Admiral Hotel, Sorrento, Italy

Hotel Information

Recent Price: £83
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User Rating:
8 / 10
(18 User Reviews)
Hotel Class: Admiral Hotel Studios ReviewsAdmiral Hotel Studios ReviewsAdmiral Hotel Studios Reviews

Hotel Description:

This family-run, charming and welcoming hotel enjoys a picture perfect location overlooking Sorrento's peninsula and fishing harbour. From the hotel's unique setting, there are stunning views over the Bay of Naples and across to Mount Vesuvius. Having been completely refurbished for 2004, this hotel provides great quality facilities for all.

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Admiral Hotel Reviews

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" Overall a good holiday "

We have just arrived back from a week stay in teh Admiral Hotel (28/08/09-04/09/09) Overall it was a lovely hotel, very clean and spacious. We were very lucky and had a top floor, sea view room which had a massive balcony, great for basking in the sun! I must say the view is well worth paying for, we could have sit there all day and night.
Although we were half board, we only had breakfast, there are too many fabulous restaurants to sample to spend everynight in the same place. The breakfast was ok to start the day but nothing special. Basically toast, cheese, meats, fruit and scrambled egg with some unappealing looking sausages! Having said that having a bit toast with some coffee was enough to start the day. We didn't stay for an evening meal, but having looked at the menu it seemed to have plenty of variety over the week. I did have one niggle...it's not major and wouldn't put me off going again but at the bar you couldn't pay for your drinks, you had to have a tab charged to your room. Although you can pay after a few days it just meant you couldn't keep an eye on what your drinks were costing and 6 Euros a drink does add up by the end of the week to say the least!
The hotel is a 10-15 minute walk up some steps which can be tiring at times however the local bus costs 2Euro one way and will drop you off in the main square. We mainly found we would get the bus into the square and then walk back..coming down the hill wasn't as bad as going up.
We booked trips with Thomson to Pompei, Herculaneum, Vesuvius and Capri. They were a bit pricey and be aware they do not include entrance fees or lunch so basically the prices are for the coach and the tour guide. Don't be fooled into thinking you have to have lunch were they try and herd you into. We did this on the first excursion and got an average lunch. We learned from this and the next day we just asked if she could point us in the direction to the main street. The tour guide was very nice and she walked us up and told us where and what time to meet the rest of the group and we just chose our own restaurant. This also meant we had more time to ourselves in Capri. We had spoke to other people who had done the excursion themselves and although they are cheaper they had problems with the public transport on Capri...large bus queues and packed on like sardines...so I think overall it was worth paying for the tour with Thomsons.
Overall a great holiday...I took my money to spend and I did just that!

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  • User Rating:
    8 / 10
  • Date of Holiday:Sep 2009
  • Board Basis:Half Board
  • Tour Operator:Thomson

" We have just returned from taking our... "

We have just returned from taking our honeymoon at this hotel and cannot believe our luck in having booked it!

Hotel Admiral (3*) is in an excellent situation and very secluded, unless you need to go down to this Marina then there really is no reason for you to be there so disturbance is at a minimum! The hotel is situated at the end of the bay with no passing traffic. It is friendly, ultra clean and excellent value for money.

The food: 5 choices of all 3 courses every night nothing the same on the menu whilst we were there! Sunday is Buffet night and we gathered in Reception for 7pm for some piccie bits of food on the terrace overhanging the sea then went into the dining room for a 'full on' carvery and buffet which would put most weddings to shame (something for everyone)! Thursday night is Gala night where the chefs parade roast joints around the restaurant to your applause and a massive baked alaska!! Wonderful!

Restaurants for lunch are 10 a penny and you have a job choosing where to go, I would recommend the Delfino restaurant next door to Hotel Admiral which has a lovely atmosphere and a great terrace over the sea. The menu is good too. Try the Grilled squid, shrimp and Sardines for lunch at 15 Euro for a treat. The owners are really friendly too. Up in the town there are some lovely ones restaurants, but watch out for the ones that have frozen fish on the menu marked by a * , what's the point?

