Nice hotel...good location

I stayed there for the first week of July. The hotel was very comfortable. Housekeeping was excellent and very attentive (they continued to bring us extra towels after the first time we asked, so we didn't have to keep asking every day). The hotel staff was also good, however, I wished they had been more informative about the town. On several occasions, we asked about things to do in the Sorrento vicinity and about bus/train/boat schedules, and they weren't very helpful.

The room was adequate. We had asked for a larger bed, but the room had two twins pushed together with a larger sheet. There was AC which sometimes seemed to work and other times not. The continental breakfast that was included with the room rate was very good and had a large variety of options. The solarium at the top was also nice and had a good view of the sunset. We didn't use the pool as the hotel required swimming caps (though we're not sure if that was enforced or not). The hotel also offered a shuttle van to Sorrento which was convenient if you don't want to walk (about an easy 20-minute walk). They also had free internet which was also very helpful.

We checked out of the hotel and still wanted to spend part of the day in Sorrento, so the hotel held our luggage for us. When we got back to pick it up, they offered us a courtesy room so we could refresh ourselves... definitely a nice touch. Overall, I would recommend the hotel to others as it was a decent place to stay. I felt though that the price was a bit high (even though we went during peak season) for what the hotel offered. I would probably try a different hotel if I were to go to Sorrento again but only to get a different experience...not because the hotel was overly lacking.

Lovely Hotel

My wife and I satyed here in June 2005 and had a wonderful time. The hotel is about a 20 minute walk from the main street of Sorrento and the hotel does offer a free bus ride into Sorrento at certain times throughout the day. There are plenty of restaurants/bars near the hotel with one restaurant having a great view looking out at the sea from a height as you eat. It has a nice pool that has a deep end and a shallow end but not suitable for young children who cannot swim. We had a fantastic view from our balcony looking out at the ocean with a view of the bay of Naples to the right and the isle of Capri to the left side. The rooms were cleaned everyday. The hotel provides a lunch menu at reasonable prices and serves drinks throughout the day. Breakfast was from 7-9 and was self service. During your stay you have the same table everyday. Dinner was from 7-9 which was included in our price as was breakfast. Dinner was served upto you and was a 4 course meal with a selection of choices. Drinks with the dinner were not included in the price but if you do not finnish your bottle of wine it is kept for you and back on your table for the following nights dinner. The hotel as a games room where you can play pool and has free internet. We could not fault the hotel in any way and found the staff very freindly, hotel was very clean and a nice touch was on our last night when we went back to our room there was some chocolates and thanking us for our stay.

Hotel Caravel - a review

Initial impression was not good. Arriving in dayllight, the reception area appeared quite dull and very basic. Worse to come, the standard double room we were shown was awful; very small, no balcony, no view, cracked tiles on the floor and a terrible musty smell. The receptionist was EXTREMELY HELPFUL (we later discovered that the staff generally were very, very nice) and immediately offered an alternative that was much, much better, albeit, it must be said that a 4-star in Italy is not a 4-star in Ireland!

If you, like my husband and I, like to have a lie-in whilst on holiday, then, forget breakfast - it finishes at 9.30am!

The pool and surrounding area is very nice and overall, the place is kept very clean. The location was a problem for us. While there's a beautiful terrace with fabulous views close by (Marinella), Sorrento itself is a good 25 minute walk. OK when you are heading out for the night but not so good when you have to get home - a taxi costs €17! Taxis generally very expensive here...

The Hotel Caravel is very nice and would be suitable for a group of mature travellers intending to get to bed early and rise early for daily excursions.

A real find

This gem doesn't jump out on the net, but I stumbled upon it and am so glad that I did! The location is lovely, on a side street in an area full of old villas. It's a 20 minute walk to Sorrento, but just a five minute walk to pick up local buses to the Amalfi Coast. The hotel itself is lovely and the personel are quite helpful. The only real complaint I and my party had was that the advertised air conditioning doesn't get turned until June, so we spent some rather stuffy nights in May.

Do take advange of these points:

-ask for a room on the fourth floor; the sun roof overlooking everything is just down the hall and can be a dream balcony in the morning

-take a real break in the evening and walk through the perfumed air to one of several family style restaurants located on the Bay of Napoli where the food is great and the prices are right

-find the hotel's phone number on the net and call to make your reservations in person - you'll get an unbeliveably good rate this way!

I wish I were there now

I keep floating back in my mind to our stay in Sant'Agnello. The hotel was one of the cleanest that I have ever stayed in. Incredible view from our balcony! Fresh towels everyday in the spotless bathroom. Extremely helpful and friendly staff. Charming entrance to buliding. Loved the rooster crowing each morning as well as the toll of the church bells. Easy walk into Sorrento.

This hotel does not have double glazing

This hotel does not have double glazing, so rooms at the front are noisy early in the morning - the dustmen come at about 5am and small scooters and buses are frequent. If you leave the windows closed it gets hot - or it did when we were there in May. Unfortunately, although the rooms are advertised as air conditioned, this is not turned on until June. Small showers only in the bedrooms. This could be a problem if you like a bath from time to time.

On the plus side: public areas very nice. Excellent dining room and continental breakfast and helpful staff. Generally a nice setting with gardens around and well-placed for Circumvesuviana trains and Sorrento is walkable.

On the whole, just a little bit expensive for what it was.

Great Hotel

Great price, courteous & friendly staff, good amenities, clean room and large bathtub. The only compliant would be that the location is a solid 30 minute walk to Sprrento downtown.

Excellent

My wife & I stayed at the Caravel for 14 nights at the beginning of October 2004. We thought the hotel was excellent in most respects.

Our room was not large but adequate and had a small balcony. It was always very well cleaned every day. The food was very good and more than adequate. On my third day I broke my arm and the help I subsequently received from the staff was first class and, in some cases, above and beyond the call of duty. The public rooms, garden and swimming pool were very good. We would certainly recommend this hotel which is in a quiet area within easy reach of central Sorrento.

Give this a miss

Not a good hotel; disorganised, did not live up to it's star rating, staff are not particularly helpful, and had some strange rules.

Receptionist logged our booking incorrectly - incorrect number of nights and rate despite me having a printout of my confirmation, it took some time to resolve this. Even 3 days into the stay they seemed to think we should have checked out of 1 room.

Room was small and pokey, bathroom was really not 3 or 4 * standard - loose toilet seat, shower which kept going from cold to scalding hot (I heard other guest complain to the receptionist about this who shrugged her shoulders), moudly plastic shower curtain, off white tiling everywhere.

On departure I asked the receptionist to book a cab for us, and ask that it be big enough to take 4 people with luggage (which we had got on the way to the hotel). I gave her 24 hours notice for this. Isntead she just called a cab as we checked out and did not give specifics, so a cab arrived which could not take us. Dispute over who would pay the call-out charge for the cab (6 EUROS) so half the party took it and we had to get another. Receptionist really didn't care - why would she, we had checked out already right?

Strange rules; buffet breakfast with set seating unless it is the last day and even your original table is free? Pool closes at 7pm but the jacuzzi which is IN and at one END OF THE SAME POOL has to be switched off at 5pm. Why? No-one knows.

Not completely terrible but never, never again.

I booked this through my Amex travel service as they recommended it and have provided similar feedback.

Excellent Hotel, Staff and location

We took a wedding trip of 38 people and loved the hotel and staff and location excellent! Best holiday and food very clean.