bocacpa

My wife and I are in the planning stages for a Spring 2011 trip that will include the CT. We will not have a car. From my reading of the postings and archives, Chiavari sounds like it could be a good base for us. And it appears that Sestri Levante could work also.

We are into eating, walking, markets and people watching. While we enjoy walking, we are not into hiking.

We are thinking of 3 nights, maybe 4. Our ideal hotel would be: A) Air conditioned (mandatory), B) With a balcony or terrace for having drinks while enjoying the scenery, and C) Under 200 Euros per night.

We have the Red Michelin for Italy, but there seem to be many hotels that are recommended here that don't make it into that book. So, please let me know your recommendations that would fit out criteria.

Thanks
Steve

zeppole

I think your balcony is going to be hard to come by in Chiavari. Be aware that the layout of Chiavari is that the charming historic town sits slightly inland from the beach line, and in between it and the sea is the highway and the train line. So if you get a hotel with a sea view, you are also close to road and train.

I have never stayed at Zia Piera in Chiavari, but it looks friendly and sweet. The restaurant Lord Nelson has rooms that look quite attractive, but you may not want them for a 4 day stay.

I think the Hotel Helvatia in Sestri Levante might have everything you say you want. You might check out other TripAdvisor reviews for Sestri Levante to see if anything else works for you. I have heard others recommend Vis-a-Vis.

Recently a poster on Fodor's wrote that they were considering the Hotel Belvedere in Bonassola, and when I looked on TripAdvisor, it gets rave reviews. It is a much smaller town, however, with far fewer restaurants. Certainly Chiavari and Sestri Levante are tops for anyone who cares about top-notch eating in this area.

Because I live in Liguria, I don't stay in hotels around here, so I really can't help you out more than to say to consult Tripadvisor. However, those two towns -- Chiavari and Sestri Levante -- are among my two favorite towns on the Riveria Levante. I often think if I ever get tired of climbing stairs, I will have a hard time choosing between which of the two I want to move to. Chiavari is a bit more adult, and Sestri Levante the livelier holiday spot. They are both just wonderful though -- and make sure if you stay in one you visit the other, especially for meals and enjoying the caffes.

Sestri Levante has the great fish market. Chiavari has a great weekend antiques market and fun food stores.

One last thought -- private balconies for drinks may be the way to go in other places, but in Liguria, it is really a lot more fun to sit in the cafes with everybody else for your drink. Sestri Levante in particular as a beautiful bar on its sandy bay of Silence, and Caffe Defilla in Chiavari often has a piano player and great people watching with your Shakerato.

bocacpa

Thanks Zeppole. Now the other factor is that we tend to eat our big meal at lunch.

If we will be exploring North to Camogli and south to the CT, it might not matter as much as to food options where we are staying, as we could plan our lunch. WE would then be back to where we are staying for something light for dinner. I know that may not be the Italian way, but as age catches up to us, that is our way to cope.

Since we are in seafood territory, anything fresh and not overcooked should be wonderful.

We'd probably be spending three nights near the CT.

Delle Rose in Bonassola is the only thing I saw in the Michelin with air-conditioning. Will look into it.

Thanks
Steve

bocacpa

Oops, upon going to the Delle Rose website, I see only the restaurant is air-conditioning. And looking at the Michelin red again, I see that is what their symbol said.

Back to square one.

Steve

zeppole

Actually, the Italian way is to eat a big lunch and a light dinner.

The area is so small that you shouldn't switch hotels. If you have already found a place near le Cinque Terre that meets all your requirements, you should stay there the whole time. Camogli is not that far.

If you don't need a big town with lots of evening restaurants, consider Moneglia too-- and especially consider renting an apartment in Moneglia, so you can have a kitchen for those light dinners. Sestri Levante sometimes has good apartment deals -- and it is smack dab in the center between Camogli and le CInque Terre, so you can easily see both. Just make sure you can walk to the train station. Some hotels in Sestri Levante have kitchenettes (as do others along the coast.)

You don't say what time in Spring you are going, and if you need AC you need AC and don't let me talk you out of it. But most of us feel like we only need it past the middle of June.

zeppole

PS: Be sure if you see "AC" listed that the hotel is operating in Spring during the day you are there. Some hotels don't turn it on until summer.

zeppole

Santa Margherita Ligure is another town you should put on your list if you strike out in Sestri Levante or Chiavari. In Santa Margherita Ligure, Hotel Minerva or Hotel TIguillo ed Milano might fit your budget place have AC, and I think there is a well-priced B*B called something like "La Luna."

zeppole

This might work for you. Tripadvisor reviews mention it is air conditioned, and close to the train station.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev...a.html#REVIEWS

bocacpa

Zeppole: Thanks so much for your recommendations . Especially your warning about air-conditioning not being turned on. In addition to the obvious (comfort), my wife suffers from asthma, and in general, having closed windows and filtered air while sleeping cuts down the occurrence of attacks.

Like what I see about Villa Edera; it is also in the Michelin. Moleglia has only been mentioned in these forums a couple of times, so I don't know much about the town.

Steve

zeppole

http://www.emmeti.it/Welcome/Liguria.../index.uk.html