Hotel California - Positano

9.9

We spent 4 weeks in Italy in September and our stay at Hotel California was probably our favourite 4 days of our whole holiday. Maria and her family/staff were so warm and welcoming and Positano was absolutely beautiful. We really hope that our travels will take us back there one day - it is much too beautiful a place to only visit once.

8.8

We really enjoyed our stay @ California,it was recommended by family who have stayed there and we loved it , it has beatuiful Positano views, friendly and helpful english speaking staff and close to all the shopping , beach and resturants.

10

This hotel was amazing! We absolutely loved everything about it. The rooms were large and airy. The location was very convinient and close to restaurants and shopping. Maria and John treated us like we were family. It has the most beautiful terrance to enjoy the view. (its the same hotel that was in Under The Tuscan Sun!) and the price was very reasonable. i would recommend this hotel to anyone:)

4.7

It was too much money for what it was. Everyone was friendly and helpful, but for what we were paying it was anything but a great value. I thought I would be paying $120€ per night and ended up paying 150 and 140 for an extra night (Not much of a discount from what I was expecting.) I think we could have stayed about anywhere in the area for that price. It also said it was only 50 meters from the water and it was definitely not. It was a nice view, but one night we could hardly sleep as we found out the walls were paper thin and the people who were staying next to us were not very courteous. It was one of the most expensive places we stayed in Italia and I don't feel it was worth the price paid despite the positives.

9.8

I selected this hotel for an anniversary trip for me and my wife based upon the very positive reviews about the property, but more importantly, because of previous reviews referencing the high level of hospitality. Maria, John and the family did not dissapoint, and were incredibly helpful and ready to please, without being overbearing at all. The room was large, the property was incredibly clean, and the views were exceptional. Maria and John arranged scooter rental, taxi service to Naples, and some wonderful dinner recommendation. A night at Tagliata is not to be missed.

9.9

Maria makes you feel like family from the moment you arrive. She is also full of tips of restaurants, trips and anything else you might want/need. Very nice location, great views (but thats not scarce in Positano!) and great service from all the staff. And has parking.

9.0

Beautiful hotel with good location, breakfast atmosphere is wonderful. Old world charm with all the modern amenities, staff is friendly. Negatives- we had to leave room key at front desk everytime we went out, we were asked to pay the night before we left so they didn't have to do it in the morning. Only half of the breakfast was put out on our second day, for the price, it's not that close to the beach.

9.1

Maria, our hotel mama, was very gracious and warm. We loved her! She notified us of a special tour to Capri and the price was indeed the lowest offered that week. She also recommended a fun, lively restaurant for me and my friends and it turned out to be a gem. Dinner was delicious and generous (food portions and drinks) and the live entertainment was interactive and enjoyable. The hotel itself surprised us because it was one of the more affordable hotels that didn't compromise beauty or service. Our rooms all afforded us breathtaking views of the Mediterranean sea. Imagine waking up and stepping out onto the balcony to breath in the sunrise and survey the boats quietly floating in the water. It was an easy walk down from the hotel to the the markets, restaurants and the beach. I highly recommend this hotel and am so anxious to return to Positano soon!

10

Maria, the owner is so sweet and so helpful. She helped my wife and I get to Positano from Naples by having a car pick us up and back to Naples also by car. She booked all our dinner reservations and had great recomendations, as well as booking all our private tour accompdations. This was our final stop on our honeymoon after visiting Venice, Florence and Rome and this was the nicest hotel with the most breathtaking view and most helpful staff.

9.4

We enjoyed our stay very much. Maria was very welcoming with lots of enthusiasm and gave us good clues to help find our way around. We did have to change our room after the first night because another guest was sick & had to stay another night in the room we had booked which was a pain, They were very apologetic. Our new room was equally as good as the first one. Breakfast was ordinary though we were not expecting any thing else, having read other reviews. The cappuccinos were great. The breakfast balcony was a really nice area with stunning views where you could enjoy a evening drink as well.

10

I have wanted to stay in Hotel California for several years, but the property had not been available for my dates of travel. During one of my visits there I introduced myself to Maria, the owner. That was 4 years ago and she was kind enough to allow me to see some of the rooms which only further peaked my desire to stay at her hotel. Finally, this year I was able to stay and all my expectations were exceeded. The large bright room with the balcony facing the the town and sea was absolutely perfect. The large room, large closets, large bathroom and public terrace added to the overall satisfaction of staying at Hotel California. At the end of the day sunning on the beach or visiting other areas along the coast I was always happy to return to our picture perfect room. I looked forward to time spent on the balcony watching the yachts, boats and people coming and going and then at night the lights of the town twinkled like little jewels making the hotel's location quite exceptional. I will go back again in 2009.

