When a hotel counts Marilyn Monroe, Oscar Wilde, and Sophia Loren among its former guests, you expect a little drama. And Sorrento’s iconic Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria delivers on all counts, with hand-painted frescoed ceilings, rooms draped in elaborate furnishings and a terrace that overlooks the Gulf of Naples and Mount Vesuvius. Still owned by the same family after nearly two centuries (despite countless offers to sell), the team here have maintained every detail meticulously, and it’s still dripping with old-world glamour.
Staying here will have you feeling like a star in a Fellini film - as it felt like for me as soon as I stepped through the hotel’s iron gates just off Sorrento’s most bustling square, Piazza Tasso. Make your way up the tranquil, citrus-scented pathway up to the lobby, passing a glossy Bohemia grand piano and a wall of black-and-white portraits of royals and celebrities and get ready for something very special indeed.
Why stay at Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria?
The Sorrento area has so much to see and do, but staying at the Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria is an experience in itself and an immersion into the region’s history. Founded in 1834 by the Fiorentino family, it was often the final stop of the Grand Tour, the pilgrimage taken by young aristocrats across Europe to experience culture, history, and art. The cliffside location is one of the property’s greatest luxuries (it’s even said to be the former site of an Emperor Augustus villa).
Today, the fifth generation of the family runs the property, with the sixth in training. Additions over the years have included a pool, playground, soccer area, several restaurants (including one with a Michelin star) and a private elevator carved into the cliff that takes guests straight to the marina for easy day trips to Capri or the Amalfi Coast. These upgrades never came at the expense of its original character (one of my favorite spaces, the Blue Room, still features the same stunning signature pale-blue Rubelli textiles from Venice, faithfully replaced over time).
What are the rooms like at Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria?
The hotel has 79 rooms and one apartment, including 50 suites. Out of those, 49 come with private balconies, or terraces with sea views. The garden-view rooms look out onto the hotel’s citrus groves and 20,000 metre-squared outdoor space. As you work your way up the room categories, you’ll find grander terraces, separate bedrooms, and original antique pieces. Each room is individually decorated with rich fabrics, ornate wallpaper, classic 19th-century-style furniture and hand-selected artwork, and many of the bigger rooms feel more like staying in a private villa than a hotel room. Several of the suites are dedicated to fabled guests. The Caruso Suite is one of the most requested, named after the legendary tenor Enrico Caruso who stayed for more than a month in 1921, or the Margareth Suite, a Victorian-style suite favored by Princess Margaret.
Which is the food and drink like at Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria?
Food is a big part of an experience at the Grand Vittoria, starting with the moment you wake up. Breakfast is served in the grand Sala Vittoria ballroom, a frescoed space where you’ll find attentive waiters serving espresso drinks and a buffet-style spread of both American and Italian favorites. The center oval table features at least two dozen different cakes and pastries every day. including the Torta Caprese, a dense chocolate-almond cake from Capri.
In the evening, the spotlight shifts to Terrazza Bosquet, the hotel’s Michelin-starred restaurant, where dinner is served on the seafront terrace (or sleek dining room if weather, depending on the weather). Choose the Greatest Eats tasting menu for a taste of the restaurant’s most beloved dishes. The multi-course experience is a technically brilliant yet playful, with dishes like a glossy red “Adam and Eve” apple made with red shrimp carpaccio, burrata cheese and raspberry, and a theatrical Neapolitan coffee dessert that nods to local tradition. If you’re really looking to impress someone, you can even get this Michelin dining experience served to you by a personal server on your private terrace.
If you’re looking for something more low-key, there’s The Orangerie, a casual poolside spot, or Terrazza Vittoria Ristorante, the hotel’s terrace bar, offering live music in the evenings and open for lunch from 12-2.30pm.
What is the service like at Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria?
Service here is what you would expect from a five-star hotel: top tier. Many of the staff have worked here for years, and it shows. There’s an easy warmth that feels like being welcomed into someone’s home – staff remembered my name and greeted me personally each day. The turn-down service includes complimentary bath salts and a square of chocolate waiting on the pillow, and the concierge desk is there to help with your every whim, whether arranging a boat to Capri or offering restaurant recommendations.
What is the spa and pool like at Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria?
The hotel’s boutique spa, La Serra, is small but lovely. Located inside a converted 19th-century greenhouse surrounded by lemon trees, it doesn’t have extensive circuits (sauna, steam room etc.) but features treatment rooms where guests can book massages, facials, or custom treatments using natural ingredients, then relax in the garden.
The outdoor pool sits nearby, heated year-round to 28 degrees. It’s a perfectly peaceful spot for an afternoon dip or a spritz on a sun lounger. The gardens themselves are a highlight; you’ll find hammocks, sculptures, a small soccer field, and a playground for kids. Indoors, a compact but well-equipped gym offers everything you need to get your workouts in.
What’s the area like around Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria?
As far as location goes in Sorrento, this is as good as it gets. It’s the perfect launchpad to explore the city and the larger region. You’re steps from Piazza Tasso, the town’s lively central square, and close to most of Sorrento’s main attractions. For day trips, the hotel’s private elevator leads straight down to Marina Piccola, where ferries depart for Capri, Positano, and Naples. If you’d rather go by train, Sorrento Circumvesuviana Station is just a five-minute walk, connecting you to Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Naples.
Why you should you book a stay at Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria
If you’re looking for minimalist, hypermodern vibes, look elsewhere. Instead, you book Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria for five-star luxury that feels deeply rooted in this special region of Italy. Just bare in mind that Amalfi and Sorrento are hotspots for summer vacations – for the best value, visit in the shoulder season, November-January and March (the hotel is typically closed in February.) While many hotels in Sorrento and along the Amalfi Coast shut down for winter, Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria stays open and goes all out for the holidays with lavish Christmas and New Year’s celebrations and festive decor.
DETAILS
Address: Piazza Torquato Tasso, 34, 80067 Sorrento, IT
Price per night: starting from €637 per night on a B&B basis, based on two people sharing a garden view room, including Resort Tax and fees
Closest transport: Sorrento Circumvesuviana Train Station is a five-minute walk, Naples International Airport (Capodichino) is one hour by car or train. Marina Piccola Port is directly accessible via the hotel’s private lift.
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