome after leaving the Amalfi Coast, and came across Relais Maddalena. Unfortunately it was already fully booked, but I was so impressed about what a nice, accommodating and friendly person the owner was - I asked him via email some questions regarding accessibility into Rome (I have a special needs daughter with mobility problems and we have the drivers' Blue Europeon sticker for the disability) and he was so helpful in giving me suggestions about driving in central Rome during the Christmas holidays, etc - even about the drive from Sorrento coast to Rome on New Year's Day, he really left an impression on me for his kindness in giving advice even though I did not book at the Relais Maddalena. This accommodation has a full 5 out of 5 star rating by reviewers, is very centrally located near the Pantheon, and is brand new - it had just opened in 2010 (just how I like them lol). You might be interested in having a look at their website - it is a B&B worth checking out for sure.

Enjoy your planning!!!

For Rome also check Locanda del Sole Luxury Suite Rome (brand new just opened a couple of month ago) - it is also on the top-list of best accommodation in Rome and also close to Pantheon.

Thanks again, Anna! We have in fact decided to stay in Amalfi and we were able to secure a rate of $445 for the Caterina. Given some of the high rates for the 4 stars and feeling so tired of looking, we decided to just go for it. The only problem is that there is a tough cancellation policy but oh well, I guess you can't get everything. Will definitely check those spots in Rome you suggested.

With all of the couples and honeymooners writing reviews, my friend and I just hope we haven't selected too romantic a vacation! Hopefully, there will be some singles around! Thanks again!

Well done, sueblue, I'm sure that Hotel Santa Caterina is unique and well worth the splurge - it will feel like you are in heaven on earth for sure in that hotel. You did get it for a good rate - is it 445 dollars per night for the room or per person (probably per person, as it does seem to be much more expensive than that on its website. Well, whatever, it certainly will be worth it, you will be pampered there for sure - the hotel is a luxury five star!! Are you booking it for the whole trip on AC, or are you still planning on staying in Sorrento for a few days? If so, did you decide which hotel you will be staying at?

I am sure that you will find plenty of singles on the AC - especially locals or Italians residing elsewhere doing their holiday in another region - don't worry, Italians love to enjoy themselves and have fun, going out to bars to party (many with music) and restaurants in the evenings. Plus there will still be plenty of tourists on the AC end of September for sure - AC is always on the toplist for those who love beautiful scenary and enjoy leisurely evenings out. Naturally, it is not Ibiza, but who would prefer there to Amalfi Coast??? Also, needless to say, there will also be many singles in Rome, so again I would not be too concerned about that.

Enjoy your trip - plus the planning - if you need any help, please do not hesitate to ask!!

sueble - I just came across this company called AequaLimo that do a driver service from Naples to Sorrento and also give tours around the Amalfi coast with private driver. AequaLimo has really raving reviews - check it out on Tripadvisor, and they say that they have the best rates (but maybe still check out other private drivers).

It might be a good idea maybe to book a private tour with them or maybe transfer from Naples, or take tel. no and details of them or any other company with you for the holiday.

Anna, we got the Caterina for $445 per night because as you suggested, I wrote to the hotel directly and they had a last minute offer!! We are slumming it with the standard room though . . .  which I’m sure will be just fine because we won’t be in the room much anyway.

We are still planning on staying in Sorrento for the first 4 nights. We are waiting to see if we can get a similar rate at the Grand Hotel Royal that we found at the Hotel Tramontano – as we would prefer the Royal. We will probably also opt for the standard or superior room.

Glad to hear about the singles! We were starting to think we should have booked a different trip!

Thanks so much to you and all you other Fodorites for your help!!! If I have any other questions, I may start a new thread with a different title. Happy summer end!

sueblue - really really well done that you managed to get that rate. Hotels do sometimes give very good offers to lure you into booking with them, especially the expensive ones. I am always so pleased with myself when I manage to get an extremely good rate (I got an extremely good rate in Rimini last December for a 4 star superior brand new hotel) in fact half the rate of instant booking. So it was affordable for me, considering I always need to book 2 rooms. I am so glad that you emailed the hotel directly.

You will enjoy it for sure there, whatever room you stay in, the hotel seems so beautiful with views from anywhere you go - you won't be in your room much anyway. I would do the same, not worth paying like a 1000 euros per night for any hotel or room. Unless one enjoys wasting money or is filthy rich, lol!!!

Good luck on the Hotel Royal - it is really so lovely, but if they do not give you an affordable rate the Hotel Tramontano is beautiful as well, both have that incredible view of the Bay of Naples and the Vesuvius - you get the feeling that the mountain is within your reach, it feels so close!!
You will see what I mean when you experience it - please remember what I am saying on that day when you are taking in the view for the first time, lol!!!

You might certainly encounter some seriously rich people who are single in the hotels you chose, lol, especially at the Santa Caterina - good luck!!

You are very welcome for my assistance. I enjoy holidays so much, even the planning stages, and it gives me as much pleasure in helping others to the best of my ability, plan theirs - besides it gets back so many memories of my stays there, it is like I am reliving my own vacation.

Enjoy your trip to the fullest!!

Happy Summer end - I am lucky - our Summer in Malta is till end of September and it can be hot enough to swim also during the whole of October, so we do have a bit more to go. But every day is still so precious to me, lol.