9.8

This was our favorite hotel by far! Maria and her team were extremely welcoming and made us feel like family. The hotel was very clean and had an incredible view. It was also easy to get to the city bus as well as the beach. We will definitely stay there when we are fortunate to go to Italy again. p.s. The cappucino was quite delicious!

10

Albergo California is a jewel! The room is very spacious and the view is unbeatable! Would definately stay again.

9.9

We had a wonderful stay with California. Maria and her staff were very welcoming and only provided best restaurant suggestions. The hotel has a superb location, and our room has a breath-taking view. Without a doubt we will return again.

10

Albergo California was a wonderful hotel! It only has 20 rooms, 15 of which have a sea view. It has more of a B&B feel, than a hotel. It's in the perfect Positano location. It's about a 5 minute walk up from the beach and a 5 minute walk up the hill. So, it's right in the middle of all of the walking up and down. It has an amazing view of both the sea and the hillside. It's family owned with only 1 or 2 staff member not in the family. Who knows? Even they could have been relatives! The family/staff were so welcoming and accommodating. Maria is the matriarch. She is your typical Italian Mama. She and her husband spent 10 years in New York City and are fluent in English (if language is a problem for you). My boyfriend and I loved it so much, we decided to stay and extra night, completely last minute. We couldn't keep the beautiful room we had, because that place gets packed during the high season (I use the term 'packed' loosely because the place only has 20 rooms), but Maria and family cleaned and prepared a room for us that rarely gets used and fit us in for 1 more night at a cut-rate price. Maria also suggested a family owned restaurant waaaaay up in the mountain. She made the reservation (not a fancy, but a small place), got us a cab (free!), and told us all about it. The trattoria is called Trattoria Tagliata. The menu is set at 35 Euro a person (no extra charges). You have no idea what you're going to eat because mom and pop make whatever they feel like making that day. However, when I say they stuff you, I mean it! Anywhere else, that meal would have cost close to 75-100 Euro/person. The meal included about 10 antipasti dishes, 5 primi (pasta) dishes--the best tomato sauce EVER, 8 secondi (meat) dishes, 5 dolce (dessert) dishes, never ending bread, a bottle of good house wine, coffee, and limoncello. I HIGHLY recommend this hotel for all of the reasons above (including the trattoria suggestion:)). We're definitely going back! If I can

4.0

Location and room is good, but host is not good. our room is located near public space. in midnight,other visitor drunk and spoke very loudly at public space. however host and employee did not make them to stop,we could not sleep. and,we felt host's Commercial spirit hardly. this is not hotel this is b&b I think.

9.4

We had a wonderful stay at the Hotel California. The room was spacious for the three of us and only the bathroom stayed humid because of no window. The room and bathroom were very functional and the staff of the hotel was marvelous. Maria was welcoming with information, suggestions, beach towels, whatever we needed. We enjoyed her recommendations for dinner and felt that the location of the hotel was perfectly situated to the center of town and the beach area. A great place to stay, very fair price, good breakfast and coffee!

9.5

We really enjoyed our stay in Positano. I am so glad that we made the decision to go to the Amalfi Coast. What a beautiful place! Hotel California is situated in an ideal location to enjoy gorgeous views and walks around town. Our room was very spacious and the terrace area is wonderful. We took the trip to Capri one of our days there and it was spectacular as well.

8.8

A wonderful stay, Maria and her staff were great. The location is excellent and there is the bonus of parking. The only issue we had was, the parking was shown as included in the booking but we were charged 30euro, because 'there had been a change in the ownership'.

9.3

Wonderful 3-night stay in triple. Good breakfasts overlooking the Sea, great views from the room. Owner, Maria, spoke English well and gave excellent recommendations about restaurants and things to do. "Family" restaurants she arranged for us included two high up the clifts away from the tourist area and were both excellent and included rides to and from. When taking the bus from Sorrento, be sure to get off at the second stop in Positano, the main stop, not the first stop.

10

We absolutely loved our stay at the Hotel California! The room was spacious; location is beautiful and convenient. Greatest thing about the hotel is Maria, the owner, who welcomes you and sees to any need or question you might have. You will feel like family when you leave... and won't want to leave!

