Genial y real

Huyendo de las cadenas hoteleras, hicimos un recorrido por Italia de norte a sur. Casale Villarena es la Italia real, donde la mayoría de los ingredientes vienen directamente del huerto,el limoncello está hecho por ellos, el vino es de la zona. La amabilidad y profesionalidad de Guglielmo son un "must". Él, y muchos otros trabajan muy duro para conservar la riqueza de su país, enseñárnosla a los turistas e intentar vivir de ello.Por eso recomiendo buscar este tipo de alojamientos "reales y fantásticos" como opción a las previsibles cadenas de hoteles. Y para visitar la costa amalfitana, Casale Villarena es perfecto. Y si llueve, Guglielmo hará que no importe tanto.

The best customer service in the world!

We just returned from a 6-day long stay at Casale Villarena (4 adults + 3 children, ages 12, 10 and 8) and had it not been for Guglielmo and his staff and the fabulous service, I would have come away from Sorrento with a very bad taste in my mouth (see my comments below about the rude people at the bus/train station). First, you should know that Casale Villarena is beautiful! The grounds are breathtaking, as is the view. Second, the view of the sea is spectacular. Third, the food at Casale is the best I've ever had (and I live in Italy!). We stayed in La Rotonda, which is an apartment and my parents stayed in L'Isola, I believe. Our apartment couldn't have been more perfect, with a cute little balcony overlooking the sea and a very modern kitchen (no microwave though, I'm afraid). My parents' room was small but cozy. I will admit that we were all a bit taken aback when we realized that their room did not have a bathroom IN it and that they had to exit their room and walk outside a few feet to get to their bathroom. During a time with nice weather though, this is not a problem. It only becomes problematic when the weather is cold or rainy, as obviously one doesn't want to have to leave their warm cozy room to endure cold weather just to use the bathroom. In any case, for us it wasn't a problem because the weather was mild, albeit rainy, while we were there. You should also know that with the exception of one room, all of the other rooms are located up 3-4 flights of steep stairs. This isn't a problem for most but you should be aware of it, in case you are unable to climb stairs. I do not believe the property is equipped with a lift but if it is a concern, call or write Guglielmo to be sure. He is very helpful. The sea is a short 10-15 minute walk down a fairly steep path (and conversely, a 15-20 minutes walk UP a fairly steep path when you want to come back, although you can buy a bus ticket at the tabacchi at the marina for €1.20). One can find a small grocery store and a bar (where you can buy bus tickets to go to Sorrento) just 2 minutes away in Nerano. Use the red door to avoid walking on the road. Hint: If Guglielmo gives you a ride into Sorrento, you are quite likely to have to pay €2.40 for a 45-minute bus ticket back to Nerano. However, if you purchase your tickets at the bar in Nerano, they are €1.20 for a 60-minute bus ticket. In Sorrento, they rip tourists off by selling them the €2.40 tickets but if you are a EU citizen (and speak the language), you are sold a €1.20 ticket. You should also know that you can use the same ticket on the bus or the train, so it doesn't matter where you buy it (although the train ticket office told me I had to go downstairs to buy a bus ticket - I don't believe this was true). Casale is located in Nerano, which is about an hour away from Sorrento via bus. Steer clear of the news stand store at the train/bus station - they are the rudest people I've ever encountered, as was the man at the train station who sold us train tickets to Pompei, although I'm not quite sure how one can avoid the train ticket office if they want train tickets. But one can purchase bus tickets from any tabacchi shop in the area (but again, try to get your tickets from the bar in Nerano to avoid being extorted simply because you are a tourist). Guglielmo and his staff made our stay wonderful! He arranged for a trip to Capri and with all of our transportation needs as well. We had a fabulous time with wine tasting in the cantina and the food at Casale is not only incredible, but very reasonably priced as well. I would highly suggest having dinner there each night, if possible. One does not need a car to stay at Casale, although you should be aware that utilizing public transportation can be cumbersome. The roads to/from Casale and Naples are narrow, winding roads with many blind corners. I live in Italy and am accustomed to driving on narrow roads but I would never be willing to risk my vehicle on the roads to/from Casale. If you are looking for a place that is really off the beaten path and a place to relax, Casale is your place. Do not hesitate to book! You will not regret it. The only thing that I can think of that would make Casale even better is a jacuzzi. It was too cold and rainy for us to swim in the pool but if we'd had a nice warm jacuzzi to soak in, we would've been in heaven :)

Wonderful place with fantastic food! Hard to beat.

