Panorama Palace Hotel

Very nice stay!!! This is a hidden gem! Honestly do not know what all the complaining is about?!! We were reading the reviews online and were very concerned about our stay here and the A/C comments as we travelled the first week of July 2024 (very hot weather!), and even tried to switch our hotel prior to our trip. Had we switched we would have missed out on this treasure of a hotel. Please do not let some of the negative reviews sway you - this is such a pleasant hotel. My husband and I have travelled extensively around the world and this is a decent hotel. Please go in with these expectations: 1. This is a privately owned Italian hotel, beach/cliff side hotel and is not an American owned Hilton or 4Seasons. 2. The rooms are spacious, with firm beds 3. The A/C works! 4. The seaside views are spectacular!!! The most unbelievable views which are stunning! 5. The rooms have a bathtub, seperate shower, bidet, toilet, sink; desk, closets, lots of storage and a pull out chair/cot. 6. If you opt for room and board (which was included in our package with Air Canada Vacations) the dinners and breakfasts are included which we appreciated, and included decent, typical Italian cuisine. (Note: typical Italian breakfast does not include eggs, hashbrowns or pancakes). 7. The hotel pool is lovely, not crowded at all and has true deep end for swimming. 8. The staff here are very hospitable- the lady at the front desk was pleasant, Giuseppe in the dining room was also very kind and helpful. Tip: close the window shade during the day when you are away to keep the room cool. We were worried about the A/C comments so also brought our own portable mini fans that we bought off Amazon- didn’t really need them in this hotel but another option. Tip: definitely ask for seaside view if you can! Tip: the hotel bar is outside/across the street “Panorama Bar” which has the absolute best views of the cliffs and sea, indoor and outdoor seating. Gorgeous views of the sunsets! The most hospitable staff- thank you to Antonio and Vincenzo!! Tip: take the public transit bus from Meta Sorrento (where this hotel is) to Sorrento (where we caught the boats at the port for various excursions). The bus stop is a 2 minute walk from the hotel and costs €2 each way and is about a 20mins bus ride to the Sorrento port. A taxi will apparently cost about €50 each way and takes the same amount of time/same route as the bus. Tip: there is a daily tax that must be paid in cash only at the end of your stay - can’t recall exact amount but approximately €4-5 per day, so set aside cash for that. This is apparently with all the hotels in the area. Tip: there is a free elevator (or stairs as well) that is a 2mins walk down the road that takes you to the bottom of the cliff where the beaches are- which are very nice beaches! (Better than the beaches in the Amalfi, Positano, Sorrento and Capri by the way!). It seems all the locals go to these beaches. There are both public and private beaches available- the private cost about €15-20/person per day for adults (includes umbrella and Lounge chair) and there are paddle boats, paddle boards, etc. The beach without the umbrellas off to the right is the public beach which is a bit smaller, and just need to bring your own towel/chair/umbrella. There are also lots of food options available by the beach, such as at La Marinella. Tip: bring or buy your own beach towel or beach mat- found this was a must at all the beaches in Italy (especially if going to public/free beaches). Also, a lot of the beaches in the area are sandy/pebble beaches so water shoes may also be an option for some. Tip: check out the restaurants and bars down by the beach. Tico Tico was a nice seaside restaurant with amazing Italian food and drinks. We also checked out Il Verricello which is more upscale seaside restaurant along the boardwalk to the right. There is also some nightlife in the evenings along the beach/boardwalk for those who are interested. We would love to come back to this hotel. And almost want to keep this hotel and area a secret because of how much nicer and peaceful Meta Sorrento is than the other more “touristy” and overcrowded areas that are nearby. This was the part of our trip that was most enjoyable and felt like we were able to relax in beachside Italy with Italians. (Note on this same trip we went to: Rome, Naples, Pompeii, Sorrento, Capri/AnaCapri, Ischia, Amalfi and Positano). Hope this helps and feel free to message if any questions!