9.3

Owner Maria and everyone there was very attentive. If she offers to send you "up the hill" to La Tagliata Trattoria - GO! But be certain not to eat anything else that day. They send a van to pick you up - the ride is pretty scary but well worth it. Free parking here was great. All rooms are right on the main street so a bit noisy but that is unavoidable in the center of Positano. We were on the second floor and the terrace was nice but I saw some rooms on the lower level with the public terrace, I would avoid those. Only small negative I can think of was Maria told us "everything is closed" (we asked her to recommend a boat excursion)on the Sunday we were there and we found everything to be open so perhaps this was a communication error but best to check her facts. Would certainly stay there again.

9.0

This was our first time at Hotel California. Having stayed at hotels in Rome and Athens previously on the trip this was a pleasant surprise. Our room was clean, roomy and had an excellent view. I was there with my wife and two teen childeren and the accomodations were perfect for us. 10 minite walk to the beach and access to boats for trips to Amalphi, Capri and Sorrento. Shopping and restaurants in Positano a short walk. Breakfast was not spectacular, but was satisfactory. The hotel has a family run feel to it, with freindly staff and a welcoming host in Maria. The cost is high due to the dollar conversion, but relative to the cost of other hotels in the area I think it was a reasonable value.

9.9

We loved this hotel. Its in a great location and has a beautiful terrace area where you can relax and chat to other guests if you want to. The people were incredibly friendly and accommodating. Everything was great

10

Hotel California was absolutely amazing! We expected a great stay after reading all the comments in Trip Advisor and we were not disappointed. Maria runs an outstanding hotel. She is friendly, professional, and an expert in everything about the Amalfi Coast. We had room 58 for a week and woke up every morning to see the bay from our balcony. The room was spotless and the service was the best we have seen in Italy. Breakfast was more than we could eat and was of high quality. We took Maria's recommendations for dinner and particularly liked La Cambusa and the restaurant on the hill (can't remember the name). We will be returning to Positano again and will only stay at the Hotel California. If anyone is even considering staying in Positano, the Hotel California is a MUST!

9.4

hotel was worth every cent great location walking distance to main areas whereas other hotels local bus needed. however if arriving by ferry (best way to take in sites) do take the porter option 3euro a luggage as those stairs up hill are bad enough without them.We had the best view room no.66 a very large room with great character. Breakfast was nice. hotel staff are very friendly but female owner can be a bit pushy as they do get kick backs. restaruant next door was lovely and not badly price with great view worth trying. If needing to get to naples airport via taxi or driver too expensive expect approx 110 euro however cheaper option take a bus to sorrento and then another connecting bus direct to airport for a total 14 euro just get details from tourist info.

7.8

We requested a balcony with a view, which we got, however, our balcony literally opened to the entrance to the hotel on the first floor. If we opened our patio door (which was the only source of light) people literally tried to walk into our room, thinking it was the front door to the hotel. It was a little disturbing especially since we were two women staying alone. Other than that Maria was friendly, the breakfast was good and our room was big. No shower curtain made bathing interesting to say the least. I would stay here again, I would just be sure to ask for a "private" patio.

9.9

Maria es inigualable, Sincera y directa hara todo lo posible para hacer tu estadia lo mejor, sin ella dejar al lado su negocio y su beneficio economico. Te sientes como un invitado. Debe de haber hoteles mas lujosos en el area, pero ninguno te permitira vivir esta experiencia, es como quedarse en casa de un Italiano. El desayuno es pobre. La primera noche nos toco una habitacion en la primera planta cuya terraza era la terraza del hotel, es decir cero privacidad y mucho ruido, al hacerlo notar a Maria se encargo de hacernos cambiar de habitacion el dia siguiente. Un edificio viejo en buen estado, nada de diseno moderno, muebles rusticos. Bien ubicado,con estacionamiento incluido, no necesitaras el carro en Positano. Maria, su esposo Antonio y su hijo y empleados te ayudaran en cada detalle de tu estadia.

9.1

This was a very comfortable hotel, staff were friendly and helpful,views were breathtaking, rooms clean and spacious. I think this hotel was actually nicer than we expected. Breakfast is served on the terrace and we found this excellent. Unfortunately our luggage did not arrive at the airport and this put the dampers on the first part of our holiday. Apparently luggage not arriving is quite common in Naples so I would advise people to go prepared with some essential items as shops in Positano do not really cater for things like t-shirts and shorts. Back to the hotel, I would recommend the California and would definitely stay there again.

