Grand Hotel Royal

My husband and I just returned from a beautiful stay at Grand Hotel Royal. This hotel lives up to its 5 star rating. It's beautifully situated overlooking the Bay of Naples with a perfect view of Mt. Vesuvius and Marina Piccolo. Our room had a nice patio where we could sit and watch the boats and the beautiful sunsets. The pool was very refreshing but we loved the deck down by the water. Bar service was excellent as well. Our rooms were kept very clean with service twice a day. The staff was very friendly and accommodating. The included breakfast was delicious as well. Location was just a few minutes into town where there are many restaurants and shops. I would definitely recommend this hotel if you're looking for a beautiful, classy, peaceful get away.

We arrived on a Tuesday. I had chosen this hotel for its location, reasonably central but away from the frantic centre of Sorrento. I had picked it out on a visit to Sorrento years ago. Our initial impression was favourable. The garden is beautiful, the sea terrace is nice, the staff were friendly and efficient on the whole, the room was nice (make sure you book a sea view, it’s worth it), and the food was ok. By Thursday evening, having had a lovely visit to Pompei, we were relaxing. At that stage my only grumble was that the pool was too cold to use in the middle of September. Friday changed all that. Late morning, sitting on the terrace, we were disturbed by a couple and their friends rehearsing their wedding. I put it down to excitement that they were a bit loud. Friday evening, that same terrace was out of use for guests as there was a wedding reception. We put that down to normal hotel activity, though thought that it would have been reasonable if guests had been given notice. By Saturday, the wedding we’d seen rehearsed went into full swing. All afternoon and evening the gardens and terrace were out of use, they then went down to the beach terrace until very late with really loud live music. Raucous would not be an unfair description. We looked forward to Sunday bringing some peace. We were wrong. Another large function taking the gardens/terrace and indoor restaurant took all of lunchtime, afternoon and evening until about 8pm. It was, once again, inconvenient and ear splitting. I’m not saying hotels should not have functions, most do. It is, however, a real issue when the only outdoor space is used and the volume so extreme. It is surely also unreasonable to have them on three consecutive days.I am very annoyed that guests were not informed that there would be disruption and noise so that we could make arrangements to be elsewhere. I have never stayed in a hotel where functions have had such a big effect on the guests. This completely spoiled our holiday. We will definitely not recommend the hotel to anyone who expects to stay outside Monday to Thursday.

A truly special place – we will definitely be back We’ve just come to the end of what has been a genuinely wonderful stay at the Grand Hotel Royal in Sorrento, and I can honestly say it has been one of those places that leaves a lasting impression. The setting is simply beautiful. Sitting perfectly on the cliff edge overlooking the stunning Riviera of Sorrento, the hotel has an incredible position, with the sea right in front of you and the most wonderful views. The hotel itself is beautifully appointed, with a real sense of history and the feeling of a property that has been lovingly cared for by the same family over many years. But for me, what really makes this hotel special is the people. From the moment we arrived, the staff across every department were incredibly friendly, helpful and welcoming. There is a genuine warmth about them, and you can see that looking after guests is something they take real pride in. I have to give a special mention to the people who looked after our room and, in particular, the wonderful team looking after the sun loungers and the area down by the sea. I seemed to spend most of my time down there swimming in the open water, and they were absolutely fantastic. Nothing was ever too much trouble, and their friendliness made those hours by the sea even more enjoyable. The food was excellent, the entertainment was great and the whole hotel has such a wonderful atmosphere. What we particularly loved was the incredible amount of space. Even with other guests around, it never felt crowded or busy. There were so many areas where you could simply sit, relax and enjoy the surroundings that at times it genuinely felt as though we had the place to ourselves. It’s very easy to say that a hotel is beautiful, but what makes somewhere memorable is how you feel when you are there. We felt incredibly relaxed, looked after and very fortunate to have experienced this wonderful hotel. A huge thank you to every member of the Grand Hotel Royal team for making our stay so special. We have thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, and without any hesitation, we will be booking to come back. Sometimes you find a hotel you enjoy, and sometimes you find somewhere you really don’t want to leave. For us, the Grand Hotel Royal is definitely the latter.

Paid €4000 for 3 nights in a so called luxuary suite. Nope! Not luxurious only nice. So over rated. 5 star barely. The rooms were basically decorated comfortable furnishings though and beds. Air con was freezing. We called it Hotel Penguine. The breakfast was an extensive buffet but average. The staff were mixed in their courtesy. First day reception contradicted me about the booking. I had asked for twin beds he said I hadn’t. First breakfast the staff were inattentive and the gardeners were cutting the grass while we had breakfast and were smoking. Not a 5 star look at all. Second day breakfast staff way better not talking to each other loudly. And more attentive to client needs.