Hotel Onda Verde — Restaurant in Praiano

I have visited Italy on a number of occasions and wanted to see the Amalfi Coast outside of Sorrento. A friend suggested this hotel and I am pleased that I listened. Praiano is midway between Amalfi and Positano and is much less commercialised than either of these. The nearest airport is Naples, which is about two hours away given the narrow and twisty roads between there and Praiano. People visiting do need to be aware of how demanding it is to drive in this area and it is not for the faint- hearted. ||When I researched where to stay, the Onda Verde had a variety of booking options. I chose a five-night stay, which included private transfers to and from the airport, a deluxe room on a bed and breakfast basis, and with dinner included plus an excursion to Capri.||The hotel is literally several buildings that are built into the cliff face, making it extremely visually appealing. At road level there is a small car park that is overseen be the bellboy, Freddo, who spoke impeccable English. He was incredibly welcoming and friendly and that created the most positive first impression. Freddo engaged with me very well and escorted me to the reception desk, which is deep inside the cliff at six levels below the road. I was checked in and every conceivable feature of the hotel was well explained to me. I was immediately impressed by the cleanliness and freshness of each area. It is quite novel to move around sections of the hotel via underground tunnels. Freddo then escorted me to my deluxe room on the -5 level and made sure that I had no further questions.||Rooms are really quite spacious and I would challenge other reviewers that have suggested otherwise. The entire floor area had floral tiles that were coordinated perfectly with the decor and furnishings, all of which were bespoke. There was a large king-size bed and a big settee which doubled as an extra bed if needed. The entire room design was very bright and airy. A curtain and French window opened onto a moderate sized terrace with shrubbery and which was furnished with two loungers with side tables. There was complete privacy to each side. In front of you is the sea, with little boats bobbing up and down and the sound of the waves travelling into your room. That said, when the French windows are closed, the room is well soundproofed. There was a large wardrobe with ample storage space and also including a stocked refrigerator (chargeable) and a safe. There was a telephone in the room and a wall mounted TV and a very effective climate control system that can be set to provide heat or air conditioning, dependent on the season, though this does need to be set by reception. The only suggestion I would make would be for a waste bin to be in the room and not just in the bathroom. Also, for the higher spec rooms, I feel that bathrobes should be considered.||There was a good-sized bathroom that had wall tiling coordinated with the rest of the room and with a very attractive large tiled sink. There was a large jetted bathtub with a rainfall shower over it and there was also a bidet in the bathroom.||The rooms were serviced daily, though I never met any of the cleaning staff. All corridors were kept free from any obstructions and service items.||Meals are taken in the restaurant which is adjacent to reception and there is both indoor and semi- outdoor seating. The open-air seating has transparent screens that can be raised or lowered, dependant on the wind and weather.||Breakfast was a continental affair that was quite comprehensive, with all items being exceedingly fresh. The staff could not do enough to provide anything that I required and they were willing and able to think outside the box. The orange juice was freshly squeezed and one of my new favourite elements to breakfast was the inclusion of a cake and pastry table. There were several cakes to choose from each morning and all were individually produced and absolutely delicious.||There was a comprehensive dinner menu and the evening meal inclusive option allowed guests to select from 3 out of 4 courses. The first three courses were heavily weighted towards seafood and this was initially a concern to me as I do not eat this. Now comes the most positive aspect of my entire visit: I asked Francesco on the front desk whether the menu changed every few days. It did not. Francesco went on to advise me that if I wanted something bespoke making, the hotel would be pleased to accommodate this if possible. On my third evening, I asked for a mixed salad as a first plate and for Pollo à la Crème for my second plate. This request was well received and the result was truly amazing. I so appreciated the efforts and adaptability of the entire restaurant staff to cater to my tastes. This was true customer excellence. The dessert menu was extensive and the portions were generous. I need to go on record in saying that the tiramisu is the absolute best I have ever tasted on my travels around the world. The sauce itself was contained in an individual chocolate basket that had a nut and fruit garnish. It was sheer perfection and indulgence.||Maître D, Paolo, took immense care of me and showed huge pride in the restaurant and his work. He went so far as to ask me to trust him on my fourth evening and that he would have a dish specially prepared for me that he believed I would appreciate. This turned out to be a traditional recipe made by generations of his family and consisted of perfectly cooked slices of beef in a tomato and herb sauce. It was delicious and the best indication of how willing Paolo was to help.||There is a twisting path of stairs down from the reception area to the sea and the adjoining beach. I don’t believe this beach area to be part of the hotel, however it forms the departure point for various tours and the docking point for numerous small boats.||On my morning of departure, I needed to transfer to the airport prior to the opening of reception or the restaurant. I was advised that, if wanted, a breakfast box, would be prepared for me to take away.||One criticism of the Onda Verde was after I returned home and I contacted the hotel to request the name of the General Manager so that I might write to him directly. The reservations department replied and declined to provide this information and advised they would forward any communication on my behalf. ||The Amalfi coast is a picturesque and atmospheric part of Italy and as such is extremely popular, often making it very crowded. The Onda Verde is a small oasis in the midst of the high activity elsewhere. The staff truly excelled, with Paolo, Francesco and Freddo standing out particularly strongly. I feel that my decision to stay at Onda Verde was the right one for a person who doesn’t enjoy crowded places. ||The key element of true success in hospitality lies with the way guests are treated and how welcome they are made to feel. The Onda Verde truly does provide excellence in this regard. This reviewer has a powerful reputation amongst 0.8 million readers for his reviews that are critically, yet fairly written. This enables followers to be presented with the facts so they can receive a balanced opinion and make an informed choice on whether a specific venue is...