9.1

My wife and I stayed with our 2 teenage boys in a magnificent 2 room suite, with 2 bathrooms. The view is magnificent. Positano is one of the most beautiful places we've visited. Marie and her family were very accomodating. This hotel is the best balue in Positano!

8.2

Our first encounter with Maria wasn't very positive as she wanted to move our room after we had unpacked, and then wanted us to pay extra for the room they had put us in, however when we suggested that we would move to a different hotel she became a lot more accomodating. The rest of the holiday was great. Maria organised for us to eat in a family hotel higher up on the hill which was fantastic & she give you towels to take to the beach. If you are catching the bus from Sorrento, don't get out at the Positano stop, as it is an extremely long and hilly trip - we had to go into another hotel and ask them to book us a taxi. Get out at the next bus stop.

10

A stay at Hotel California is like a stay with my grandmother. Maria, the hotel owner is an unbelieveable hostess. She reminded me of my "Nanny"...she couldn't do enough to make you feel at home. The Hotel has many advantages: it had underground free parking, it was close to the beach and the Piazza where everything was going on, the rooms were huge, the sheets were lovely ( I like a nice thread count!), the view was fabulous ( we had a sea view from our room) and in general, her recommendations for food were great. She recommended that we go to La Cambusa at the beach the first night. It was close by ( 5 minute walk) and although on the expensive side, really delicious. We had the Zuppa di Pesce..it's big enough for 3. ( and I'm a big eater) The 2nd night she recommended that we take a free taxi that picked us up at the hotel to a restaurant up the mountain. The food was served family style and we all agreed that it was the 'food highlight' of our trip to Italy. Although not gourmet, it was extremely delicious and plentiful...you sit down and they start to bring out the dishes: antipasti, primi, secondi ( which was this awesome mixed grill of steak, pork, sausage, veal, lamb..it was super yummy with olive oil and lemon squeezed all over it) and typical south Italy desert tray. We loved it. The 3rd night was a fixed price fish dinner...not so good...can't even remember the restaurant's name...but not so good. Stay away from the 3rd night's recommendation (we assume she recommends these places over and over because many hotel guests were at the restaurants when we arrived.) Anyway, it was great value for our money. Would highly recommend this place and its lovely owners.

8.4

Our room was fantastic, couldn't have wished for a better view. Spacious room, with nice decor. Balcony and view were perfect. This was a cheap hotel for positano and really don't think a more expensive one would have given us anything else we wanted. Easy walk to centre/beach.

10

We stayed at Albergo California for our honeymoon. Maria and her staff were so helpful and kind to us during our entire stay. We were given the room with the view that we requested and were treated so well by everyone during our 5 nights. Maria even set us up with a free taxi service to 2 incredible restaurants in Montepertuso. For the price, the view, the very spacious rooms, and the service, this has to be the best place to stay in Positano. Make sure you request a room with a balcony! Very important!

10

What a WONDERFUL experience! Maria, the owner of the hotel, made our stay an such an excellent experience. She went out of her way to find whatever we needed and always had suggestions for what to do. She took care of every detail and tied all the loose ends together for us while we were there. She made reservations for us to take a boat to capri, and found a hotel and a driver to take us there one night. She even took into consideration our financial situation as all of us are the epitome of poor college students! What a wonderful experience. I would recommend the Hotel California to ANYONE and I can't wait to go back! The rooms were lovely and Maria gave us a beautiful view as we requested before we arrived. Breakfast was satisfying and for other meals Maria and the other employees always had wonderful suggestions. Positano is difficult to get to, and the hotels are even more difficult to find, so I suggest just hiring a taxi. We stopped at the first hotel we found and he was more than happy to call a cab for us and wouldn't even accept a tip! The locals are such friendly people!

9.9

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Albergo California. Maria and her family really go out of their way to make you feel welcome and to run a fine establishment. The location was excellent -- just a short walk to the beach, shopping and ferries. If you're planning on flaking in the sun, ask for a room with a balcony on the upper floors.

8.8

Sadly only stayed for two days. Perfect location with stunning views and very friendly staff. Would definitely go back.

7.6

The room was nice and clean; the staff had excellent English capabilities and were very helpful and accommodating; the breakfast was quite spartan, the weakest of all of the places we stayed during our trip (out of six hotels); the view was spectacular; not related to the hotel, but driving in and around Positano is hair-raising, get the smallest possible vehicle if you are renting. I would recommend them and also stay there again.