One thing I would say are that drinks are generally expensive in Sorrento, the hotel was the cheapest at 4 Euro for less than a pint of Italian beer and other places were usually 6 Euro for a pint!

Have an adventure and try some of the trips on your own. We did Pompeii on the train which was very easy and a 30 minute journey from the station. The entrance to Pompeii is at the other end at the station, so very easy and less than 8 Euro for 2 people. The Thomson trip however came in at 44Euro each which does not include lunch or entrance to Pompeii at 11Euro so you are really just paying for the coach trip!!! Waste of cash really....Pompeii on the other was totally wonderful. We did notice that the tours around the city of Pompeii took in very few buildings and sites so we were glad to have hired our own earphones for the day (10Euro for 2 headsets - with the deposit of a drivers lic) This way you can see more than the usual tours, in fact it was deserted for a huge portion of the 'homemade' tour around the sites and we were incredulous at how the guides had missed out some relevant places of interest....ampitheatres were lovely! As was the Villa of Mistery. Try a real lemon ice drink outside the front entrance in the restaurant...you'll not regret it! Put a full day aside for this trip.

Back to the hotel: Rooms are high ceilinged and spacious, bathrooms clean and everything changed daily. Staff friendly. Location superior with views over to the bay of Naples and Mt. Vesuvius. We had a side room (no balcony), but could still look out and see the sea and cruise ships pulling into the next Marina! The sun is on the terrace until 2pm during September and provides an excellent means of tanning and a small pool. After 2pm it's nice to sit there anyway and have a cool drink. In the evening we enjoyed several firework displays sent off from other Marinas but were more spectacular than ours.

Sorrento town itself is up the hill and took about 10 mins climb up steps, which if you are a bit frail or can't be bothered in the heat, may be a problem as we were both puffed out! The bus is a regular thing though so get that instead for 1.80Euro return. It runs every 30 mins from 7am.

The shops were great and managed to get yet another handbag for a reasonable price. The side streets provide many lovely gift shops full of great ceramics, which we also bought, and Limoncello the local lemon alchoholic drink. (Put it in your case to bring home)

Cannot fault this hotel for location or value for money. A very memorable and relaxing time for us....first week back at work and already miss it!


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  • User Rating:
    10 / 10
  • Date of Holiday:Aug 2008
  • Board Basis:Half Board
  • Tour Operator:Thomson

" Wonderful views of the harbour and... "

Wonderful views of the harbour and across the bay to Vesuvius and Naples, good food, really friendly and helpful staff from Franco the manager down to the hard working and happy chambermaid, ensured we had a great holiday. The Admiral is good value for money but if it is purely a beach holiday you are looking for Sorrento isn't the place for you. Pompeii, Herculanium, the Amalfi coast are trips not to be missed but can be very busy in August.

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  • User Rating:
    10 / 10
  • Date of Holiday:Aug 2008
  • Board Basis:Half Board
  • Tour Operator:Thomson

" This hotel is great. Scenery... "

This hotel is great. Scenery beautiful and all the staff were excellent. Accomodation was very clean and comfortable room service was done every day I would certainly go back to Sorrento but only TO THIS HOTEL. Ask for a sea view because it is breath taking. Meals were excellent and could not fault either breakfast or evening meal. Also bar prices very reasonable, cheaper than you pay in other cafes and afternoon snacks again cheaper than you will pay in the cafes

There is easy access to shopping the bus service great and run from 7.20am to after 11pm.

A most enjoyable holiday and certainly worth considering as you wont be disappointed at the Admiral.

