Grand Hotel Ambasciatori

When the hotel we were staying in suffered a major health & safety issue, we were forced to find a replacement hotel at very short notice, i.e. in a couple of hours, for the last night of our stay in Sorrento. We found this hotel online and based in no small part on its Tripadvisor reviews, we booked it for that night...and crossed our fingers. As it turned out we need not have worried because it was sensational. We arrived at lunchtime and the hotel was able to provide us with an early check-in, which was appreciated as we had packed our suitcases in the previous hotel with the utmost celerity before literally fleeing. Being both irritated and stressed, the feelings of tranquility and amazement we felt as we walked into our suite were almost overwhelming. We had booked a deluxe junior suite because it looked fantastic from the photos online and it was even better in reality. A generous-sized room, opulently furnished and elegantly decorated. The layout of the suite drew the eye toward the patio doors and the balcony with a view that even by Sorrento's standards is impressive. If you want a sea view in Sorrento you have to pay a big premium for it and often it will be from a room that is several blocks back from the cliffs - technically you may be able to see the sea (to quote Basil Fawlty "it's over there, between the land and the sky") but that may not be what you consider to be a sea view. As the Ambasciatori is built on top of a cliff, the sea view is right there below you, ahead of you and to the sides. And of course, right there in front of you is the jaw-dropping backdrop of Vesuvius. The balcony was compact but certainly large enough for the two of us to sit out on it and take in the panorama, especially late in the evening when the lights of Naples make the volcano seem even more magical. It was my partner's birthday - a fact that compounded the disappointment of the previous hotel's failing and the frustration of having to decamp at short notice - and so you can imagine the joy she felt when on the table when we first walked into the room was a bottle of champagne and a birthday card. Neither of us had said anything when we arrived and when I asked how they knew, the colleague on the front desk said they noticed the date when they were copying our passports and while we were concluding check-in, they sent someone up to the room with the birthday gift. Exceptional service and the kind of attention to detail that makes a stay extra special. In the available time we had, which in reality was the rest of the afternoon as we were out for dinner in the town centre, we made the most of the facilities. There is an outside pool and poolside loungers, served by a little bar. The pool is too small to swim in but is perfect for cooling off and just relaxing in, especially when the attentive barman keeps bringing you over bellinis, which as they are in plastic flutes, you can sit in the pool and drink or - even better - activate the jacuzzi feature in the side pool and drink bubbles while reclining in bubbles. We took a break for lunch in the outside terrace, which I think was eleven steps from the poolside lounger. The view from the terrace, itself nestled on the cliff top and underneath the trees, in between the shrubs and plants, was beautiful, creating a blissful atmosphere of enjoyment. The bruschettas and pizza we had for lunch were delicious, the crocche bordering on the sublime, all bursting with flavour from fresh ingredients, prepared and served with what is best described as panache. We then went back to our loungers and spent the rest of the afternoon soaking up the sun, the location and the whole ambience of the place. When we got back from dinner in town that night, we sat out on the balcony before retiring to one of the, if not the, most comfortable beds I have ever slept it. The bathroom was well-appointed and the walk-in shower provided plenty of control over the flow and temperature of the water. Breakfast was a good choice of hot and cold items, with a wonderful selection of local cakes and pastries. The large windows of the dining room provided yet another slice of sea view, as well as making the dining room feel airy and tranquil. Tranquil is a word that kept cropping up during our stay and if it is one of the hotel's objectives as part of its guest proposition, it is succeeding in this respect. On the downside? Well the lift has a mind of its own and it look a while to work it out, although 'let's take the stairs' was our conclusion. This is because the lift goes up and down (I know that's what they are supposed to do) except 'Down' as marked on the lift is down from the hotel to its beach/jetty at the bottom of the cliff and 'Up' as marked on the lift is up or down within the floors of the hotel. In other words, you may want to go down a couple of floors but this is up if you aren't going all the way down to the sea level. It's not a major issue and you will probably find yourself laughing - as above, taking the stairs is quicker and does provide you with the chance to look at some of the lovely paintings and artwork that lines the staircase. This was pretty much the only downside. For a hotel that we never intended to stay at, we didn't want to leave after our one night's stay. Everything about the hotel was a delight. It wasn't cheap - the deluxe junior suite cost approx. £1,200 for the night - but if you're looking at luxury in Sorrento, especially along the promenade of Via Correale and Via Aniello Califano, this is what a 'proper' sea view costs. Was it worth it? Well, we've just booked to go back to Grand Hotel Ambasciatori later this year, this time as our first choice and for four nights. So the answer has to be Yes. Overall, a delightful hotel that made a birthday very special and a stay very memorable.

Love it!!! You will not be disappointed. The views alone are worth staying. The staff is kind and courteous Breakfast tasted better because of the ambiance Plenty of food choices and delicious coffee Our room was bright, clean and quiet. The location was the best part. We loved being a stroll away from main square of Sorrento. Removed yet convenient to everything you could need We booked parking in advance I highly recommend this wonderful hotel

This hotel is stunning. The lobby is tastefully decorated and is certainly eye-catching. There is a swimming pool as well as a private dock, but we didn’t use either of these, given it was so late in the year when we stayed there. The garden is huge. We spent several hours there just admiring the scenery. Rooms are clean and staff is friendly and professional. I would love to stay here again someday!

Unfortunately we didn't have the stay we hoped for at Grand Hotel Ambasciatori. The hotel building is defiantly five stars but the service is far from it. We stayed in this hotel during our wedding in Sorrento. We organized our wedding ceremony to be located in the hotel and the wedding reception in a wedding venue close by. I was corresponding with Sebrina through emails which she came across as very rude and unprofessional. When it came to paying for the balance of our wedding, Sebrina emailed letting us know we have four days to pay or she will begin in the process of canceling our wedding ( This was a month before the wedding). We organized a violin player through the hotel for our ceremony. When I contacted the violin player to confirm our song choices, he mixed up the location and never heard of our booking. When all was fixed, I sent him a playlist of songs we would like to hear. When my partner was standing at the top of the altar, the violin player pulled him aside and asked him what songs we would like to be played. He arrived 30 minutes late and had no clue what songs to play. We had an open bar service after our ceremony. It was never mentioned that the drinks would be miniature size. The price certainly did not indicate this. The hotel wouldn't serve any of our guests drinks before the wedding. Some of our guests arrived early to the ceremony and tried to order a drink. They were told they would have to wait until after the ceremony even though they offered to pay or go to the main bar. It was 25 degrees and outside. For the morning of our wedding, we asked if there was somewhere for the bride & bridesmaids to get ready. I was told no there wasn't anywhere else in the hotel free. Our hotel room was facing the hotel next door, which had a gym right outside our window. Our wedding pictures have people working out in the background. The day after our wedding my dad came to the hotel for a drink. We were sitting in the bar down by the water when a waitress came over and explained the reception desk rang down and asked him to leave as he wasn't a guest. Unfortunately, there were many more small things that added up to make this a very disappointing stay. I think the one thing that sums up everything was, that not one employee in the hotel wished us congratulations. The hotel was very quiet as it was October and yet no one even knew we were getting married there. For your wedding to not even be acknowledged by the hotel you are getting married in was heartbreaking.