Honeymoon Help Please!!!!!
 

After countless hours on this board I think I have decided to spend my honeymoon in Italy..... Now I need everyone's help please!!

So we arrive in Rome on Monday about 8:30 am and would like to spend the first half down at the coast. We are not renting a car so we need some advice on how we should get down there. Then once we are down there where should we go and stay? I would love to stay at Le Sirenuse , but the budget only allows for a standard room with no view and that does not make any sense. I have contacted Villa Rosa and that seems great but am I going to be disapointed with no pool and no ammenities like Le Sirenuse. I would really love your help.....

After Positano we are thinking of staying 3 night's on Capri at the Casa Morgano ( I am open to suggestions on other choices though.
Would you suggest we go to Capri firt or Positano first. We would also love to visit Pompeii and need a suggestion how we should incorporate this in our trip.

We are then back up to Rome to spend 5 nights, is that to long??? If so we can do another night on the coast, I would love to stay at Palazzo Sasso.... I have contacted Albergo Del Senato and they have a Suite with a balcony available for 350 euro a nt. Is that worth it or is there somehwhere even better in that price range or less.

I really appreciate all this , since this is my first trip to Italy and my honeymoon I am trying to make it as perfect and memorable as possible and still trying to stay within my budget..

Kind Regards,,,

Can't help you out with Positano end (others will, I am sure) but here's my two cents re: Rome.

First, if you are taking an overnight flight into Rome and arriving there after wedding and all, do book a good downtown hotel and rest up and enjoy your first day in town rather than trying to figure out trains and wrestle luggage after jet lag.

Book hotel for early arrival, nap, walk and get rehydrated and well-fed and have a good nights sleep, THEN go to the train station and head to the coast.

And, NO "fairsat" 5 days is not too much time in Roma. There are those who would claim that 5 years in Rome is not enough.

We didn't fall in love our first trip (it was August, very hot and crowded and we picked the wrong hotel) but have been a dozen times since and absolutely adore the place.

Get a couple of really good guidebooks and do yr. Rome research and I am sure you will consider it a great balance to your lazy days on the coast. Rome is VERY romantic, the quality of light, the antiquity, the mysterious alleyways that lead to hidden squares and fountains, that little restaurant that will become "your" place...its a great place for a first honeymoon. I know this for sure because we are planning our 24th anniversary for there right this minute.Best wishes on your forthcoming event!

Please help with this,, I know this is a common subject but it is important to the individuals who post these heoneymoon questions... Thank you

Lj ,, Thank you for the info!!! Any info on hotels in Rome???

I tell you my problem with Rome hotels is ignorance- we always stay at the same one (the Hotel Columbia nr. the Termini). We stay there for sentimental reasons and because it is next door to the Opera which is vital to my husband. It is not likely to be considered romantic by anybody but us-dull area, little in the way of views from window, no room service or frills like that.It does have a very nice outdoor roof-garden for breakfast and sunset drinks, though.

Can I suggest you post again with the specific request re: Romantic Hotels for honeymoon in Rome and give yr. budget?You might also check past threads on this...once again, good luck!

LJ,

I'm staying at the new Exedra Hotel on the Piazza Republican. New 5 star hotel. Is the Termini area walkable to other parts of the city? I'm OK with dull as long as accesible. The hotel is luxury and at a discount now, but I'm wondering is the $300-$400 worth the inconvenience of not staying in Spanish Steps, Navona, etc. What was your experience near the Opera?

Having been to Rome many times I am still baffled by everyone's supposed fixation on the Spanish Steps...as some place they have to be "near." Why? Do people go there every day they are in Rome to secretly wolf down a Big Mac or gaze at the Hassler at the top WISHING or pretending they were staying in that hotel

I would think a honeymoon should be romantic and spending money on a decent hotel for the first night after that plane ride is paramount..and I am NOT talking about some of these "make do" places so many people keep trying to convince us are "OK." And in this case, I DOUBT that the poster is in the "only going to sleep and change your clothes in your hotel room so what's the bid deal?" category.