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  • User Rating:
    10 / 10
  • Date of Holiday:Aug 2008
  • Board Basis:Half Board
  • Tour Operator:Portland Direct

" We have just arrived home after a... "

We have just arrived home after a fantastic holiday in Sorrento. The Admiral Hotel is small but the staff are extremely friendly and helpful. The rooms were lovely and very clean as were all other areas. The location of the hotel is down at the old harbour and the last 100 yards or so you have to walk through a lane to reach it but the views from the sun deck are the best in Sorrento which makes up for the fact that some of the rooms look onto the cliffs behind. Our room had a partial sea view which was on to the harbour and all we could ask for. The food was good with the Grand Buffet night(Sunday) and Gala Dinner night (Thursday) definate highlights of the holiday. The restaurants around the harbour were great for lunches although the snacks served in the hotal were great too. There is a bus service from the harbour to the main town but the walk up the steps at the end of the harbour is picturesque and not too bad if you stop to admire the beautiful views now and again. We were there for a family wedding and would love to go back to this beautiful area to see all the things we did not have time to do and would definately stay at the Admiral Hotel again.

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  • User Rating:
    9 / 10
  • Date of Holiday:Jul 2008
  • Board Basis:Half Board
  • Tour Operator:First Choice

" Having read last years comments we... "

Having read last years comments we were very apprehensive of our stay at the Admiral, but on arrival our fears were dispelled, all the staff were welcomings and very friendly. The views given by the tour operator of the views over the bay are a bit misleading as all the rooms with large balconies are owned by the hotel and rented out by them, and some of the rooms on the front are set back over the pool and only give half a view of the bay. The pool is in the shade from 3pm each day which is not too bad, the pool is a sea water pool and is continually changing over the 24hrs. The food in the restaurant, the breakfast is a continental style with a mix of scramble egg and bacon. The dinner had a very large selection on each course, the Sunday buffett and gala dinnera are not to be missed. The hotels location at grande marina is quite and away from all the traffic noise and those "scooters". The walk up from the hotel is good exercise after a day lazing in the sun and having lunch & dinner, and the views at the top are worth it. The Thompson rep Chris at the moment is excellant and his saturday morning walk after his meeting talk is worth it as it locates the best parts of Sorrento for you to visit later in your stay.

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  • User Rating:
    8 / 10
  • Date of Holiday:Jul 2008
  • Board Basis:Half Board
  • Tour Operator:Thomson

" We booked the Hotel Admiral for our... "

We booked the Hotel Admiral for our honeymoon and after reading some of the review were a little apprehensive.

The hotel was lovely in a beautiful location overlooking the bay of Naples. the rooms are very clean and the beds are comfortable. We booked a limited sea view and was not disappointed.

The walk into Sorrento does take about 15-20 mins uphill but is a pleasant walk and for the less energetic there are buses every 30min at only 1 euro.

The food at the hotel was delicious and the gala evening is not to be missed. The sun does vanish at around 2 pm but there are plenty of bathing platforms which are very reasonably priced.

We had a fantastic honeymoon and will definitely return to the hotel Admiral.

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  • User Rating:
    10 / 10
  • Date of Holiday:Aug 2007
  • Board Basis:Half Board
  • Tour Operator:Thomson

" We first came to the Admiral last... "

We first came to the Admiral last year. We found the hotel very clean, comfortable and friendly. We had booked a sea-view room which was both roomy and beautiful.

I agree that the eggs and bacon are perhaps not the greatest, but there is ample choice otherwise; yoghurts, cereals, breads, cheese, meats, tomatoes etc. We thoroughly enjoyed the dinners and found the restaurant staff to be very attentive. The service was very personal and friendly.

We enjoyed it so much we booked again on return and have just returned from yet another wonderful holiday. We were greeted like old friends! The Admiral has a unique position. Admittedly the balconies and swimming pool are in shade in the afternoon but as we had no desire to burn to a crisp we felt this was an advantage. We wouldn't consider any other hotel in Sorrento!

