Hotel Johanna Park, Sorrento

...now stayed at Johanna Park Hotel twice. Once in June 2005 and again in June 2008. This hotel is simply excellent. Johanna and her fantastic staff make you feel right at home and couldn't be more helpful. It's like no other hotel experience I've had - it's as if you're staying with relatives rather than hoteliers.

We drove to get to this hotel as we'd rented a car in Rome. Also we had a map to provide directions. The drive through to ...
...this.

The hotel rooms are spacious, clean and well decorated. Beds are a nice size and comfortable! Great showers and the cleaning staff always do a perfect job. The rooms on the front of the hotel overlook the Bay of Naples, obviously Vesuvius being the most prominant feature. Sunsets on the balcony, with a drink in hand are just fantastic. There's internet access in the reception and a bar that's open into the night. There's a fantastic ... more

My family and I have now stayed at Johanna Park Hotel twice. Once in June 2005 and again in June 2008. This hotel is simply excellent. Johanna and her fantastic staff make you feel right at home and couldn't be more helpful. It's like no other hotel experience I've had - it's as if you're staying with relatives rather than hoteliers.

We drove to get to this hotel as we'd rented a car in Rome. Also we had a map to provide directions. The drive through to Sorrento is beautiful, so I'd highly recommend doing so. The traffic is as you'd expect at rush hour but for the most part rather good. The shuttle bus will collect you from town if you do not already have a coach to take you. The drive up from the centre of town is steep and walking would be mad - the road is windy so you're not clear to cars. Taxis are quite expensive in the evening, so the shuttle really is the best choice.

As well as providing a shuttle bus into Sorrento's centre, which will pick you up at any time, they provide room service, breakfast, plenty of local information and lunch and dinner if you wish. There is always someone on reception and they always make sure you are well looked after. My sister had a dental emergency on our second stay and Johanna personally drove us to her village and arranged for my sister to see her dentist. There she waited until my sister had been treated and drove her back again. My family really appreciated this.

The hotel rooms are spacious, clean and well decorated. Beds are a nice size and comfortable! Great showers and the cleaning staff always do a perfect job. The rooms on the front of the hotel overlook the Bay of Naples, obviously Vesuvius being the most prominant feature. Sunsets on the balcony, with a drink in hand are just fantastic. There's internet access in the reception and a bar that's open into the night. There's a fantastic outdoors seating area, that's in the shade, with plenty of room. My family, fiance and the rest of the hotel watched the Euro 2008 match here, on a television set up especially, in which Italy unfortunately lost!

Three beautiful and friendly dogs play on the grass behind the car park and are always grateful for some attention!

Next year there will be a larger swimming pool built - one to outshine The President Hotel which is down the road. There's a rooftop for sunbathing if you wish - plenty of sunloungers with shade stacked near the entrance. The view from here is fantastic in any direction that you look. The great thing about this hotels location is that it's so peaceful and not in the hussle and bussle of the town centre. It's also well positioned for if you want to take the Amalfi drive - it shaves a few minutes off the time. Obviously being further away from amenities can be a disadvantage, but not at this hotel as they really are perfectly happy to take you to the town. The drive down is about 5 minutes or so, but the views are breathtaking.

The breakfast starts off with cappuchino/coffee/tea for hot drinks and juice and water for soft drinks. The breakfast is a buffet, which is run by one member of staff in particular, who is extremely good at his job. He's extremely attentive and never forgets anyone, he makes the coffee for you and will offer to bring you fresh eggs - scrambled or fried. He's also there for dinner too, along with some of the other staff.
The breakfast/dining room is extremely clean, light and airy and with a patio outside for if you wish to have your meal outdoors. This is a shaded area. The food offered includes rolls, jam, cheese, ham, cake, cereals, toast, eggs on toast, and hot sausages. Overall it's a good buffet, which will leave you with a nice full stomach - ready for all your sightseeing.

I have to say there really isn't anything at all that I personally dislike about this hotel. It's great for a family holiday or a romantic getaway, or even as a stopover if travelling around Italy. 

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