Have one less entree served at the reception and spend that money where it will be memorable!

What time of year are you going to Italy? That usually makes a difference when making recommendations.

Lorac ,,

We are going September 8-19th!!!

fairst- I will leave Rome to the experts, but I will chime in on Capri,I usually stay at the Mamela- this web site maybe helpful to you: www.caprionline.com it list( hotels almost all of them, by catagory restaurants etc).
Many people comment that Capri is too touristy but those are usually the people that go for a day trip.You really have to spend the night to capture the magic of Capri.
In Positano- there are so many suggestions; I would do a search here under Positano hotels you will have lots to choose from.I stayed at the Plazzo Murat years ago & loved it- no pool, but beautiful coutyard and lovely rooms.
I suggest www.karenbrown,com for lots of great hotels suggestions.
A friend mine stayed at the Inn at the Spanish Steps, in Rome & loved it-refer to Karen Brown,above.
As for getting to Capri,I usually take a cab or hire a driver to take me from Rome to Naples, and then I take the hydrofiol.
You can take the train from Rome to Naples, but I like the luxury of being in a car with a/c.It's an indulgence, but worth it too me.
I have one last suggestion for Rome & that's to hire a great private guide.I have hired Peter Kilby, for my holiday this year.You can get his web site and email from www.slowtrav.com -click Italy & then tour guides.
Many Congrats.
Fluffy

First of all, congratulations on your upcoming marriage. And IMHO, your choice of Italy for a honeymoon is excellent. Rome is a wonderful city and the Amalfi Coast is breathtaking. But you better get moving, because September is a popular time and reservations will become more difficult.

My suggestion for Rome usually is to stay in old Rome, Centro Storico, where you can meander down small, winding streets and find charming piazza, outdoor cafes, local bakeries, quiet churches with maginificent art, etc.

Rome also requires lots of walking and usually up and down hills and lots of steps...after all, there is so much to see and do. So it would be your choice to do lots of walking in Rome and then relax in Amalfi/Capri or vice versa...only you and your finance can decide that. My thoughts are that if you stay in Rome for five days, then go to Capri for three and then Amalfi for four, you will limit the times you change hotels which saves time for better things. But it would also make sense to stay the last night in Rome before your flight home.

Also, I would recommend Scala Reale for the greatest tours in Rome. Take a look at their Web site, www.scalareale.com. We thoroughly enjoyed their tour of the Vatican/Sistine Chapel...you just learn so much.

We weren't looking for romantic on our last trip, but we found the rooftop breakfasts in Rome to be outstanding. One Web site you might try for romantic hotels is www.charminghotels.it.

Have fun planning.

To Cotes: We like being nr. the Opera (Place Viminale) because there are some interesting hangouts there: Ristorante Abruzzessi, and others that singers frequent and St. Paul-within-the Walls for smaller concerts by the students. There is also a "real" market nearby that residents go to and many other small out-of-the-way spots, not touristy.This is working-class inner-city Rome. Additionally, as a plus, its nr to Termini where you can catch buses to everywhere if you get sick of walking or skip town altogether by hopping a train.

But, yes, its dingy and there can be pesky swarms of (potential) kiddy-pickpockets, which are much less bad than years past, but still an occasional intrusion.

You should do very well in the Piazza Republica and that 5 Star hotel sounds as if it will buffer you from problems very nicely!Good rate, too... I would not hesitate, personally. But neither would I recommend the area for a honeymoon: I hope you see the distinction I am drawing?

