Sorrento / Hillside above the centre

Hilton Sorrento Palace

★★★★★

The Hilton Sorrento Palace is the big, dependable choice in Sorrento: one of the largest hotels on the peninsula, set on a hillside just above the town centre among terraced citrus groves, with sweeping views across the Bay of Naples to Vesuvius. Its scale is its strength. Where many Sorrento hotels are small and charming but short on facilities, the Hilton offers a resort's worth of amenities: a cascade of outdoor swimming pools on its terraces, sun decks with views, a fitness centre and wellness area, several restaurants and bars, and a large conference centre that makes it popular with events as well as leisure travellers. Rooms are modern and comfortable, built to international standards, with many offering balconies and views over the gardens or toward the bay. Families appreciate the space, the pools and the predictability; couples find the views and the quieter corners of the gardens rewarding; and points collectors can redeem Hilton Honors here, which is a significant consideration in an expensive region. The location is a short walk or shuttle ride from Piazza Tasso and the old town, slightly above the bustle, which means calm evenings but a walk uphill on the way back. From Sorrento, the Circumvesuviana trains run to Pompeii, Herculaneum and Naples, SITA buses head along the Amalfi Coast, and year-round ferries cross to Capri, making this a practical hub for exploring the whole region without changing hotels.

Why choose it: the Hilton is the antidote to the stresses of the Amalfi Coast's tiny, cliff-hung hotels. You get space, lifts, pools, parking and modern rooms, all at prices that are typically lower than the coast's boutique and grand hotels, in a town that is the region's best transport hub. For families with children, or for anyone planning a week of day trips to Pompeii, Capri, Positano and Naples, that combination is hard to beat.

Practical notes: the hotel sits uphill from the centre, so expect a short climb back from Piazza Tasso; check whether a shuttle is running during your stay. Rooms vary in view, so ask for one facing the bay. Because of the conference centre, some dates are busy with groups. The pools and gardens are the heart of the hotel in summer; in the shoulder seasons, the views and calm are the draw. Check winter operating dates if travelling in the off-season.

Base math: walk or shuttle to Piazza Tasso and the Circumvesuviana station; take the train to Pompeii in about half an hour; ferries to Capri leave from the harbour below the town; SITA buses reach Positano in under an hour. Choose it for comfort, facilities and value in the region's most convenient town. The trade-off is character: this is a large, modern resort rather than a historic villa, and travellers seeking intimacy may prefer a smaller hotel in the old town. For families, groups and points collectors, though, it solves the Sorrento coast's trickiest problems in one booking.