Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria
A Sorrento icon with peerless sea views
Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria is a hotel of tantalizing contradictions. The picturesque property enjoys a prime position on Sorrento’s bustling central square — Piazza Tasso — with its enviable people watching and pleasant after-dark buzz. Though the retreat also stands in splendid isolation on five acres of lush parkland, boasting some of the best sunset views in Sorrento from its clifftop perch.
This grande dame of the Sorrento shore recently celebrated its 180th birthday, but legend has it that the hotel stands on an ancient site where Roman emperor Augustus built his summer villa.
The toga-clad autocrat isn’t the only notable name to stay on these grounds. Silver screen talents like Marilyn Monroe, Sophia Loren and Jack Lemmon all visited the Excelsior Vittoria in their day, and monarchs, politicians and artists favored the establishment while exploring Italy as part of the 19th-century aristocracy’s customary Grand Tour of Europe.
Our Inspector's Highlights
- Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria was founded by the Fiorentinos in 1834, and the family still runs it today, demonstrating an impeccable attention to detail and continuity.
- Visitors flock to the historic hotel to marvel at Terrazza Vittoria, the property’s unique walled garden restaurant that clings to the edge of the clifftop. Classical busts watch over diners as they gaze at the shifting sea toward Mount Vesuvius, haloed by Campari-colored sunsets that draw an early-evening crowd for aperitivo.
- The property is just 25 minutes from Capri and 40 minutes from Positano on the Amalfi Coast. Fuel your wanderlust with a Ferrari drive along the coast organized by the hotel, or charter its private yacht to explore the Sorrentine Peninsula and the islands of the Gulf of Naples.
- Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria offers a selection of local experiences, including a visit to a limoncello factory or a wine tasting with the hotel’s sommelier. Get hands on with pizza-making classes or guided archaeological excursions to the impeccably preserved ruins of Pompeii.
- Nestled among fragrant olive and orange trees, Boutique Spa La Serra provides a light-filled space for pampering, thanks in part to its location in a converted 19th-century greenhouse. Between Valmont facials and Cinq Mondes body scrubs, soak up some sun by the sparkling pool and soothing hot tub.
Things to Know
- From the discreet, gated entrance on Piazza Tasso, expect to stroll a good five minutes past stone carved nooks and leafy bowers before the tiled roofs of the hotel’s three adjoining 19th-century properties emerge at the end of a wooded lane, outlined against the blue Mediterranean.
- It’s worth upgrading to a room with a sea view to enjoy the luxury hotel’s unique position facing the Bay of Naples, with vistas across Mount Vesuvius, Capri and the coast’s panoramic sunsets.
- If you’re arriving or departing by boat from Sorrento’s harbor, take advantage of Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria’s private elevator, which connects the clifftop property to sea level.
The Rooms
- The hotel’s three main buildings accommodate 83 light-filled rooms, suites and apartments featuring a mix of modern and classic décor distinguished by Italian fabrics. In this historic property, no two rooms are exactly the same.
- Standard rooms overlook the Sorrento hotel’s lush gardens, while Superior and Deluxe doubles enjoy views of the sea.
- Ranging from 592 to a palatial 2,012 square feet, suites come with luxe touches like hardwood floors, stunning chandeliers and private gardens or terraces. Grand Deluxe Suites, which are appointed in a classic style with contemporary details, have full sea vistas and separate living areas.
- Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria’s collection of One of a Kind Suites are named for celebrities who stayed at the luxury hotel. The most popular among them is the 700-square-foot Caruso Suite, where famed Italian tenor Enrico Caruso once encamped for a month in 1921.
- Step back in time in The Royal Suite — dedicated to the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII — adorned in period artwork, Louis XVI-style furniture and an extensive terrace.
The Restaurants
- For alfresco fine dining, head to Terrazza Bosquet, where twinkling stars and sea views accompany Sorrento-born chef Antonio Montefusco’s flavorful Italian plates. Menus draw on local traditions and the bounty of the coast — signatures include Tribute to Pollock (pasta with multi-colored smoked potatoes, chives and caviar) and Fancy: 22 Times Tomatoes (a reimagined version of spaghetti with 22 types of the classic red fruit).
- Terrazza Bosquet’s menu is underscored with fine Italian wines, courtesy of sommelier Natale Sicignano, and locally sourced olive oils. Be sure to end your meal with an impossibly light sorbet prepared tableside.
- Named for its location in a fragrant orange grove, poolside bar and restaurant L’Orangerie offers easy, all-day dining during summer in a relaxed setting. The menu promotes local food producers and regional flavors, including classic Neapolitan-style pizza.
- Situated under a wisteria-covered pergola, La Pergola bar specializes in champagne and elegant bites paired with sea views. When the weather turns chilly, head to the winter garden at Vittoria’s Bar for a glass of wine or nightcap.
Amenities
24-hour room service 
Babysitting services
Bar
Fitness classes
Gym
House car
Meeting rooms
Outdoor pool
Pet friendly
Restaurants
Spa
Getting There
