Help with Monterosso Hotel Choice
 

I can't decide between Albergo Amici or La Poesia. I would love something with a view but all of those hotels are sold out. Amici has what looks like a beautiful balcony with views but La Poesia looks too cute to resist. Any thoughts?

I stayed at Hotel Villa Steno in a very nice single with a balcony and great view. Looked new or recently remodeled. Although it's a bit of a walk uphill, it was minor compared with the walking/hiking I did elsewhere in the CQ. Nice staff with good breakfast--also with a view.

www.pasini.com/

We also stayed at Hotel Villa Steno last June and loved it. We'll be back for 3 days this coming May.

It isn't a luxurious hotel, but it is very charming and clean. The owners are friendly and professional. And the breakfast is GREAT! ;-)

Friends have stayed at this hotel when they also couldn't get a room with a view and were very happy, and the food was good too. A Ca du Gigante
http://www.ilgigantecinqueterre.it/e.../frameset.html

There are also good reviews for Villa Steno on TripAdvisor.com--but make sure you request a view. I also seem to recall getting a 10 euro discount/night for mentioning the Rick Steves' book.

Yes we got the discount too with the Ricke Steves book, if we paid in cash.

DEFINITELY ask for a room with a view :-)

Between the two places, La Poesia is much smaller with only 4 rooms. It is more of a B&B style hotel and therefore more intimate because of the individual room styles, etc. The owner takes great pride in each distinctive room and is happy to share her hotel property with her guests.

The Albergo Amici is much larger and has a restaurant on property so meals can be included with your room price, if desired. Between the 2 properties, the best views would be at the Albergo Amici.

Thank you so much for your replies. Villas Steno was my first choice but there are no rooms available (not even with no view.) Huitres, thank you for your input. Tripadvisor had wonderful things to say about La Poesia but the view from the balcony at Amici looks fabulous - still torn. Are you familiar with Suisse Bellevue in Monterosso. They boast about their view but I can't seem to find any information on the property except through their website. I haven't seen any reviews.

Hi KatieB1111: I have seen most of the hotel properties in Monterosso. Between the La Poesia and Albergo Amici, the views would be from the Amici. However, if you want charm, you would like La Poesia.

The Hotel Suisse Bellevue is located a bit higher up in the hills, note that it is 1 km outside the city area, at the southern end of Monterosso. I myself would prefer a more central location down in the middle of town or on the beach level. I don't like to have to do too much walking (and carrying a suitcase!). While the hotel does offer free transfers to the city centre, I read a view from a recent guest that you might want to know: "We stayed at the Suisse Bellevue in Monterosso, or should I say the outskirts of Monterosso, it was a forty-five minute walk uphill with our luggage, after waiting for two hours for a taxi that never arrived. Without our luggage it was a twenty minute climb to the hotel. The view was beautiful from the hotel but next time I want to stay in a place that is in the village".

I also found a Fodorite review from last year:

Author: la_dolce_vita
Date: 02/28/2004, 09:10 pm
Message: Stayed in Monterosso hotel - The Suisse Bellevue. If you can get a room with view of coast, very beautiful. About a 10 minute ride up the hill. The have a parking lot and shuttle every hour to town. Room #20 has the best views - a corner room with balconies on 2 sides.

You might refer to this map of Monterosso so you can see placement of all the hotels and their proximity to the centre of town, beach, etc. - this might help you make some decisions: http://www.cinqueterrenet.com/ita/monterosso/mappa.htm

Huitres, you answered an all important question for me regarding the Suisse Bellevue. I could not really judge from some of the maps of Monterosso but the hotel did look like it was a bit further away from the town center than I really wanted to be.

Katie, I would nix the Suisse Bellevue. You really want to be centrally located in town, and that hotel is really very inconvenient. Huitres has always given top notch advice. I'm sure either place that you mention would be fine. The location of the B&B is quiet and I'm sure very lovely. If you want a view from your hotel (terrace) then opt for the Albergo Amici. Is there a big price difference? All in all, I have been to Monterosso a few times, and don't feel a view from my room is so important...after all, all you have to do is walk out your door and you are in heaven!! Such tough decisions!! Good Luck to you!

My husband and i stayed at La Poesis for 2 nights in May 2004 and it was absolutely perfect. The staff were so wonderful, the place is beyond spotless, wonderful breakfast, nice modern bathrooms with a shower etc. I would return in an instant

It is located in the old part of town which is MUCH nicer than the newer more touristy part. In the evening, the locals are hanging out in the square with their families. The restaurants all have an outdoor patio and lots of good food. Great pesto and local white wine.

We woke up one morning and one of the neighbors who lived next door was singing italian opera songs. The INN has a romantic past as well. All the rooms were named after the lovers of the Italian poet who was born in the inn.

Dont think twice - stay at La Poesia.

This is simply a tiny mildewy Days Inn room without air conditioning. Cinque Terre is worth visiting for the hiking and restaurants. It makes a great day trip from another city where you can trust that your are getting a good deal on accomadations. Don't rent a room in any Cinque Terre area unless someone you trust can vouche for the place. The train station there is closer to the water than any hotel or BB, so make it a day trip. You are simply paying for the convenience of being in a beach resort town, but only in European standards. You should definitely skip the beach. To describe the beach you would have to close your eyes and think of the worst beach in the U.S. and you still wouldn't be there.

We had just arrived from staying in a 3 star hotel in Rome around Villa Bourghese which cost us 80 Euros and included breakfast. The room was air conditioned, quiet, beautifuly decorated, and in one of the most beautiful sections of Rome. Our bathroom which included an oval jacuzzi was tiled floor to ceiling with different color italian marble was bigger than our room at La Poesia.

To describe the bathroom at La Poesia just picture a cruise ship bathroom. The shower was the size of those old phone booths including those pesky inward opening door. And if you are taller than 5'9" you will hit your head on the ceiling.

The room was small, had no air conditioning and was down a couple of alleys. This required the window to stay opened and the noise from all the other opened windows in the alley rooms filtered in along with the ringing from the church bells every half hour. On my last night it wasn't just the noise that kept me awake but the mildew of the room kept me from getting a good nights sleep.

funkyfuninthesun, what was the name of your Rome hotel? Sounds good.