Would appreciate your opinions?

Caruso in Ravello or on Capri? Nitpicking, but the Excelsior Vittoria is not on the Amalfi Coast...

Are you just going to park yourselves at a hotel, or do you plan to see most of the usual sights in the area? Will you have a car or be using public trans? What time of year?

Jean,

Caruso in Ravello. We plan to see the usual sight in the area and . Would Also consider La Sirenuse. We will have a car and planning to go in September 2010.

Ravello is wonderful, but far too isolated for a base location. Look at Poseidon in Positano. And, Santa Caterina is a great hotel but too far to most of the sights. Consider location first.

La Sirenuse would be my #1 choice. Caruso would be my #2. Both have nice pool areas and are absolutely beautiful hotels. I love Ravello, but it is up the hill from the actual coast. Terrific views though.

Isolated isn't all bad in that area in September. It depends on the atmosphere you're looking for. September is still a very busy time.

As long as others are making suggestions, look at Villa Cimbrone in Ravello. www.villacimbrone.com/en

I'm not a big fan of Positano, but it is closer to Capri and Sorrento. But there is a back road north from Maiori (on the coast just east of Ravello) that would probably be an easier and faster route to Pompeii from Ravello than slogging along the coastal road to the Bay of Naples side. Getting to Naples from either Positano or Ravello would probably be easier by ferry.

Depending on how many days you have, you might consider a couple of nights in either Positano or Ravello and then a couple of nights at the Excelsior Vittoria in Sorrento.

We go in May, have a car and stay at the Excelsior Vittoria. I love th ehotel, the view over the Bay of Naples, the beautiful pool and gardens - and the site in the center of Sorrento - without the hustle/bustle.

Capri is better is you just want to stay there. You can do day trips - but they need to end fairly early due to transit back and forth to the island. If you want to do more day trips Sorrento is a better location.

The Santa Caterina is by no means "isolated!" It is just west of the town of Amalfi; we walked there from the town in about 10 minutes last year. It is a beautiful, charming hotel and I cannot imagine how you could go wrong there.

For my taste, Ravello would be a bit isolated for someone who wants to sightsee in the AC area, but with a car it would be lovely.

The Hotel Santa Caterina is location, location, location and a truly beautiful Hotel