LJ,

Thank you. I don't mind staying in a more "authentic local" area of the city. Any other restaurant/attraction recommendations nearby? As long as walking is safe to attractions in other areas, I'm OK. The hotel looks great with nice rooftop amenities.

fairsat,

Congratulations on your upcoming wedding. I want to chime in as you are considering a very similar trip to what my husband and I just took less than a week ago (Rome, Positano, Capri and Pompeii) and even some of the same hotels so here are my 2 cents:

On Rome:
I think 5 days in Rome as you're thinking is great for a first trip. You should see everything without being rushed but definitely no down moments (never a problem in Rome). I have a 4-day itinerary that works very well to hit all key sites/areas so let me know if you want to see it. I cannot agree more with Bootman about the Spanish Steps. IMHO, SS is the Rome equivant of Times Sq. or Leicester Sq., good to see but I would never call it romantic. Since everywhere in Rome is so full of energy you don't need to be close to the SS for that unless you insist on walking by blasting stereos and designer shops all day long. It is actually more central to stay around the Pantheon/Novona area if you look at the map. That areas is right in the middle, 5-min walk to Trevi/Campo dei fiori, 10 to Colosseum/Forum and 20 min to Vatican and to Trastevere. Plus most people would agree the Pantheon/Novaona/ Trevi area is much more charming and romantic. We stayed at the del Senato and loved it. We have stayed at T+L 100 hotels in four continents and although del Senato is not in the same class, we were not at all disappointed and we thought it was a great bargain for Rome and for what you get. P. della Rotunda (where your room will be facing) is a very charming, always busy but never rowdy piazza. There were nice guitar or saxaphone musicians playing every night, making for nice background music in our room. The balcony rooms are nice. The Pantheon is literally in your face and you'll be in awe every time you look out especially at night, it is stunning. The double windows are very good at shutting out any street noise so no problem there. I also agree with another poster's suggestion to do a Scala Reale tour. We travel a lot, never did tours but the Vatican tour we did with SR was terrific.

On Positano:
We booked the Villa Rosa but ended up checking out after one night. Our room was very blandly decorated and the bathroom was no-thrill and very small. I have stayed at and joked about all the Schrager hotels with tiny bathrooms but the one at VR was a record. The walls were so thin that when the fax machine rang at 3am at the front desk, it woke us and a couple other rooms up. Don't get me wrong I can still see why some others think it's a good bargain as it certainly is for the area but the amenities are very minimal and I would not consider it special enough for a honeymoon.

I would suggest instead to stay at the Hotel Miramare. It had an even nicer view than that of the VR which was very nice (the VR is right above the Sirenuse so it's the same view). Almost every hotel in Positano has great view but Miramare is closest to the sea (on the side, not the middle of the concave) so instead of seeing other hotels and the gift shops and the beach below you, you're directly facing the sea. And you also get a nice view of all the hotels and gorgeous night view. It was T+L's 50 most romantic hotels in the world, also they have a private hotel boat that can take you out.

A suggestion is to go to Ravello (may be even spend the night, Villa Maria or Palumbo looked good and not as expensivce as the Palazzo Sasso). We did the Ravello concert and visited Villa Cimbrone and you should find them special enough for a honeymoon.

On Capri:
Hotel Luna has the best location and view of all hotels we saw. it is directly facing the sea (the cesear Augustas is the only other one but it is too out of the way to get to town center, but you may prefer that for a honeymoon). HL is a 3 min walk to all the shops and restaurants and also close to the hiking trails yet it feels very seluded and our room (245E) had a direct view of the Faraglioni (the famous rock). I recommend hiring a private boat. I think capri is best seen by spending an afternoon sailing around it. We saw many people crammed into one boat but for more privacy you may consider a private one. We used Giachinno, he was terrific and the price was great at 80E (if interested I'll dig out his number for you).

On Pompeii:
Don't see Pompeii without visitng the Naples Acheological Museum that now houses all the artifects from Pompeii. We did not like Naples but staying one night will allow you to go to Pompeii (easiest from Naples) and to see the museum. Trust me Pompeii itself is now all structures and stone walls, which those are amazing, you don't get to appreciate the magnitude of the full story without seeing the stuff and the casts of victims they found there. Also one night in Naples will help your Capri to Rome travel.

