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 (family of 4 including 2 very active boys aged 12 & 9) have just returned from 4 weeks in Italy including a week at the end of June at Casale Villarena. We did not have a car and travelled to Sorrento by train where we were met by Guglielmo the owner. The Casale Villarena is beautiful. We stayed in Il Brigante a 2BR apartment with views to the sea, a wysteria covered courtyard outside our door (where we ate most breakfasts & lunches). The apartment was immaculately clean on arrival. Make sure you are home in time for dinner at the Casale's restaurant Dolce fa Niente. There are 2 Michelin starred restaurants nearby at the beach down the hill from the Casale. We never ate at either of them or cooked our own dinner in our apartment which was the original plan, because the food at Dolce fa Niente was too good both in taste & value. Guglielmo will only produce dishes made from fresh & local produce. Our eldest son ordered the Tortina di Ciocolatte on his first night and then refused to eat anywhere else as he HAD to have the chocolate cake with a melted chocolate centre every night. He also turned 12 during our stay and Guglielmo and Antonio arranged a chocolate birthday cake and lots of fuss. We did a day trip to Amalfi and Positano and whilst we enjoyed the day and both are beautiful towns, we were glad we were not staying there - too crowded. We spent days at Marina del Cantone, a day at Recommone (a beautiful little beach around the corner which you can walk to and catch the punt back from), a hike to the Bay of Ieranto - hard work but then you deserve the dive into the pool and dinner afterwards at Casale Villarena. We did a wine tasting course in the cellar under the church -a must see - with the fabulous Nicolleta and Guglielmo (includes free singing by staff & family!) while Rosetta cooked wood fired pizzas for the boys. We made friends with 2 other groups staying at the Casale and all agreed that we would definately come back one day. There were a host of other activities we could have done (eg., Capri, Pompeii) but chose to simply relax and enjoy the beauty of the Casale Villarena & its nearby beaches. We highly recommend the Casale to family & friends & hope to return soon.

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.

My husband stayed at Villarena for one week in May of 2011. It is off the beaten track and happily so. We had never visited the area and had considered Sorrento or one of the other big names on the Sorrentine peninsula. What a mistake that would have been! Nerano is a jewel of a town that has everything you would want in a quiet resort. There is a beach with a string of wonderful restaurants and a hidden deserted beach that is the most beautiful I saw in Italy. However the real star was the Villarena! The owner, Gugliemo, has made it his life's work to create a wonderful ambiance and vacation experience for his guests. We stayed in an apartment, the Gallo Lungo, and were very happy with the comfortable accomodations. Breakfast was included and delicious! Actually the Villarena has a restaurant which is attractive and which, thanks to the culinary talents of Asuncia, serves a suprisingly large selection of delicious food every night. We ate dinner at the restaurant two or three times. It was wonderful! The grounds are lovely filled with lemon trees and the aroma of the blossoms fill the air. There is a beautiful view of the ocean and the hotel backs to a precious but tiny village. The village church, a few steps away, ring out the hours and add to the feeling of being in a sleepy, not touristy, hideaway. I have to say that of the six weeks in Italy this was the most special place and made our trip a fantastic experience. By the way, if you visit say Hello to Lalo, a memorable and sweet character who works in the office and in his off time tends his olive garden and loves Led Zeppelin. This is the kind of place I'd return to every year if I could.

We stayed at Relais Villarena for 6 nights in May. This was a bit before the tourist season and the location was great for our day trips. It is located in a small fishing village, in the upper part of the village. It was a private mansion at one time and now divided into apartments. The owner Guillermo is very enthusiastic and a wonderful host. Though the apartments did have kitchens we chose to eat at either the restaurant right there or in the nearby towns. Breakfast was included and we were usually out for lunch. Guillermo has a great menu and we had two wonderful meals there. He arranged a wine tasting with a visiting sommelier and served appetizers and delicious pizza. He also arranged a boat trip to Capri for us. It is about a 20 minute walk to go down to the beach and you can rent lounge chairs and get lunch right there .You are surrounded by lemon trees on the property and there is a small but refreshing pool.There is also a children's play area. Wireless was only available in the office but we were able to connect easily. My only complaint would be that the mattress was too hard. When I told Guillermo as we said goodbye he said that he would have changed it for us if I had asked. We loved the Amalfi coast and would definitely stay there again.