I visited Casale Villarena with my wife and daughter on the recommendation of a travel agent. We had a fantastic holiday and found this to be a brilliant location. The appartment was lovely with a balcony and views out to the bay. All of the staff were fantastic and could not do enough to help. Guglielmo, the owner, goes out of his way to ensure you have a great time and helped us to plan days out. The hospitality included lifts, arranging a celebration for my daughter's Birthday and lots of other help. There is an on-site restaurant and we found the food to be wonderful - so much so that we eat there every night. The views over the bay from the restaurant as the sun goes down were just great. We were at Casale Villarena for the Ferragusto holiday and took part in a big celebration meal with many of Guglielmo's friends and family - the atmosphere was great and we were made to feel really welcome. The whole location is good - private, quiet, historic and you are surrounded by trees covered with lemons - what more could you want. It's a very handy location for visting the Amaslfi coast, Capri, Pompei and Sorrento with good connections by bus and boat. The guidance suggests you should state what you like least - to be honest for us this was hard to fault. My only comment is that if you want nightlubs, and bars this is not the place - it's brilliant for a relaxed holiday. We will be back!

很捧的飯店

Casale Villarena 是一所很捧的飯店，座落在景色怡人、環境清優的度假勝地，抵達時便嗅到陣陣檸檬香味。房間很乾淨整潔，設備齊全。東主Guglielmo及其員工非常熱情，他們每晚所準備的晚餐更叫人回味，我們嘗到很多地道的意大利菜，比一般餐館更美味。唯一美中不足的是飯店不在市區，需要駕車才可到達。 總括而言，這是一所值得推薦的飯店，讓人有賓至如歸的感覺！

Casale Villarena is located in Nerano, a short drive (or 20 minute walk – longer of course on the uphill walk back) from a small fishing village called Marina del Cantone which has a beach, restaurants and shops. We spent a couple days there soaking up the sun and warm waters (where it was about 7 euros to rent a chair for the day). Additionally, the small town of Nerano, just steps away has a couple of small stores with a decent food selection. We recommend taking the hike from the resort up the mountain (Area Naturale Baia di leranto) to be rewarded with views of the coast towards Amalfi and Capri, and a small beach and a raised dock to jump into the water below. The hike takes about an hour but is well worth it. Nerano is about 15 kms from Sorrento (35-45 minute drive on very windy roads). Additionally, Positano is only 25 kms away. On arrival, we were greeted and showed to our flat (Gerania) which turned out being a 2 bedroom flat with full living room, 2 bedrooms, kitchen, 2 bathrooms and 2 balconies (perfect for dodging the sun at different points during the day). A bottle of cold water was delivered to our room– a nice little welcome. The only pitfall about the flat was the sleep quality. Two out of the 3 in our party found the bedding uncomfortable. The resort has free wifi (near the office only), a pool, and lounge area for relaxing. The grounds are filled with lemon trees and stay pretty quiet all day long (except for the local bus honking as it rounds tight corners and the church bell ringing every hour – something you miss once you leave). Guglielmo came by later to welcome us, provide information about the area and answer our questions. He was available throughout the week and always made us feel welcome. He even brought a bottle of wine around for us one night and the restaurant delivered a nice appetizer on another night (all complimentary). We dined at the on-site restaurant on our first night, trying local meats, cheeses, wine and pasta. The food was delicious and reasonably priced compared with local facilities. We started most days with the breakfast provided which was adequate but not exceptional (mostly the same every day: pastry, cake, tea/coffee/juice, fruit salad and yogurt). Guglielmo organized a wine tasting evening mid-week which we attended. At 55 euros (if memory is correct), the price seemed a little high but we decided to take part for the experience of drinking and learning about local wines. The evening was well worth it! We sampled many wines from around the extended local area, learned about the grapes involved and dined on what seemed like never ending food (delicious pizza, tapas platter and dessert). We finished the night off with a very healthy amount of local lemoncillo. The evening was a highlight of the trip. Locally, try Maria Grazia in Marina del Cantone. It doesn’t look like much but it’s on the beach and serves delicious food. Be sure to try their specialty, spaghetti alle zucchini – absolutely delicious! If you’re looking to splurge, try Quattro Passi. The restaurant occupies the second floor of the building and overlooks the bay. The food is expensive but very tasty and a work of art. Have a chat with your server and host, they’ll be able to tell you what’s the best thing to order that day. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Casale Villerena. We were extremely satisfied with our stay and looking back at the photos, very sad the trip had to end.