One Rome to Positano:
I recommend getting a car service from Naples (90E) or Rome if you can afford it (300E). Don't see it just as transportation. Our driver (Marcello) was fantastic, he was full of stories about Italy, life on the coast, etc.

Your travel route:
if you fly into Rome but prefer to do the coast before ending up in Rome, I recommend Rome airport to Naples (by train or by driver), spend one night to fight jet lag and do Pompeii, then hydrofoil to Capri, then ferry to Positano, then driver from Poitano to naples (then train) ot driver directly up to Rome. you may look into flying into naples and out of Rome instead of both way out of Rome.

Daphne

I recommend the Poseidon in Positano. Lovely pool, great breakfast, very nice rooms with lovely balonies and excellent views.
FYI..on our honeymoon we wrote our thank-you notes on the plane going over to Europe. Took care of the obligation, and everybody was delighted to get the thank-you note mailed from Europe.

Thank you all , I have made arrangements at Villa Rosa but am leary . Has anyone stayed at Casa Morgano? Also how many nights would you suggest for each destination on the coast? I was thinking of staying 3 night on Capri then 2 in Positano and 1 at Pallazzo Sasso before heading back to Rome for 5 nights.

Thanks again

Fairsat, my husband and I stayed at Villa Rosa for our honeymoon this past October and we loved it. The rooms were clean and quiet. The staff was very nice and breakfast on our balcony in the morning was perfect. For the price and the view I would stay again in a second. My only suggestion is to stay in one of the higher rooms up in the hotel. I think we were in room 18 or 19? The lower rooms are blocked views.
Overall, your days selected in each place sound good. We did about the same thing. One of the responses was to stay the first night in Rome and then head down to the coast. I 100% agree with that. Unless you have hired a private car to take you directly from the airport to the coast, stay a night (or 2 ) in Rome and then go down. Rome is beautiful...we are headed back this summer. Relax and enjoy yourselves. ...also good choice on Ravello, 1 night is enough. We were there for 3 days and although we loved it, it is very small.

Very interesting. 1036 words in Daphne's lengthy post. So apparently, Fodors has once again raised the word count limit? (They also did it once before, transiently).

Those who sing the praises of terse answers (not me) will once again be chagrined.

Best wishes,

Rex

Oops, sorry didn't know about any word limit rule. Guess I was so excited having just been back from my trip that I just started rambling on. Will be more disciplined next time. By the way Rex I heard about the del Senato in Rome from you and must thank you. We loved it! Daphne

Testing for Rex, who is having trouble posting to this thread.

For Daphne - We will be spending our honeymoon in Italy this September. Can you please post contact information for your driver (Naples to Positano) and the boat charter (for Capri)? Much appreciated!

Hana,

For car transfer, Marcello's email is [email protected]. He answers emails very promptly. Many Fodorites swore by him, and now I can completely understand why.

In Capri, the private boat excursion contact is Gioacchino Catuogno, a terrific experience. phone 081-837-8437.

Enjoy your honeymoon. Daphne

Belatedly trying (again) to post this, after a tip from someone else on how to get past a "Sorry!" message on posting a second time to a thread.

====================================

I didn't mean to suggest that you should be more disciplined,
Historically, some newcomers have complained about losing their posts
because they went over the word limit and lost it. It is still a good idea
to compose a lengthy post in a word processor, and then cut/paste it here.

Glad that del Senato worked out for you. Always valuable to get update
feedback on a trusted hotel like this. Sooner or later, all hotels change
in quality.

I have heard great things about Casa Morgano in Capri. We stayed at Villa Brunella which is also small, personable and beautiful. The key is to be specific about the kind of room you want because even great hotels in Italy have a few less expensive rooms that can be tiny. You really can't go wrong to pick up Karen Brown's Italy book; we always have used her suggestions and love them. In Positano, we stayed at Villa Franca, Deluxe room w/small terrace facing sea. Romantic, quiet, charming. It's above the center of the town so the view is to die for...they have a shuttle to take you down into the center of things and to the sea but we only used it once; we love walking throught the small little streets and peeking in on different establishments. This is how we found some great little trattorias plus it helped to get some exercise with all the wonderful food. Also have heard great stuff about Poseidon.

