3 Best Hotels in Sant'Agnello, Sorrento and the Sorrentine Peninsula

In a clifftop garden overlooking the Bay of Naples, the Cocumella occupies a Baroque monastery, complete with frescoed ceilings, antique reliquaries, and a marble cloister; the lobby and grand suites (with stone fireplaces, Empire-style bureaus, and marble-clad bathrooms) have Italian-Victorian grace, but even the smaller rooms have their 19th-century charms. Added amenities include a vast pool, a beauty-spa and exercise room, a 90-foot-long 19th-century yacht for daily excursions on the bay, and even summer-night chamber-music recitals in the monastery's former church. Although its luster has faded a bit, many conoscenti adore this hotel, once one of the most aristocratic in Italy.

This stylish 1960s hotel, designed by Giò Ponti, is all white walls and blue-glass accents; outside blooms the fabled Parco dei Principi, a lush 19th-century giardino, and paths lead to a romantic, bayside, Rococo villa—a splendiferous setting for the pool area. A shuttle bus connects with downtown Sorrento.

Combining understated old-world charm and contemporary chic and blessed with a garden with citrus trees, sweeping bay views (ask for a room with a balcony), and beach access, Hotel Mediterraneo seems worlds away from bustling Sorrento, though it's just a 1-km stroll from town. There's dining and quaffing in style with panoramic views from both the Vesuvio restaurant and Vista Sky Bar, plus a pool and the relaxing LePietre spa facilities.