Grand Hotel Ambasciatori — Hotel in Sorrento

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...

AVOID THIS HOTEL for Your Wedding in Sorrento.||||I wish I had heeded the warnings in other reviews before booking our stay at the Grand Hotel Ambasciatori for our wedding. Unfortunately, our experience was marred by the unprofessionalism and rudeness of the reception staff and management, which added unnecessary stress to what should have been a joyful occasion.||||While the hotel itself boasts lovely amenities and a fine location (just a 20-minute walk to the town center), the lack of communication and care from the reception team overshadowed any positives. Despite our efforts to inform the hotel about our wedding, there was a complete absence of acknowledgment or celebration from the staff. We received no congratulations—no note, no courtesy, not even when I arrived in my wedding dress.||||On the day before the wedding, after checking into our suite and emphasising (several times before checking in and in person at the hotel) the significance of our stay, things took a turn for the worse. When I requested access to my room for myself, my maid of honor, and friend to steam my dress—a necessary task for such an important day—the reception staff insisted that my friends needed to provide passports for entry, which they hadn’t brought and the hotel NEVER TOLD ME THIS WAS PROTOCOL. This rigid adherence to "policy," combined with their dismissive attitude, was incredibly disheartening.||||Despite my polite explanation that it was my wedding day and we were pressed for time, the staff remained unhelpful, I even asked them if we could stream the dress in reception but was bluntly told NO. After a frustrating exchange, they reluctantly allowed us into the room but only after mandating that my friends bring their passports the next day. This lack of foresight from the hotel caused me to scramble to arrange the DAY BEFORE MY WEDDING for my photographer, hair and makeup team, mother and brother who also needed their identification to access my room.||||On the morning of the wedding, I encountered further obstacles. When I called reception to ensure that my hair and makeup artists could come up to my room, I was met with complete reluctance. The receptionist informed me that only FOUR PEOPLE could be in the room at once, a policy I had never been made aware of and have never read anywhere in their documentation. As a result, I had to send two artists downstairs, which delayed my preparations by nearly 45 minutes and prevented important pre-ceremony photos with family and friends. My hair and makeup artist is extremely popular and she explained she’s worked in Sorrento for weddings coming up to 7 years and has not known this policy in any other hotel, not even the hotel next door, Grand Riviera. So clearly this is something they have made up and do not want to tell anyone until it’s too late.||||The lack of empathy from the hotel staff was disheartening. Even our taxi service I arranged through Enchanting Sorrento (NOT THROUGH THE HOTEL), exceeded the hotel’s efforts by providing complimentary champagne and making an effort to enhance our experience. ||||If you're seeking a stress-free and memorable wedding day, I strongly advise against booking the Grand Hotel Ambasciatori. This experience has been a significant disappointment for us, and having coordinated our wedding meticulously, I feel compelled to warn others to consider...

Avoid This Hotel for Your Wedding in Sorrento

I wish I had heeded the warnings in other reviews before booking our stay at the Grand Hotel Ambasciatori for our wedding. Unfortunately, our experience was marred by the unprofessionalism and rudeness of the reception staff and management, which added unnecessary stress to what should have been a joyful occasion.

While the hotel itself boasts lovely amenities and a fine location (just a 20-minute walk to the town center), the lack of communication and care from the reception team overshadowed any positives. Despite our efforts to inform the hotel about our wedding (before check in and during), there was a complete absence of acknowledgment or celebration from the staff. We received no congratulations—no note, no courtesy, not even when I arrived in my wedding dress.

On the day before the wedding, after checking into our suite and emphasising the significance of our stay, things took a turn for the worse. When I requested access to my room for myself, my maid of honor, and my friend to steam my dress—a necessary task for such an important day—the reception staff insisted that my friends needed to provide passports for entry, which they hadn’t brought. This rigid adherence to "policy," combined with their dismissive attitude, was incredibly disheartening (we had NEVER been informed of this policy beforehand even when informing them multiple times it was our wedding stay).

Despite my polite explanation that it was my wedding day and we were pressed for time, the staff remained unhelpful. After a frustrating exchange, they reluctantly allowed us into the room but only after mandating that my friends bring their passports the next day. This lack of foresight caused me to scramble to arrange for my hair and makeup team, photographer, mum and brother who also needed their identification to access my room.

On the morning of the wedding, I encountered further obstacles. When I called reception to ensure that my hair and makeup artists could come up to my room, I was met with complete reluctance. The receptionist informed me that only FOUR people (including me) could be in the room at once, a policy I had never been made aware of. As a result, I had to send two artists downstairs, which delayed my preparations by nearly 45 minutes and prevented important pre-ceremony photos with family and friends. My hair and makeup artist who is extremely popular has been doing Sorrento weddings for 7 years and she has never heard of this policy before, she says that all other hotels are extremely accommodating especially for someone’s wedding day.

The lack of empathy from the hotel staff was disheartening. Even our taxi service, arranged through Enchanting Sorrento (NOT ARRANGED BY THE HOTEL), exceeded the hotel’s efforts by providing complimentary champagne and making an effort to enhance our experience.

If you're seeking a stress-free and memorable wedding day, I strongly advise against booking the Grand Hotel Ambasciatori. This experience has been a significant disappointment for us, and having coordinated our wedding meticulously, I feel compelled to warn others to consider...