The idea the previous poster has about staying your first night in Rome before the trek to the Amalfi Coast is a good one. We have always done the trek on arrival into Italy and by the time we get to our hotel, after the 9 hour flight, train ride from Rome to Naples, then ferry to Capri (or cab to Positano) we are absolutely deliriously exhausted. It depends on your stamina, of course. In Rome, we loved the Intercontinental De la Ville, next to the Hassler. They have just redone this hotel and the rooms are lovely. Again, make sure you don't get the standard without a view. I agree with the previous poster that on your honeymoon you want to splurge...especially the first night after flying in...

Thanks Maggy,,

I have thought about staying at the De Ville, the quoted me a superior room. Have yo seen or stayed in one of those rooms? Can you or anyone suggest an itninery for the coast? We are planning staying 6 nights. I want to spend some quiet time in Capri and thought about staying at Palazzo Sasso too. We def want to go to Pompeii but do notknow how to fit it in. I would love some advice on where and when to go to each hotel and location...

Also can anyone suggest where we should stay the first night , we have decided to stay in Rome that night to rest up and would like it to be in a nice hotel...

Thanks for all the suggestions

Regarding your question about the Superior room at De la Ville, I booked a Superior but got upgraded to a Jr. Suite w/large terrace overlooking the city. This was before the refurbishment of the rooms and it was wonderful. I joined the Six Continents Club, which is the premium membership club for the hotel and they upgraded us. I like that it feels like a small hotel even though there are about 200 rooms. If money wasn't an object, though, I would stay at the Russie hotel near Piazza de Popolo. It's more contemporary, yet elegant and charming. Their gardens are gorgeous and they even have a very small indoor pool that would be wonderful after an 8 hour flight.

After our 4 night stay in Positano, we hired a car to take us to Pompeii. We originally planned to take a train back to Rome but he suggested waiting for us and then driving us all the way back to Rome and what a fantastic decision this was! So, save Pompeii for the drive back to Rome, stop for about 4 hours to see Pompeii and then your driver will take you back to Rome. We took trains the entire trip so this was our only real splurge and we loved it.

As far as 6 nights on the coast, I would do the following: 3 nights in Positano, 3 nights in Capri. Go to Ravello as a day trip, have lunch, check out Palazzo Sasso but I don't know if I'd go there for just one night. Many people think 3 nights in Capri is too much since it's so small but the beauty of being there is just lounging and relaxing and discovering your favorite little places and indulging in the scenery and sun and sea. I'm not sure what time of year you're going but we were there in July and thought it would be mobbed but we so much enjoyed watching the gorgeous young and old Italian people doing their thing and then having our beautiful Hotel Villa Brunella to go to to escape the insanity. Definitely have dinner at the hotel's restaurant even if you don't stay there. It's a family owned and family run operation and has an intimate feel to it.

Thanks Daphne,,

I got a quote from Inercontinental for 426 euro a day with a lunch or dinner included daily. Does that sound like a good deal? I wish I did not have to have the option for lunch or dinner , I hate to be tied to have my meals there the whole time I am there...

Anyone have any other suggestions other than staying 3 nights in Positano? Or is it a must. I would love to be able to stay at Le Sirenuse but way out of my budget. I would still like to have a drink there and have dinner that is why I thought about staying across the street at Villa Rosa (I am not sure if that is the rt place though for a honeymoon. I would apreciate any thoughts on where to stay other than Positano for 3 or 4 nights. I also am considering staying at Casa Morgano in Capri for 3 or 4 nights.. But open to any other suggestions on your favorite spots.. thanks everyone ,, all your suggestions is going to make this a great honeymoon

