Hotel La Vue D’Or

This 68-room, mid-range hotel is run by an extended family. It has the look of a villa, with a stone and peach stucco exterior that stands just a few stories tall in the hills above Sorrento. The lobby is plain but pleasant, with plenty of welcoming peach couches and the occasional gilt-framed mirror. The tiny grounds are well-maintained, with pretty flagstones and cheery potted plants throughout. The large patio with deck chairs and small pool is a particular highlight, as it features spectacular views of the surrounding countryside.

Piazza Tasso, the center of old town, can take nearly 40 minutes to reach by foot from the hotel; there are free shuttle buses to and from the city center that run several times a day. From the city center, one can take SITA buses to various points on the Amalfi Coast, including local beaches. Pompeii is about a 40-minute train ride away.

The simplicity of the rest of the hotel continues in rooms whose main decorative elements are painted wall moldings and patterned bedspreads in rich hues. All rooms have AC and flat-screen TVs. The bathrooms here are pretty basic and seem not quite up to the standard of the rest of the property -- they have slightly cheap-looking tiles and stall showers. Guests have consistently commented favorably on the cleanliness of the rooms, and the overall maintenance. Some of the rooms have large terraces that look out over the hotel's terra-cotta roofs, as well as the Bay of Naples in the distance.

Guests can choose full or half board if they wish to take meals at the hotel; most have commented that snacks at the bar can add up quickly if half board is selected. Reviews of the meal offerings are generally positive. There is a large sundeck on one of the hotel's rooftops that offers a good number of lounge chairs and breathtaking vistas of the countryside below. The property also has a small pool overlooking the sea, which also features beautiful views.