Capri hotels - Minerva, Flora or Luna - help!
Mar 4th, 2008, 08:00 AM
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Capri hotels - Minerva, Flora or Luna - help!
As usual I am obsessing over our plans for a trip in May. We are staying 2 nights in Capri and 3 nights in Positano. I have narrowed it down to 3 hotels - the Minerva, Flora or Luna. Here is my question...we like to be able to walk as much as possible and have great views. The Minerva sounds lovely, but it looks like the view is a few evergreen trees and then the sea, whereas the others look like gardens and sea views. Can you help with your opinions/recommendations. Also- we do prefer a smaller place that is on the quieter side and as least touristy as possible LOL! Thanks in advance for your time. Amy
Apr 15th, 2009, 05:27 AM
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I have had lunch at Luna. The hotel has beautiful gardens and an absolutely lovely swimming pool that overlooks the sea.
I thought the staff was snooty, however.
I have always stayed at Quisisana.
Thin
I thought the staff was snooty, however.
I have always stayed at Quisisana.
Thin
Apr 15th, 2009, 08:25 AM
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Cries Van Notebook is absolutely right about Luna. We thought our rooms were beautiful, both with incredible water views, and the location was perfect for walking into town. However, the staff reminded us of Leona Helmsley.
On the other hand, we had drinks at Quisisana, and must not have been wearing cool enough sunglasses, because our waiter first ignored us, then treated us with an attitude larger than Capri's famous rocks.
On the other hand, we had drinks at Quisisana, and must not have been wearing cool enough sunglasses, because our waiter first ignored us, then treated us with an attitude larger than Capri's famous rocks.
Apr 15th, 2009, 08:50 AM
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That is completely gruesome. And it is that kind of attitude that I fear in Capri. I guess I have the idea the Anacapri is less faux-jet-set than Capri town. I am probably all off base, as usual. If a person likes Amalfi better than Positano, are they more of an Anacapri person? (Yes I know this is a silly question...)
Quite amazing how many fake reviews there are of Capri/Anacapri hotels on TripAdvisor. I am looking now at (among others) the Mariantonia in Anacapri.
http://www.casamariantonia.com/en/home
It sounds great until you take a look at the reviews and realize that most (but not all) of them are the one-and-only review written by the satisfied "guest."
http://tinyurl.com/d83bd5
Same goes for this B&B which looks very nice; they have availability for my dates and the price includes use of the pool at the Hotel San Michele:
http://www.villailsognocapri.it/casa.html
Quite amazing how many fake reviews there are of Capri/Anacapri hotels on TripAdvisor. I am looking now at (among others) the Mariantonia in Anacapri.
http://www.casamariantonia.com/en/home
It sounds great until you take a look at the reviews and realize that most (but not all) of them are the one-and-only review written by the satisfied "guest."
http://tinyurl.com/d83bd5
Same goes for this B&B which looks very nice; they have availability for my dates and the price includes use of the pool at the Hotel San Michele:
http://www.villailsognocapri.it/casa.html
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Apr 15th, 2009, 10:11 AM
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ekscrunchy,
At the risk of offending many posters who rave about Capri, I have to say that Capri Town was one of my least favorite places in Italy. And as you may know by now, I am completely Italy obsessed-- or was until I fell in love with Greece! My husband and I LOVE good food and wine, but we like it ala mama or nonna, not ala pretention. Same goes for scenery, culture, and sunglasses,the latter about which I could mostly care less. I guess I just didn't find that true in Capri Town, where luxe was on parade for all to see. While we were amused at times, it really was over the top for our tastes, right down to the "pool boy" at Luna who expected a tip for adjusting our lounge head pillows. Whether Anacapri is less of a scene, I can't say, because we cut out a day early for Positano.
At the risk of offending many posters who rave about Capri, I have to say that Capri Town was one of my least favorite places in Italy. And as you may know by now, I am completely Italy obsessed-- or was until I fell in love with Greece! My husband and I LOVE good food and wine, but we like it ala mama or nonna, not ala pretention. Same goes for scenery, culture, and sunglasses,the latter about which I could mostly care less. I guess I just didn't find that true in Capri Town, where luxe was on parade for all to see. While we were amused at times, it really was over the top for our tastes, right down to the "pool boy" at Luna who expected a tip for adjusting our lounge head pillows. Whether Anacapri is less of a scene, I can't say, because we cut out a day early for Positano.
Apr 15th, 2009, 10:53 AM
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In regards to Weadles observations about Capri I have to agree. However, I think that there is a reason for so much pretension. It was explained to me by a woman who worked
in a very exclusive shoe store near the Piazetta.
