See Naples and die. That’s the saying, anyway: suggesting that this teeming city on the Southern Italian coast is the zenith of all travel. And while technically the saying is in reference to that spectacular sweeping bay, it could just as well include the town’s sweltering maze of medieval alleys, the fiery passion of its people, and the impossible flavours of its food.
A top European tourist destination for at least the past two hundred years, there’s no difficulty in finding a hotel in Naples. But finding a good one, now that can be a trickier. Fortunately for you, we at TravelMag are on hand to help you negotiate the Neapolitan backstreets, and have picked five hotels from the many (many!) on offer that will neither break the bank, nor the spirit, and make for excellent bases from which to explore this enchanting city.
From €35/ night
Cheap and cheerful, this family run establishment next to Naples’ Central Station and a short walk from the old town, is a great mid-point from which to stage your Neapolitan adventures, whether that means meandering down backstreets or taking a day-trip to Pompeii down the coast. The rooms are clean and comfortable, the staff accommodating, and there’s a bar and free Internet on site.
From €45/ night
Many of your days in Naples will inevitably be spent exploring dusky and beguiling old town streets, and while that’s of course part of the reason that you will have come, it can be nice to escape from that in the evening, and to wake up in the morning somewhere surrounded by light! In this, Hotel Garden Napoli certainly delivers, with great views out over the city and to the mountain’s beyond. It’s still centrally located, but is just that half-step away from the action that it’ll give you a chance to breath. Rooms are air conditioned, have balconies, and there’s a 24-hour lobby.
From €52/ night
It’s well known that Naples is a hectic place, boasting the kind of car honking, spirit jostling intensity more associated with city’s on the subcontinent than in Southern Europe. So it’s worth bearing in mind that you may want a base in which you can really relax. Hotel Fiorentina offers just that, a little further from the centre of town, there’s a relative peace here to chill-out in after a busy day of pizzas, piazzas, and teeming life. And of couse all the usual mod-cons are offered: A/C, WiFi, etc. And there’s even a free bike rental service, should you want to explore Naples from a different perspective.
From €55/ night
Just a short walk from Naples’ glamourous Corso Umberto, the Hotel Zara offers visitors another side to the city. Naples may be chaotic and (in parts) grimy, but this is still Italy, and that means fashion and style. A great place from which to explore the decedent grandeur of the city and to watch the effortless street theatre of its ordinary citizens. There’s WiFi, air-con, and flat screen TVs in all the rooms, and the staff are great for recommendations, particularly if you want to know the best pizza places in town (hint: most of them!).
From €88/ night
Let’s say you’re after something a little different. You’re still on a budget, but that budget will stretch. Well, in which case this hotel might be for you. A combination of the very modern and the very (very!) old: its stylish façade was built over the ruins of a Greco-Roman aqueduct, all of which have been left untouched and now contribute to the textures of the hotel’s interior. This means an intensely intimate interaction with the history of Naples from the instant you leave your room. In direct contrast to its ancient foundations, however, the rest of the hotel is firmly 21st Century. WiFi and air conditioning come as standard, the rooms are comfortable, and the plumbing is on a modern, not Roman system.