Suisse Hotel Bellevue

Located about a five-minute drive from Monterosso's center, Suisse Hotel Bellevue offers a quiet and secluded location in a pine forest on a hilltop. It's reached by small private road, and its hilltop position gives it a fresh and airy feel, away from the hood of humidity that sometimes envelopes the valley below. It's this away-from-it-all feeling that helps make this little property a popular choice for the area despite its location. The hotel is housed in a three-story building of white and light pink, on grounds with pine and palm trees, shrubs, and flowers. The hotel lights tea candles around the grounds at night, which gives it a romantic atmosphere. The sun terrace with lounge chairs and umbrellas offers outstanding views of the surrounding hills, Ligurian Sea, and the sunset. Breakfast is served in a spacious, bright room with chandeliers, green and white tablecloths, wood chairs, and tile floors. In the evening, guests settle into the upholstered chairs and sofas in the cocktail lounge, which has a flat-screen TV and wood bar with granite top. The reading room has an elegant atmosphere with pale yellow walls, art, fine wood furnishings, and a cabinet of books. Given the romantic vibe, secluded location, charming interiors, and superb sea views, it's no surprise that couples make up the majority of guests here.

Suisse Hotel Bellevue has a scenic hilltop location overlooking Monterosso, the surrounding hills, and the Ligurian Sea. For those hoping to be in the center of Monterosso's action, this hotel won't be great, but the seclusion draws plenty of visitors. Monterosso train station is a five-minute drive or 25-minute walk. Cab fare to the station can be a bit expensive. The hotel is a little more than a five-minute drive -- or a 35-minute walk -- from the center of Monterosso. The walk back to the hotel is uphill and can be challenging. The hotel offers a free scheduled shuttle to the station and center of Monterosso, running approximately once an hour. Monterosso offers numerous restaurants, bars, shops, cobblestone streets, and plenty of historic charm. The Il Gigante (the Giant) statue of Neptune on a rock outcropping is a 15-minute walk. It's a three-minute drive or 20-minute walk to the Via IV Novembre bus stop. The Church of Saint Francis and Convent of the Capuchin Friars is a little more than a five-minute drive from the hotel. Other highlights include the Torre Aurora (Dawn Tower) overlooking the sea; the early 14th-century Church of San Giovanni Battista built in Ligurian Gothic style; and the Sanctuary of Our Soviore built in 643 and featuring a spired bell tower. Monterosso Beach is just south of town and offers swimming and sunbathing. A seasonal (April to October) ferry runs to the four other Cinque Terre towns. The two closest airports are Pisa International Airport and Cristoforo Colombo Airport in Genoa, both a little more than a 90-minute drive from the hotel. 

The 30 rooms at Suisse Hotel Bellevue, housed on two floors of a three-story building, have a modern look, with a neutral color palette of white, brown, beige, and gray. The colors are subdued, but there are lots of patterns, ranging from dark zebra print bedspreads to striped walls. These details -- or accents like burgundy-veneer furniture in some rooms -- do make the rooms feel just slightly off, style-wise, but the aesthetic is pleasant enough. Overall, rooms are spacious and get good natural light, although a few are small and dark, and some of the boxy furniture could use an update. All rooms are air-conditioned, and come with desks, safes, minibars, free Wi-Fi, and flat-screen TVs with English-language and satellite channels. At 22 inches, some TVs are small when viewed from the beds. Rooms do not have tea kettles or coffeemakers, though some have balconies -- the best of the bunch offer views of the Ligurian Sea, so check ahead. Bathrooms are well-lighted, but they can be small, and not all have tubs, although all have bidets. The fixtures are a bit dated and sinks lack counter space. Hairdryers and soap are provided.

The stand-out feature at this hotel is the secluded hilltop location, but Suisse Hotel Bellevue also adds a few extras, such as a large breakfast buffet of cold cuts, cheeses, hard-boiled eggs, cereal, pastries, yogurt, fruit, coffee, tea, and juice. The bar has a wide selection of wine, beer, liquors, cocktails, coffee, and snacks. The sun terrace has lounge chairs, umbrellas, tables, and chairs, and offers outstanding views of the surrounding hills and Ligurian Sea. The hotel has an agreement with a bathing club on Monterosso Beach that gives guests a discount rate for cabins, sun beds, and umbrellas. The free scheduled shuttle to Monterosso runs roughly every hour until midnight. There's free on-site parking and tour assistance. Wi-Fi is free throughout.