Fairsat,
I stayed at Villa Rosa last year in September and loved it - would definitely stay again. It is charming, the staff was wonderful, we had a huge balcony with a nice view and great to have breakfast served out there every morning. Also, our bathroom was very big and had windows opening onto balcony with views-loved that! I thought the hotel was romantic even though I was with a friend and it's a great bargain. I have heard alot of good things about Miramare as well.
For Rome, I second the Hotel de Russie the back courtyard is heavenly for drinks.
By the way the response that compared the Spanish Steps to Times Square was hilarious. I live in New York and can tell you that they are nothing alike. SS are charming and a great place to people watch and stroll. Also, September is the perfect time to go to Italy, I was in Rome and Positano during that time last year. Have fun!

Dear Fairsat,
I would suggest that you spend three or four days in Sorrento, from there you can take the ferry to Capri for the day. Sorrento is a magnificent town and very romantic.
I have stayed at the palazzo Sasso, and it is fantastic. Very beautiful spot, and one can spend two days there without doing anything but enjoy.
I don't know how long you have but I'd do four nights in Sorrento, Three nights at Sasso, and then I'd go to Rome, Without a car, Positano is tough, Capri is beautiful but not for a honeymoon. Stay at the Excelsior in Sorrento. In Rome, I suggest Ingelterra.
Ciao,
GaiusJulius

Thank you for the post,, we are booked 3 nights at the Santa Caterina (start of our honeymoom) and then we were thinking of spending 3 nights on Capri... We are open to suggestions?? Why would choose Pallazzo Sasso over Capri.. We have thought about spending 3 nights either at the Casa Morgano or Capri Palace ,, any thoughts??

I'm probably going to make all those Rome lovers mad, but I definately think that 5 days in Rome is TOO long. My husband and I spent our one year anniversary in Italy last year. We traveled pretty much the same time you guys are traveling, September 4-21. We went to The Amalfi Coast (stayed in Positano), Capri (one night at the Ceasar Augustus-beautiful!!), Pompeii (just a half day there), Florence, Verona (half a day), Venice, the Cinque Terre and Rome. Rome was my least favorite place out of all (and not much romance there to boot). I felt like I was breathing exhaust all day. We didn't have any set itenerary and just kind of came and went when we wanted which was really nice to have that flexibility. We had a book that we called hotels in the day before we went, even sometimes the day of. We only had trouble finding a hotel once which was in the Cinque Terre but ended up staying in a beatiful hotel called Hotel Rocco in Monterroso. We did the car rental thing and it worked out just fine. For a honeymoon type situation, I highly suggest the Amalfi Coast, Capri, Florence and the Cinque Terre. You could go to Rome but I wouldn't give it more than 2 days tops. We cut time out of the Cinque Terre to spend in Rome and it was our only regret. We only stayed in Capri one night. We probably should have stayed there two being that it takes a little while to get there. You think everything is going to be a lot quicker than it really is. The hydrofoil is quick, but getting to the port and to the hotel isn't as fast as one would expect. It's just a lot of wasted time traveling if you're only there for one day. You didn't even mention Florence at all, is that not on the itenerary? My suggestion is to spend two days in Rome if it's a must. I know a lot of people will disagree with that, but trust me....for a honeymoon experience you don't want to be fighting exhaust and traffic. You may want to do it right away when you get there because then the "best would be yet to come." We did it on the tail end of our trip. My other suggestions would be to pack light, you don't need half of what you think you need and it's pain to haul all that luggage (and we had a car, so I'm thinking it would be much worse traveling on a train). The weather that time of the year was perfect. We had one rainy day in Positano, a cloudy day in Venize and a half rainy day in Rome. Otherwise, it was 70-80's and sunny. Whatever itenerary you decide on after all the advice you get, you're going to have a blast. Italy is so beautiufl and very romantic!! You're going to end up wanting to go back. I'm trying to persuade my husband to go back this year. We want to go to Sicily and Malta this September. So good luck with your plans. I don't usually speak up on these forums, but your mentioning of 5 days in Rome for your honeymoon had me cringing a little.