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  • User Rating:
    9 / 10
  • Date of Holiday:Jul 2007
  • Board Basis:Half Board
  • Tour Operator:Thomson

" We liked the hotel and the... "

We liked the hotel and the surrounding area despite the refuse collectors being on strike at the time. The staff were all very friendly and couldn't do enough for us all the time we were there, not just on booking out day. We had a very clean room with stunning views over the Bay of Naples. The menu had plenty of choice, always had vegetarian options and was well cooked and presented. I also love Santos.

We used the hotel as a base for sightseeing, the walk up into Sorrento does take 15-20 minutes uphill, but I came back fitter and even lost a bit of weight despite eating pasta and pizza all week, perfect diet.

We came back from the holiday relaxed and happy and would definitely return to this hotel. We loved the Marine Grande easy way of life, a different atmosphere from the busy town centre.

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  • User Rating:
    9 / 10
  • Date of Holiday:Oct 2006
  • Board Basis:Half Board
  • Tour Operator:Thomson

" Make sure you book a front sea view... "

Make sure you book a front sea view and to request one of the larger balconies would be a good idea. This is not one of the top hotels in Sorrento but nor are the prices so you get what you pay for which is more than I can say for a lot of hotels in Spain and Greece and a lot of other places.

The hotel itself is situated in a magnificent position overlooking the Bay of Naples with Vesuvious dominating the background. It is in the area called Marina Grande which is a little fishing village, it is at sea level and the one thing that lets it down is that you have to climb a lot of steps to get to the main area of Sorrento which is a stroll of about 15 minutes away, so get some training in.

Unfortunately the sun vanishes from the hotel balconies about 2.30pm each day due to the high cliff right behind it. Apart from these two things I would have no hesitation in returning to this hotel and I have stayed at one of the best hotels in Sorrento.

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  • User Rating:
    7 / 10
  • Date of Holiday:Aug 2006
  • Board Basis:Half Board
  • Tour Operator:Vision Holidays

" I have read the previous review, and... "

I have read the previous review, and I can only say that my holiday was the opposite of hers. I went on holiday after having read every review on the internet for the hotel. I was not sure what to expect. But I knew the location was just what I had wanted, out of the way and a small hotel. I have had the best holiday ever.

The food was good, the service excellent, helpful staff, the bathroom clean and plenty of hot water and clean towels daily. The buses ran when we expected them to. We had a lovely trip to Ischia, although a bit expensive, but I will do it again, having booked again at the Admiral for next August 07.

There is always niggling problems with any hotel, but I don't go away to moan and spoil what I have saved all year for. Just tell them and they will sort it out if they can.
Looking forward to August.

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  • User Rating:
    9 / 10
  • Date of Holiday:Jul 2006
  • Board Basis:Half Board
  • Tour Operator:Thomson

" Think again if you are considering... "

Think again if you are considering this hotel and you are used to decent standards.

The hotel apparently was refurbished in 2004 but you would not think so, it is very scruffy and dirty, we had to insist on a new shower curtain as ours was covered in black mould. The towels are dirty white and threadbare and the rooms need completely repainting.

The food was acceptable but all the butter was rancid and the breakfast menu was monotonous, scrambled eggs and “steamed” bacon every day. The staff and waiters tried hard but it did remind us a bit of Fawlty Towers, and at the end of the week they all became rather too nice in anticipation of a large tip!

We had booked a room with a restricted sea view but ended up looking straight into another building, but after making a lot of fuss ended up being moved to a sea view room. Mind you, we had to take our shower curtain with us as the one there was also disgusting. Other people there were also complaining about their rooms but were not lucky enough to get moved, so make sure you avoid rooms 119, 118, 117 and 116.

Be safe and book a sea view room and insist it is at the front of the hotel. The sun terrace is small and only has deck chairs rather than sun beds and the pool was dirty.

We spent all of our time on the local bathing platform which was spotlessly clean and reasonably priced with comfortable sun beds. The position of the hotel is great and a decent manager would be able to rectify most of the problems, but it seems a lot of people are happy to put up with the standards there. We only paid half price for the holiday on a late deal and this is all it was worth. If you are paying full price then you can do a lot better.