Perfect

I have never felt the need to leave a review on TA before but this place is worth it. Location is perfect if you want to relax and do nothing, it's a 20 min walk down hill to the beach with beautiful views on the way however I would recommend getting the Sita bus back. The Casale Villarena is beautifully set into the hills and the owner Guglielmo is a wonderful host who can not do enough for you. The grounds and garden are stunning and apart from a poor phone signal in the area this really is a perfect place to waste away 4-5 days as we did. The service and food in the restaurant are excellent, breakfast is good but the view from the breakfast area will make you enjoy it even more.

First off the location: Casale Villarena is set idyllically in a small town setting Nerano. Nerano sports a beautiful church, a bar and two shops - these shops particularly Olga’s seemed to have everything-from local wine at 3 Euros, to laundry liquid to delicious homemade filled rolls which we enjoyed on our final day. Down from Casale-about a 20 minute walk (you can bus back if the uphill walk is too daunting), is Marina del Cantone, a simply gorgeous beach with a gelateria and a handful of delightful beachside cafes. (Lonely Planet claims one of them has been frequented by Bill Gates and Catherine Zeta Jones for what it is worth)! Then the accommodation itself. Picture tiled floors, large rooms with antiques and stunning views. We stayed (my family of 4) in “Il Gallo Lungo” while my parents stayed next door in “Il Brigante”. The piece de resistance however has to be the restaurant - or rather Guglielmo’s food. From the welcoming antipasto lunch we received to the nightly specials, we were constantly thrilled with the food-home made ravioli and langoustines (prawns); veal with masala wine, home made pizza-the list goes on. All washed down of course by beautiful regional wine and finished off by a glass of Guglielmo’s homemade limoncello. Lastly I have to mention that this place would not be what it is, without the passion of Guglielmo the owner. He seemed to be there from dawn to dusk, at every stage keen to make our stay more enjoyable. It will be his little touches that I remember-the kinder eggs he gave the children when we left, the lift he gave us to Positano when he was going there, the soy milk he sent someone to get for my mother from the local shop-the list goes on. As I say, don’t think about it. Book Casale Villarena now. It will truly be a magical Italian holiday you won’t regret.

I have never felt the need to leave a review on TA before but this place is worth it. Location is perfect if you want to relax and do nothing, it's a 20 min walk down hill to the beach with beautiful views on the way however I would recommend getting the Sita bus back. The Casale Villarena is beautifully set into the hills and the owner Guglielmo is a wonderful host who can not do enough for you. The grounds and garden are stunning and apart from a poor phone signal in the area this really is a perfect place to waste away 4-5 days as we did. The service and food in the restaurant are excellent, breakfast is good but the view from the breakfast area will make you enjoy it even more.

The Casale Villarena is a really pretty place to stay if you want to be a bit off the beaten path on the Amalfi coast. It suited our family (3 kids, parents, and grandparents) very well. We rented two apartments there and they had vaulted ceilings, well-equipped kitchens and wonderful balconies. The grounds are covered in lemon trees and there is a small swimming pool. The best part though, was the restaurant on the grounds of the property. Some of the nicest food we had on our trip--the pasta nerano was fantastic (home-grown zucchini sauteed in butter and mixed with pasta and cheese) as was the house wine. We attended a wine-tasting there one evening and the wines were okay (liked some, others not so much) but the accompanying food was wonderful (pizzas with the thinnest crusts baked in the outdoor wood burning oven, varied antipasta and even dessert). It's a bit out of the way and there's not much to do in Nerano itself. The beach is about a 20 minute walk down steep alleys and it's rocky and crowded. On the other hand, there are boat rides to Capri (we didn't love Capri, by the way, too posh and way too crowded) and Positano right from the marina and the owner, Guglielmo, has good taste and can set up excursions and make recommendations that you can trust (he organized a driver to take us around to Amalfi, Positano and Revella and set up boat trips for us as well). For a family with young kids, the set up is great. I would love to go back sometime.

We have stayed in 50 B&B's throughout Europe and found Casale Villarena to be absolutely fantastic. The apartment was clean and spacious, and the grounds and pool area were lovely. In 7 nights, we dined at the restaurant 5 times for good reason. The food is fresh and authentic. Guglielmo, the owner, was attentive and very helpful. He helped to reserve and advise on activities and seemed generally interested in ensuring we enjoyed our stay here. He has regular events such as wine tastings, music/dancing, and even put on movies on an outdoor big screen for our kids while we enjoyed his home made limoncello. We would highly recommend this location as a base for exploring Pompei and the Amalfi Coast.