Many "daytrippers" come to Capri and wander in and out of the expensive shops wasting the time of the employees. They try on all the clothes, watches, shoes, etc. with no intent of buying. She told me her friend worked in one of the jewellery stores near the Piazetta and people come in and try on the Patek Philippe and Corum watches, take pictures of themselves wearing the watches, then give watches back to the shopkeeper and leave. Some try to steal the watches.
Shopkeepers and waiters have become very wary of these people (some try to leave restaurants and cafes without paying the tab). This is why they judge people based on what they are wearing--watch, shoes, handbag, sunglasses, etc., and things like a manicure, hair, teeth.
You just have to ignore and be very aggressive. Be pushy.
You will be fine, crunchy, living in Manhattan as you do.
Thin
in a very exclusive shoe store near the Piazetta.
Many "daytrippers" come to Capri and wander in and out of the expensive shops wasting the time of the employees. They try on all the clothes, watches, shoes, etc. with no intent of buying. She told me her friend worked in one of the jewellery stores near the Piazetta and people come in and try on the Patek Philippe and Corum watches, take pictures of themselves wearing the watches, then give watches back to the shopkeeper and leave. Some try to steal the watches.
Shopkeepers and waiters have become very wary of these people (some try to leave restaurants and cafes without paying the tab). This is why they judge people based on what they are wearing--watch, shoes, handbag, sunglasses, etc., and things like a manicure, hair, teeth.
You just have to ignore and be very aggressive. Be pushy.
You will be fine, crunchy, living in Manhattan as you do.
Thin
Apr 15th, 2009, 11:18 AM
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Thinster we could have fun together. I could even wear my mother's old Gucci sunglasses from the 70s! Seriously, I think that you gave a very good explanation about the sometimes negative attitude on Capri and on other meccas that attract people who perceive themselves to be jet setters.
Weadles: This is exactly what I do not want to find on Capri and exactly why I am looking in Anacapri. Now I am having doubts about the whole idea!
Appletea: Click on the name of the person who wrote the review and you can see if they have written any others. If they have not, of course, it does not mean that the review is a fake, but if you read some of them carefully, you can see a pattern...
Here is an example; not on Capri, but in Vico Equense in a hotel that I was looking at before I had the idea to switch Vico for Capri for a few days:
Take a look at these reviews and then see that almost every one was written by someone who had only one review--that one: And even some of the names look fake to me..maybe I am just suspicious by nature. And none of that means that the hotel is necessarily bad, by the way, but it makes me wonder. Of course if one hotel in a town begins to post fake reviews, maybe the others feel that they have to, in order to push themselves higher on the TA list..I wish I knew the real story!
http://tinyurl.com/c7n3sc
Weadles: This is exactly what I do not want to find on Capri and exactly why I am looking in Anacapri. Now I am having doubts about the whole idea!
Appletea: Click on the name of the person who wrote the review and you can see if they have written any others. If they have not, of course, it does not mean that the review is a fake, but if you read some of them carefully, you can see a pattern...
Here is an example; not on Capri, but in Vico Equense in a hotel that I was looking at before I had the idea to switch Vico for Capri for a few days:
Take a look at these reviews and then see that almost every one was written by someone who had only one review--that one: And even some of the names look fake to me..maybe I am just suspicious by nature. And none of that means that the hotel is necessarily bad, by the way, but it makes me wonder. Of course if one hotel in a town begins to post fake reviews, maybe the others feel that they have to, in order to push themselves higher on the TA list..I wish I knew the real story!
http://tinyurl.com/c7n3sc
Apr 15th, 2009, 11:24 AM
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Very interesting observations, Cries. That kind of behavior would annoy me, too.
I agree with you that a Manhattanite should be able to handle the attitudes well, but then why did it bother me so much?? I lived in NYC for nearly 20 years!
I agree with you that a Manhattanite should be able to handle the attitudes well, but then why did it bother me so much?? I lived in NYC for nearly 20 years!
Apr 15th, 2009, 01:41 PM
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I just wanted to write that I also have received this kind of attitude from waiters at places like Deux Maggots in Paris and Cafe Florian in Venice. It is probably due to dealing with so many tourists who don't speak the language and don't know how to order.
I noticed at Luna that Italians with children were doted on by the waiters. These were probably repeat guests that the staff knew.
My friend Nina's parents have been staying at Quisisana for years and years. When they walk into the hotel the manager comes and greets them by name. Everyone knows "Mr. Marv" and "Mrs. Roz." I think that is the difference.
