We recently spent a week in Amalfi at the Excelsior Grand Hotel. The hotel was exactly what we had expected but more. The hotel sits high above Amalfi and we arrived from Rome tired after a five hour bus drive from the airport. The drive along the motorway was exciting, but paled in comparison to the drive through narrow streets of Naples and over the Tyrrinian
Mountains (phonetic). On arrival the driver who managed to thread the coast road and road up the mountain to the hotel continued to amaze all of us by backing the bus to drop us at the front door. Quiet efficiency was the rule for assigning rooms, keys and arranging luggage delivery to our rooms while we ate our first dinner.

On completing a very Italian menu of antipasta, main course and desert we wandered to our room. The small elevator to the fifth floor was not equipped for a large number of persons so we huffed up the 4 flights to our room. We were shocked by the size of room. We were prepared for typical small local hotel rooms, but instead were met with what was a well appointed gigantic room, private bath, small satellite tv and a balcony straight out of a Sophia Loren 1950's movie. The view from the balcony, the French shutters and doors were something to behold. Over the next week it was tough to leave the balcony, and head for the bed. Bed was good but not spectacular. European king size I.e. a two double mattresses on a frame. Very firm and comfortable if you can pull yourself away from the balcony.

We often left the doors to the balcony open throughout the night. Security seemed to be a non issue unless someone had spider man abilities. It appears most if not all rooms face the dizzying drop to Amalfi, hundreds of feet below. The drop broken by terraces of lemon orchards, pomegranates, olive groves, gardens and the thin sinew of pavement winding its way from Amalfi.

Meals were consistent. You should expect seafood, pasta, tomatoes, cheese, and little meat dishes. It is all local and well prepared. It is real Italian and you should not expect North American style food. Breakfast was sausage, bacon, scrambled eggs, ripe tomatoes, cucumbers and a wide variety of breads and pastry. Coffee of all types, tea, juices all added to a good start for exploring the coast.

The hotel is a bit isolated from the town. You can easily walk Ito the adjoining village, walk down the roadway (tempting but very narrow with lots of traffic trying to make single lane road wide enough to allow to coaches to pass each other)' take te old path and stairs or use the hotel shuttle, public bus or taxi. The latter is cost prohibitive at about 30 Euros one way to the bottom of the hill.

Shuttle operates once an hour in the morning then stops for the afternoon siesta and resumes later in the afternoon.

Staff were fun, friendly, helpful and clearly show respect for all guests as befits a family run operation.

great value for the money! A solid 3 to 4 star by North American standards. If walking or climbing is a challenge you may best be advised to stay elsewhere. However for the cost, the view, service, and cleanliness we would go back in a heartbeat. Unfortunately, it is closed during the winter season.