Grand Hotel la Sonrisa

Brilliant stay at this most ostentatiously designed, but welcoming and relaxed hotel. We had two nights and there were no weddings/events while we were there, so we had free rein of the pool and poolside area, with its completely OTT statues and canopy and curlicues - stylistically think supercharged Italian Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen. The rooms are clean and perfectly fine (slightly leaky shower) with thin walls but comfortable. The service at front desk was wonderful - warm and friendly - and our boys particularly loved the photos of Maradona and Messi and various celebrities that lined the walls (in suitably gilt frames). The LED pink lights on the exterior belie the fact that it's actually an 18th century castle - feels slightly more akin to a 1980s Barbie dream hotel, with Vesuvius in the backdrop. The location is such that you really need a car - we didn't have one and resorted to local buses, which was an experience. We did a day trip to Pompeii, took us about 45 minutes to get there and the excavations are right beside the train stop so very convenient . All in all great fun if you enter into the spirit of it - as Dolly Parton said 'it takes a lot of money to look this cheap'.

Sadly not a good stay at this hotel: far too loud which consistently ruined our sleep. Blocked pool access for guests despite events being inside. They care more for the loud events than the guests that are staying here. When there are events the music is so loud it disrupts everything. This shouldn’t be a hotel, it should be purely for events if their only care is for the people celebrating here. There are some of us who have come away on holiday to enjoy Italy and can’t because this hotel doesn’t care for it’s paying guests.

The hotel is very beautiful above all the night, some employee are very nice but because of the weeding, the music and fireworks my family and I left the hotel more tired than when we arrived. In other words, run!!!