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  • User Rating:
    4 / 10
  • Date of Holiday:Aug 2006
  • Board Basis:Half Board
  • Tour Operator:Thomson

" Okay, this hotel has a nice view of... "

Okay, this hotel has a nice view of the bay of Naples, that’s it. Went with Thomsons' got a room with no balcony, which was not explained to us and the rep' was about 14 years old and knew absolutely nothing about the local area, unless you wanted to book his very over priced trips.

The hotel has a very small pool and no sun terrace at all, its gives out free deck chairs that are packed in like sardines and the pool is dirty.

The neighbouring harbor is dirty, you need to go over the headland to the main port to get near any main bathing platforms that are available to hire.

The admirals also noisy as the soundproofing is rubbish. At least the staff are nice, Santos we love you!

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  • User Rating:
    2 / 10
  • Date of Holiday:Jun 2006
  • Board Basis:Not Specified
  • Tour Operator:Thomson

" Be careful when booking with Thomson,... "

Be careful when booking with Thomson, make sure you ask for a sea view, we booked early but where informed by Thomson that no sea views were left, so we went for a partial sea view. When we arrived we found out we didn't have a balcony! And our window opened onto the room next doors balcony, offering very little privacy for either families.

The hotel is also spoilt by inconsiderate people slamming doors and there needs to be more sound proofing. Carpets in the corridors at least would stop the click clacking of peoples heels echoing all night.

The staff are very friendly and helpful, although the waiters get very flustered when the dining room gets busy and often the food is stone cold.

Breakfast is also very monotonous, we stayed 2 weeks and it was scrambled egg and bacon every day. The coffee was pretty awful and the hot water for the tea was often tepid.
The views of the bay of Naples are fantastic and the walk into Sorrento isn't too bad, but there are lots of steps.

The local beach is dirty and has the local sewage works is just up the road, so from the hotel you can often see horrible items floating by.

The better 'beaches' are at the other side of town, but there are nice 'bathing piers' down the steps near the main port, where you can hire sun loungers, but these are rather expensive at about 25 euros a day.

I did like the admiral, it grew on me and was rather like faulty towers, i wouldn't go back though. It was too noisy and sometimes was hard to sleep, due to doors slamming and people talking into the wee small hours.

If you want to go to Sorrento stay in the hotels nearer the main port in the leafy suburbs.
We paid over £800 for 14 nights, on the standards at present I'd value the hotel at about £500 for a holiday.

Needs to improve somewhat to keep up with the other hotels. Personally I'll go back to Spain next year, the Spaniards have got it off to a tee. Catch up time Italy, you can't rely on Sorrentos reputation for ever.

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  • User Rating:
    6 / 10
  • Date of Holiday:Jun 2006
  • Board Basis:Half Board
  • Tour Operator:Thomson

" Having read many favourable reviews,... "

Having read many favourable reviews, it was some what disappointing when we finally arrived at the Admiral. The small fishing harbour is dirty, I realise its a working harbour, but the local restaurant bins looked straight out of the 'winter of discontent'! Plenty of dog mess and sewage from the water treatment plant (which was just up the road) on the scruffy beach.

Regarding the hotel itself, the staff are lovely, friendly, can't be faulted, but this is what they're paid for, is it not?!

The hotel is very, very noisy, doors slamming at all hours, you can clearly hear the people in the next room and the air conditioning sounds like a 747 landing nearby.
I must remember its only a 3 star, the food was nice, but often cold. This hotels standards would have been great 20 years ago, but nowadays, personally speaking, i expect more, smarmy waiters turning on the charm for a big tip at the end of the holiday is old hat.
And another winge, the pools tiny and grotty and the sun goes off the hotel in the early afternoon.

There are worst hotels, but don't expect the little utopia other reviewers have painted this hotel to be.

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  • User Rating:
    7 / 10
  • Date of Holiday:Jun 2006
  • Board Basis:Half Board
  • Tour Operator:Thomson
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