Hotel Il Pino - Praiano, Italy     

My partner and I stayed here for a week in September 06 (I've only just registered to review - hence the delay!) Overall I liked Il Pino. Bad points first - the walls are paper thin, you can literally hear your neighbours sneeze. The staff spoke practically no English so sometimes when breakfast was served it was slightly odd and not necessarily as requested.... However, they're minor points - despite the language barrier, the staff were all really polite and eager to help, and I speak no Italian so I can't complain. The best thing about this hotel is that you're guaranteed a balcony with a view over the sea. The balconies are quite small and not very private but it doesn't matter as the view is so stunning. The rooms get the sun in the afternoon/evening, so you can come back after a day out and watch a beautiful sunset. The room itself was quite large and very clean, bathroom ok - a good but pretty standard hotel room. Praiano itself is beautiful. It's much quieter than Positano, but it's so easy to travel between the towns on the local bus if you want somewhere a bit busier. At first I was rather taken by the glamour of Positano and we spent two evenings there and one day at the beach, but ultimately I was glad we were based in Praiano. It's less pretentious and touristy, and more like real Italy. Overall, I'd recommend visiting the Amalfi Coast as it's possibly the most beautiful place I've ever been. I'd recommend Il Pino as a great base for a holiday there.