We just returned from a stay at Casale Villarena in Nerrano on the Amalfi Coast. It was the first time we've been on a trip were we stayed in a 200+ year old house that was beautifully restored. We had 5 star dinners. Guiglielmo and his staff were fantastic and helped us have a real vacation rather than a "check off what you saw" vacation. We came home relaxed and plan to return. Of equal importance was the value we got for our room and board. If you're planning to go to the Amalfi Coast, or just go someplace to relax, go to Casale Villarea in Nerrano, Italy. Tell them I sent you. We're hoping to go back soon.

we recomend to our friends

we had a lovely holiday, good food, an excelent restaurant, the location was also good, nice view, very quiet area, the owner will always give you a good advice, we met nice guests.Mr Guglielmo the owner and Mr Lelo the from the reception were very kind and helpfull. We had a lovely week

A Hidden Treasure amongst the jewel of the Amalfi Coast!

This is an exquisite place to stay... There is lots to do and see from this location. The owner and staff were very helpful in organizing our destination trips. The advise was very good and thoughtful of our plans. My only regret is that we could not stay longer... This is a definite when looking for a place to call home on your journey through the Amalfi.

My family and I just returned from a 2 week holiday in Italy. The crowning jewel of the trip was the week we stayed at Casale Villarena in Nerano (Amalfi Coast). Guglielmo and his staff (Maximo and Mario and all the others) have created the perfect family get-a-way in Italy. The villa has 6 apartments and we stayed in one with 2 bedrooms which was lovely and so comfortable. Our view of the ocean was amazing. The villa was in a perfect location. Near the beach and with easy access to all the nearby attractions, by either bus, train, boat and car. We did not rent a car, but had no problems. The hospitality at Casale Villarena is unparalleled. They have poured their hearts and souls into this place and it shows. The food at the restaurant is so incredible, that we did not cook a single dinner in the apartment (which was our original plan). The menu changed each night and the food got more and more amazing. We did not find it necessary to search out other restaurants in the area. Our 9 year old son often put his hands in the air during dinner and declared that the food was "heavenly." Guglielmo took care of everyone of our needs and provided guidance and suggestions each day for sights to see. We hired Mario one day to take us to Amalfi and Poisitano. Mario was an excellent tour guide and driver and suggested that we trade time in Amalfi for time in Ravello and he was so right. Ravello was wonderful and we are thrilled he suggested it as we would have by passed it all together. We also took a boat trip right from the beach in Nerano to Capri...another excursion that Guglielmo helped us with. We visited Sorrento. Pompeii, Ravello, Capri, the beach and even hiked. There is so much to see and do in the area. The Casale Villarena has a swimming pool which became our afternoon hang out after sight seeing in 100 degree weather. At the pool, we met the other guests at the casale and almost all of them had kids and were so friendly. We never felt like foreigners....but more like part of one big family. In addition to the pool, the Casale Villarena offers a Wii and play area for kids. Our son used both of these with the other guest's kids and with kids he met at the Casale's restaurant. Other amenities include a washing mashine and air-conditioning in each apartment. We availed ourselves of both and we grateful for them. There is a small grocery store in town, so we were able to keep our fridge stocked with fresh fruit, drinks and snacks. We can't recommend this area of Italy and this villa enough....we all had a wonderful time and will always think of Guglielmo and his staff fondly. We hope to get back there soon.

immerso in una limonaia, questo antico casale, finemente ristrutturato e dotato di piscina si affaccia sul golfo della riserva naturale di punta campanella regalando una vista mozzafiato. il personale è accogliente e gentile senza mai essere invadente. gli appartamenti sono dotati di tutti i confort e si può scegliere tra la possibilità di prepararsi uno spuntino in casa o approfittare della eccellente cucina delle nonne all' annesso ristorante " dolce far niente " . Se volete rilassarvi e visitare le meraviglie della costiera amalfitana è il posto ideale.