Review of Grand Hotel Cocumella, by Joanna Monkhouse

The Grand Hotel Cocumella is set in a well established garden on a cliff overlooking Vesuvius and the Bay of Naples, 100m above the sea, a 20 minute walk from centre of town. Once a C16th monastery, the hotel has existed since 1822 and was the first seaside resort in Sorrento. As a stop on the Grand Tour it was visited by Goethe and the Duke of Wellington. The monastery's gray stone cloisters form a central part of the Cocumella, now covered over the space is used for cocktail parties, banquets and other events.

The 50 rooms and suites are furnished in an antique style, rather old fashioned in the smaller rooms but more elegant in the suites - some of which have frescoed ceilings. Décor features damask panels on walls, matching bedspreads and curtains with period furniture. A/C, TV, telephone and minibar are standard. The deluxe rooms whilst small are the top choice at the Cocumella - on the top floor, they have private sea view terraces, as do the suites, but on lower floors. Marble bathrooms feature jacuzzis in some suites and in the deluxe rooms. The thick walls and deep-set windows of the building mean that standard rooms without balconies can be dark, with the window at the end of the long narrow rooms, but this keeps the rooms cool during the heat of summer. The uninspiring corridors are rather shabby and let the rest of the hotel down.

The brand new spa located in the cool basement vaults boasts a Turkish bath, Swedish sauna, Jacuzzi, with hydromassage and more therapies on offer in the treatment rooms. There is also a gym and a tennis court in the grounds. The Cocumella's private bathing platform built out into sea is accessible by a lift from the terrace, but as it is next to the public one it can be noisy. It is however somewhat preferable to the private gravel beach. The large pool in the gardens is across the path from a shady orange grove. The Cocumella produces an excellent marmalade from these oranges for breakfast, which is served in your room or on your terrace at no extra charge.

The Cocumella's restaurant, La Scintilla, is light and airy with a view over the garden and to the sea beyond. Serving fresh, local cuisine it is also popular with non-guests. In summer, there is a more relaxed barbecue buffet, Agromento, on the balustraded terrace overlooking the bay. During July and August there is an open air piano bar in the evenings.

The Cocumella has its own two masted, 90-ft long tall ship - Vera - which was built in 1880 and is available for charters to Capri and along the coast.

Children under 8 are not accepted.