We just got back from our honeymoon - extended vacation and part of it was staying at this beautiful hotel. I did not write a review immediately post check-out, because I wanted to sit on it...calm down from the vacation high in order to give an honest review... and here it goes.... THIS IS THE BEST HOTEL in PRAIANO! Hands down!!!! multiple reasons, of which most of the 5-star ratings touch on already. (Read them, they are accurate), but I wanted to add a little colour to it.. The location is THE BEST location in the town. We took a stroll through the town to try other restaurants, and even visited the other hotels for future consideration, but quickly realized that the street level location and ease of access to the beach/water taxi's/local store for the basics, was more than ideal. Everything else is a hike up the steep cliff. Normally not an issue, as we like the hiking, but the heat made the hikes really sweaty! The fact that there is also an elevator available is great for all.

This hotel also has a spectacular dining experience. Their complementary breakfast was always delicious and fresh, and the views are spectacular! The dinner offering is that of a fine-dining experience with delicious food. You will see that in some posts there are a few guests complain about serving size... Let me be clear... This is a high-end restaurant with high-end food. Don't expect a McDonalds XL sizing here.. The dishes are exactly what they should be, and the pricing is exactly what they should cost. If you don't want to make a special night out at their restaurant, there are many other places that are available around, but I highly recommend the food and visual experience at Restorante Franchino. go their for the memories and the great service! There are also restaurants in the quickly walkable beach area that also have great food, and Il Pirata ristorante at the base of the hotel is also a must visit. No shortage of food options!

The pool isn't too big, but that's a plus for us. It has a bubble lounger, infinity pool edge, guizer and waterfall that are all push button to activate. Since the property is private, you don't have a lot of riff-raff around (or any for that matter, in our experience), and there are enough spots to sit/sunbathe for everyone. You might just want to do it on other floors (all of which are connected and convenient).

Lastly, the staff.... What can I say. Tania, Francesco, Giuseppe, Anna and the rest of the staff were just so friendly and helpful. You all made the stay more pleasant and enjoyable, with no hesitancy to help out with dinner reservations or water taxi bookings, or even just a great conversation...

We will be back there in our future and I hope, if you're reading this, that you go and experience this for yourself. Praiano is not Closterphobic like Positano, or busy like Amalfi, but they are both only 15 minutes by water taxi away. It's a romantic and generally quite place to chill and look out at the beautiful water and cliffs of the Amalfi Coast. The stunning colours of boats and people on the pier diving into the seawater (as we did) was just what we needed. ...

This hotel- wow! From location to the rooms to the service I wish I could give it 10 stars. My sister and I came to Amalfi for a week and I did a lot of research on where to stay- Positano vs Praiano. Upon being here we definitely made the right choice as Positano is so so busy. The location of this hotel is perfect with a short walk access to water taxis and the beach. The room is spacious and the balcony view is second to none. Directly overlooking the pool and the waterfront. The air conditioning is great and the beds were comfortable. We requested a room with a shower and not a tub and it was fantastic. But what really sets this hotel apart from the rest is the service. From our greeting by Giuseppe at the front desk and all his help arranging day trips, taxis and restaurant recommendations (as well as what ladies shops to hit in Positano) to Davide at the pool who was such a hard worker and so kind and attentive to bringing us drinks, food, setting up umbrellas, really anything to make our stay magical….. these are just a few examples of the many great people who make this hotel a gem. And Lastly but absolutely not least is the hotel Restaurant Franchino. This is by far the best food we have had in the Amalfi coast. So much so that we’ve returned all but a few nights and have tried almost the entire menu. Paulo, our server each night, went above and beyond both in service and in recommending wines and food. The restaurant has an incredible pastry chef- these deserts will blow your mind. And the view….. stunning. We enjoyed the complimentary breakfast here every morning as well- such a wide variety buffet of savory and sweet and the best cappuccinos. If you are looking for top notch service, relaxation, comfort and great food this hotel...