Grand Hotel Royal

Food moves comfortably between polished dining and bare-shouldered lunches in the sun. Breakfast is a generous buffet spread served beside views of the panoramic park. At lunchtime, settle beneath lemon, orange, and palm trees for grilled specialities, crisp salads, Neapolitan pizza, and homemade ice cream.

Down by the water, lighter dishes, fresh snacks, and cool drinks spare you the indignity of leaving the beach. But evenings are the headline act: local and international cooking, fine ingredients, a first-rate wine list, and candlelit tables overlooking the Gulf. 

Wellness here is less about an exhaustive circuit of heat rooms and more about doing a few things really well. Luxurious massage parlours are fitted with modern equipment, where expert therapists deliver treatments designed to ease both body and mind. 

If sitting still has lost its charm, the fitness room offers space for a proper workout in peace. Then again, a swim in the Gulf followed by the scenic climb through the tuff-stone tunnels makes a rather more Sorrentine exercise plan.

Sorrento’s rocky shoreline does not often do conventional beaches, and this private Blue Flag platform makes a virtue of it. Open from May to October, it sits directly above the clear water, with a jetty, sundeck, sun loungers, umbrellas, and small tables ready for an unhurried day beside the sea. 

The simplest route is wonderfully civilised: step into the private lift in the hotel gardens and emerge by the water.  Bar service reaches guests on the platform, while the adjoining beach club supplies drinks and afternoon snacks. In short, swimming requires minimal effort, unless you count choosing a lounger.

Rooms and suites stay true to the hotel’s grand Italian character, with classic furnishings, warm colours, hand-painted tiled floors, and pieces crafted by local artisans. Many look towards the Bay of Naples or the gardens, while others face Sorrento, its hills, or the central piazza. 

The suites turn up the drama, particularly those on the upper floors, where broad terraces make the most of the sea, Mount Vesuvius, and the coastline. The Imperial Suite goes furthest, adding sunbeds and a private outdoor Jacuzzi to its sea-facing terrace. Subtle it is not, but Sorrento hardly calls for restraint.

The garden. It's a fragrant tangle of lemon, orange, and palm trees, exotic planting, and camellias, yet the centre of Sorrento sits just beyond this leafy bubble.

A limoncello after sunset: take it on the terrace, preferably on an evening with piano music drifting through the lounge and the Bay of Naples twinkling below.

The scenic route to the sea: skip the lift once and follow the path through tuff-stone tunnels and Mediterranean gardens before arriving at the private platform.