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Palazzo Torre Barbara - amazing affordable hotel near Sorrento

Palazzo Torre Barbara - amazing affordable hotel near Sorrento

Old Jan 2nd, 2007, 12:01 PM
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Palazzo Torre Barbara - amazing affordable hotel near Sorrento

Just came from a trip to Sicily and the Sorrento/Amalfi area, and I really have to start a thread about this hotel. I will write my trip report later in a seperate thread, but this place deserves its own.

www.torrebarbara.it

1. In short, why is it so great?

It's a small hotel with the most incredible view of Bay of Naples and the Vesuvius. It's as good as any view you can get from Sorrento. But it is also highly affordable, with a great staff and very modern and comfortable interior.

In short, I have stayed at many budget and affordable hotels in the world. By affordable, I mean under US$150/night. This one may not be the "best", but definitely one of the most memorable. In fact, I'd even recommend it to honeymooners if they're on a budget.

2. Where is it?

Its address is Corso Caulino 75-77, Vico Equense. Corso Caulino is actually the main highway SS145 between Vico Equense and Sorrento, and the hotel is right on the cape in between. It's just over 2km west of the Seiano station for the Circumvesuviana railroad between Naples and Sorrento.

When driving from Naples, just follow the highway to Sorrento. 2km after getting out of the Vico Equense tunnel bypass, start looking at your left. There's a nice sign (lighted at night) just before the hotel. The driveway is just past it on your left. It's the only hotel on my whole trip that is actually easy to find at night, driving. It has its own little parking area that's easy to get into and out of.

3. What is the building like?

It has 5 stories. Main entrance, lobby, and the beautiful terrace are all on the 2nd floor. Rooms are on 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th. Ground floor is the breakfast room during winter (from what I read, breakfast is served on the terrace in summer).

It's recently converted from a old building. Inside is totally modern with elevator, but you can still see and use the old wide stairs.

There are 17 rooms, with about 2/3 facing the bay and Mt Vesuvius. Deluxe rooms on the 4th floor has private terraces. A couple on the 2nd floor opens to the public terrace. Those facing the bay have tiny balconies.

4. What is our room like?

Our Triple room (303, which I believe can also be sold as a Junior Suite) has split levels. The floors are so tall in this old building that they can split each floor to become lofts. On the lower level is the modern bathroom, sitting area, desk with computer terminal (actual computer, not just ethernet access), and in our case the twin-sized bed for myself. Stairs lead to the loft level with the king-sized bed. A small 20" flat screen TV is also provided upstairs.

Ours is a corner room. The main window and balcony looks straight towards Mt Vesuvius. A side window looks over the terrace and further away, the town of Vico Equense. However, from the main bed upstairs, one cannot see the view.

In terms of amenities, it's upper-end 3* level. It has a minibar, decent shampoo, etc, but no coffee maker or marble bath. It's not a 4* hotel and it is not priced as such.

5. How come it doesn't have star ratings?

I have no idea, and it is categorized as a B&B, even though with 17 rooms and professional staff, it's definitely not a B&B. I've stayed in many hotels in Italy with few rooms. But if you understand star levels in Europe, this hotel will be a 3* type - based on the quantity of amenities it has. But it'd be probably one of the best 3* in the area.

6. How did I book and how much?

I can't remember how I actually found this place in the first place, but since I need an affordable triple room in the Sorrento or Amalfi area, I don't really get many choices. I searched through booking sites like Travelocity/Expedia, as well as Venere/Activehotels, and eventually booked it through Activehotels.com.

Since it is categorized as B&B and not hotels on Tripadvisor, and it's in Vico Equense and not Sorrento, I only looked it up there AFTER I've found the listing on Activehotels. You can read the comments - they are mostly very positive on Tripadvisor.

The hotel has its own website with prices list. www.torrebarbara.it But it doesn't have instant confirmation, so I didn't book it that way. But after knowing the staff and owner, I think one will be fine booking it directly that way.

We paid 120€/night for a triple and include breakfast. I didn't expect a room with a view, but that's what we got. According to the hotel site, it should be 20€ extra. I would recommend one to get either the Junior Suite or the Deluxe Room (with private terrace) with a view. That should also be 120€ for two people during low season. Shoulder season is 20€ more and high season 40€ more. Even at the highest rate, 160€ for such a nice place a few km in Sorrento is a steal, in my opinion.

7. How's the service?

The owners are young people, and I believe the guy who checked us in was one of them, though I forgot to ask. Everybody speaks good English, and this guy was great! He asked us what we liked to eat, the budget, etc, and then called to make sure the place was open that night, in the low season (12/30). Next morning, one of the staff showed my mom the original entrance to the building on the ground floor after breakfast.

8. Where to eat?

Of course there are places in Sorrento, but there are also places in Vico Equense. Parking are problem in both. Within walking distance (about 1km) is the village of Seiano with a couple of ristorantos and pizzerias. But we drove down to "Mustafá" by the water in the Seiano Harbour. Excellent seafood (they also have pizzas), at a great price. We ate there twice, and it's under 30€/person including everything.

9. Can I get there without a car?

That's the main issue, and I think what keeps its prices low. Without a car, it'd be a problem. From the Seiano Circumvesuviana station, there's a public "Orange Bus" to get to the hotel, but the bus only runs once an hour.

There's also the "Curreri Bus" direct from Naples Airport, but only 6 trips a day.

From the reviews, it seem like the staff can drive one to the Seiano station, but it's not advertised on their website or brochure. It's really not that far, about 2km when I measured it on Google Earth. However, it's a narrow winding road with heavy traffic at times and no sidewalk. It'd be an easy walk early in the morning, downhill to the station; but very hard at other times and impossible with luggage.

10. Anything to not like?

The heater in our room is in the loft level. My bed downstairs is kind of cold.

The breakfast is only about average for a 3* hotel. Not bad, but nothing exceptional. [The breakfast room is nice though, and it'd be even better when one eats breakfast on the terrace in the summer.]

And starting to nitpick here... The driveway is steep and narrow. Getting into it is not a problem despite the sharp turn - never had to back up. But getting out of the hotel requires the passenger to look out for oncoming traffic - you need to both lanes to be open to get out; and the convex mirror isn't positioned very well to help.

I've read other reviews about road noise. Our room is very well sealed despite facing it. I don't remember hearing anything at night. But yes, during summer time, on the terrace, you will hear the traffic. If that bothers you, then this place is not for you.
rkkwan is offline  
Old Jan 2nd, 2007, 03:22 PM
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Sounded wonderful. I'm glad it worked out so great!
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Old Jan 2nd, 2007, 03:37 PM
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I have had dinner at Mustafá. Isn't it good? I love that area, is it close to the hotel?
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Old Jan 2nd, 2007, 04:07 PM
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SeaUrchin - Mustafá is probably about 2km down the little road from the Seiano station to the harbour. Torre Barbara is 2km west on the main road from that junction, so about 4km. Short and easy drive and people can basically park anywhere by the water down there dinner time.
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Old Jan 4th, 2007, 04:10 AM
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My review and one photo has just been posted on Tripadvisor.com. Just go search for "Palazzo Torre Barbara" there.
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