8.5

A very nice hotel, clean, good location. However, the owner is somewhat of a wheeler and dealer, and whilst she organised an amazing dinner for us one night above Positano, she is somewhat over bearing and did not always deliver on her promises, for example over priced laundry service. In the end though it wouldn't stop me from returning to this nice hotel.

9.1

Maria was SUCH a wonderful hostess! She provided us with fantastic places to eat, along with rides to and from the restaurants. The Hotel California was great (especially for the price) and they have complementary PARKING! The breakfast was the only thing that needed to be 'upgraded'-but there were always enough croissants for everyone. I would recommend this place to anyone looking for a comfortable, clean room with fantastic views and a very accommodating staff.

9.9

A wonderful experience. The owner, Maria, made us feel at home. She was very good at giving advice as to what to do and arranging dinner reservations with transportation, excellent food, and good prices. The rooms were spacious and quiet and the view from the terace or individual balconies magnificent.

9.8

This was a lovely hotel. The staff, especially Maria, were very helpful. The room was large and very nice with a second floor balcony. The breakfast was okay but we had to pay for extras but that was okay given the terrace that we ate on was beautiful. Take the fast boat to Capri and don't go to the emerald or the blue grotto.

9.1

This property is located about 5 minutes from "the beach" which is the main area of town. It is easy to find, the people were nice. The view spectacular. I would definitely stay here again. The staff good english and was able to help us out with questions and further travel arrangement.

9.8

Hotel California was like a home away from home! A short walking distance to the best of Positano. Signora Maria was a gracious hostess with lots of recommendations and help to get to where you want to go. The view from our room was wonderful...it was the best hotel on our trip!

10

Great place and absolutely beautiful! Only issue was breakfast. For what you pay, breakfast was terrible. Coffee and toast, that's it! However you may ask for more, but at a fee. Other than that, it was great!

9.2

Beautiful hotel! Great people!

7.1

The hotel owner and her family were very warm and helpful during the stay. Maria offers many extras at a decent price (i.e. wine, snacks, extra breakfast items). However, our room was not available the first night & we had to stay in a windowless and tiny room. Over the course of our stay, we heard a number of travelers that were in this same predicament. Maria seemed to rotate guests through the rooms. On our last night we arrived back to the room to find the bathroom covered in ants & the staff / owners didn't seem that anxious to clean them up, which was a little frustrating. Positano is a very beautiful and expensive town, so Hotel California offers an affordable setting within a very comfortable walking distance to the beach but there are some compromises.

9.5

Its a great little hotel in Positano. The staff is very helpful and friendly. The rooms are nice - don't expect the Ritz - but they are clean, have a nice bathroom. Breakfast is OK - coffee and croissants. However, if you are arriving by boat, be sure to consider the steep treck to the hotel - hire a porter to help you with your bags. The hotel is about a 10-15 min walk from the beach, but its full of shops and markets on the way up so its bearable. Overall, great value!

7.0

very nice place, expecially the terrace! rooms a bit noisy because of the road just beside, but really nice and big! don't expect too much about the breakfast, really poor!

10

A lovely hotel very well situated with easy acess to the center of town. The room was spacious and clean with a very comfortable bed and a great view of the sea. The staff was helpful and welcoming, and the breakfast on the terrace overlooking the ocean was especially wonderful..also--the best coffee we had in all of italy..a great place to stay...

9.6

Warm wellcome, very friendly. Breakfast wihout buffet.

9.3

I apparently lucked out by reserving the largest size room, and my room was located on the top floor with a balcony facing the beach. The room and view were fabulous and the price was very reasonable given the quality of the hotel and its central location right next to the main shopping area and beach. I stayed in a smaller room the next night (I didn't have a reservation this time) and it was small with no windows, but clean and comfortable. The owner was a fantastic host, very friendly and helpful with any questions I had, including restaurant recommendations. I highly recommend this hotel!

8.1

An excellent place to stay while visiting Positano. Very nice rooms. We had room 58 (with spa) and two balconies and a lovely outlook. The staff are very friendly and can willing to give advice on tours and restaurants.

5.9

We enjoyed our stay but decided to cut it short from 4 nights to 3 nights due to poor weather. We gave the management 24 hours notice and they insisted on full payment for the 4th night. We felt this unfair and would like Venere to take this up with management and if possible retrieve some payment for us. We understand paying a penalty for late cancellation but 100% is unreasonable in the off season. Our other disappointment was that we became aware that off the street clients were paying a much lower rate for the same quality room.