A few years ago, my mother and I stayed at The Oriental in Bangkok. I was told by others that you could NOT walk through the lobby in shorts. Well, I walked through the lobby in shorts and not a word was said. Why? Because I was a guest. The people who told me I could not wear shorts were not guests. They just came to the hotel for a look-see and were not admitted by the doorman.
I stayed at the Negresco in Nice in 1999. I went to the beach and came back to the hotel in bathing suit short with t-shirt, flip-flops, and baseball hat. The doorman would not let me into the hotel. He didn't think I was staying there because of the way I was dressed, nor did he recognize me. He actually looked at my feet like I had just stepped in dog shit. I had to DIG through my bag to find my room key to prove that I was staying there.
Believe me, I have been treated like dirt by hotel staff, too.
Thin
I noticed at Luna that Italians with children were doted on by the waiters. These were probably repeat guests that the staff knew.
My friend Nina's parents have been staying at Quisisana for years and years. When they walk into the hotel the manager comes and greets them by name. Everyone knows "Mr. Marv" and "Mrs. Roz." I think that is the difference.
A few years ago, my mother and I stayed at The Oriental in Bangkok. I was told by others that you could NOT walk through the lobby in shorts. Well, I walked through the lobby in shorts and not a word was said. Why? Because I was a guest. The people who told me I could not wear shorts were not guests. They just came to the hotel for a look-see and were not admitted by the doorman.
I stayed at the Negresco in Nice in 1999. I went to the beach and came back to the hotel in bathing suit short with t-shirt, flip-flops, and baseball hat. The doorman would not let me into the hotel. He didn't think I was staying there because of the way I was dressed, nor did he recognize me. He actually looked at my feet like I had just stepped in dog shit. I had to DIG through my bag to find my room key to prove that I was staying there.
Believe me, I have been treated like dirt by hotel staff, too.
Thin
Apr 15th, 2009, 02:12 PM
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Well, don't feel bad..they would not even let my partner and I into the lobby of the Hassler! I always thought it was because I was carrying a plastic bag full of oranges, but on further reflection, maybe it was my sunglasses. Even worse, it might have been my awful shoes.
I am past caring about this kind of stuff. I don't even want to go to those snazzy Capri hotels. I just hope the entire island is not infected with this sort of attitude.
I am past caring about this kind of stuff. I don't even want to go to those snazzy Capri hotels. I just hope the entire island is not infected with this sort of attitude.
Jun 24th, 2009, 05:47 PM
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Minerva, Minerva, Minerva. It is a great hotel, with a great staff, especially Luigi. No pretention. We loved that it was peaceful and quiet, yet a few minutes walk only to the center of town. We would stay here again in a heartbeat.
Luigi arranged a boat tour for us around the island that was the highlight of our trip.
I did not like the area that the Luna was in - too busy, noisy, kids hanging out.
Luigi arranged a boat tour for us around the island that was the highlight of our trip.
I did not like the area that the Luna was in - too busy, noisy, kids hanging out.
Jun 24th, 2009, 06:24 PM
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We were staying around the corner from the Flora, and thought it was attractive in a much more low key way than most places nearby. We poked around the empty lobby and took pictures, and no one payed any attention to us. There is definitely not a scene at The Flora. Every time we went by, which was often, it was very quiet there. But there were some kids hanging out about 20 or so yards away.
Jun 25th, 2009, 03:08 AM
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I just re-read these posts and wonder if I even want to go to Capri at all! I was there a hundred years ago and thought it beautiful. Maybe that is enough!? (I was planning two days on Anacapri in September)
Jun 25th, 2009, 06:20 AM
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Well, Keith and I are going to Rome in September and we better look spiffy if we want to have a drink at the Hassler.
I will remember not to carry a bag of groceries with me.
crunchy, I think you can handle Capri for two days.
Thin
I will remember not to carry a bag of groceries with me.
crunchy, I think you can handle Capri for two days.
Thin
Jun 25th, 2009, 08:30 AM
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I am going to Capri next May and plan to stay at le Minerva. I originally planned to go last year and wanted to stay on Ana Capri for the views and picked Senaca. Now, although I like being up high, I think Ana Capri would be inconvenient. I certainly plan to spend some time there, but plan to stay in Capri.
Jun 25th, 2009, 09:31 AM
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Well the appeal of Capri to me is the natural beauty - we have been several times and I love walking all over the island. The views are amazing and there are many lovely flowers and charming residences, plus the ruins, Blue Grotto, chair lift in Anacapri etc. I have never even ventured into any of the high priced shops. We have stayed several times at the Mamela and were quite pleased with it. Not snooty, pleasant pool, quiet enough but close to town for dining. I would return in a heartbeat. We are certainly not jet set tourists but the appeal of Capri is alot more than that IMO.
