My wife and I have just returned from a wonderful week in Sorrento, staying at the Bristol. It was our third time to the resort, but our first to this hotel.

I have given this hotel a 5 star rating, which I think it truly deserves. There are a couple of minor down sides, which I will mention, but on the whole, this is a fantastic hotel, we had a wonderful time, and we will definately return to this hotel.

Let's get the down sides out of the way first...

We stayed on the ninth floor, which I am pleased about. We did speak with other guests on lower floors and they commented that the road outside could be a little noisey, so try and get a high floored room if you can!

Our room only had a shower. I am sure other rooms had a bath too, but I would have prefered a bath as well. Not a major problem, more of an observation really!

Our balcony was quite small. I have stayed in some Italian hotels where there was no balcony, so I was pleased to have one, but it was not the most generous I have had. Other rooms had much larger balconies.

the hotel guests are mainly older people. I am sorry to those of you who are older! I am only 35, and there were not many people of my age there. I do not think this is a bad thing really, we are hardly big party people, but if you are expecting a young trendy hotel, the Bristol probably isn't for you....but then again, you probably wont be going to Italy if you are a nightclubber!!

Now the good/great points...

The hotel is spotless. The cleaning staff seem to be consantly cleaning throughout the day. Not a mark anywhere. Our room was equally clean, every day.

The communal areas, (of which there are many) are lovely. You have a couple of lounges with sofas and easy chairs, you have a nice bar area, with an outside terrace where you can sip on a long drink and watch the world go by. You also have the roof, with a lovely (if not cold!) swimming pool, lots of sun loungers and loads of cane sofa and chairs to relax on. My wife and I spent many happy hours just sitting up there, reading and drinking Capuccinos!

The hotel staff are superb!! The restaurant, the reception and the bar staff are the best I have ever been served by. They are polite, professional friendly and they go out of their way to make your holiday a good one. On one particularly busy evening, I ordered a drink and five minutes later the waiter hadn't brought it to me yet. He walked past me and saw I hadn't had my drink, went and fetched it and apologised for taking so long and said "this one is on the house, I am sorry for the delay"

The food in the restaurant is first-class. You normally get four choices for your starter and main course, and my wife and I were often hard pushed to decide which dish we wanted because they were all lovely. Every meal was hot and tasty.

The view! What more can I say, you open the french doors in your bedroom and your breath is taken away...WOW. I never got tired of looking out on the Bay of Naples for the whole week, Vesuvius in front of you, Sorrento below you, boats and ships on the water, is it truly a magnificent view.

On the whole, I think the Bristol is a great hotel, close to the town (ten minutes stroll into Piaza Tasso) with the best views you could ask for. The staff are the best I have ever had the pleasure of being served by and the rooms are clean and bright.

If you are going to the Bristol, you will have a wonderful time. If you are consideing going and you are looking for a first-class hotel, well appointed with amazing views, good food and superb hotel staff...BOOK IT NOW! If you want a trendy, modern, young hotel, it probably isn't for you...but then again, would you be going to Sorrento anyway?

Enjoy it, we certainly did, and we WILL be returning.