1. Italy
  2. Sorrento Coast
  3. Colli di Fontanelle
  4. Villa Ester
  5. Reviews

Reviews of Villa Ester

Self catering villa in Colli di Fontanelle, Sorrento Coast, Italy

Diane S.

Hilton Head Island, SC

United States

VERIFIED

Gorgeous views

May 2017 - Villa Ester features two terraces: main floor and bottom floor with the two bedrooms. Gorgeous views. Could not beat that view to the sea and Amalfi lights at night. The kitchen was really small with a big room for the kitchen table. It was quite challenging to get two people in that kitchen at one time. They had an American coffee pot (which was great!). They also had the Italian pot as well. The stove was gas and the refrigerator was small but fine for us. The main floor bathroom was a bit tight and a barn door to close yourself in (not easy to open and close). The laundry is there as well. The shower is really small. The bottom floor bathroom was nicely appointed (red and white). Bedrooms were comfortable. Beds were not soft and not hard, just right for us. There is a large clothes line on the bottom terrace. No screens but that was OK. Always a breeze coming off the sea.

The road going down is a bit narrow and winding but doable. Not for the faint of heart. It was rough getting in and out of the first street because of double parked cars (which is all over the place in Italy!). The house itself has a few steps down to it and no handrails (which could be a problem for some people). About 14 steps in all but not bad to go up or down. Parking was in a gated field at the end of the street. Safe. We always felt safe. It was really quiet.

The owners Pasquale and Salvatore were very nice and informative. My cousin from Italy was with us and she had no trouble conversing with the Pasquale. It was great to have her translate for us.

You guys were great. I love the newsletters and facts. I felt comfortable dealing with you and felt you had our interests in mind. I would and have recommended Summer In Italy.

Travel tips

  • The supermercato was not far but you need a car.
  • There were some really good restaurants in town with very nice owners.
  • Restaurant La Rosa in town is a pizzeria and restaurant. Delicious! Try the Tartufo ice cream swimming in espresso! To die for!
  • Restaurant Il Rifugio was REALLY good. The service was excellent and we went back a second time and would have been a 3rd time but they are closed on Sunday. Leave room for dessert here too. Over the top delicious.
  • There was another restaurant across the street: La Perla Bar - The food was great but the acoustics were lacking sound proofing. The owner was really nice and we enjoyed our meal and dessert!.
  • We took a trip to Capri from the little Marina di Praia Beach (La Sibilla boat rental). It was a wonderful day and very informative stopping at several caves.
  • Pompeii was hot, crowded and dusty.
  • We also visited Positano - crowded and lots of tourist shops. It was OK, I guess.
  • Sorrento was really nice except for a street that the GPS took us down that we had to fold the mirrors in. Watch for that - I still have nightmares.
  • The drivers here do not stop at lights and beep their horns when we stopped for one. All the cars had dents and scratches. It is lawless and Italy has a big problem in that regard. We are NY drivers and can drive anywhere but the whole idea of getting into the car was so stressful, to tell you the truth, I could not wait to leave the craziness. This of course is no reflection on the villa itself but a car is needed to get there. I would recommend Villa Ester but since the driving was hair raising, I would never go back to Southern Italy.
  • I would buy Rick Steves book on Amalfi Coast as it was a big help everywhere we went.

Harald R.

Berlin

Germany

VERIFIED

Beautiful place

April 2017 - Villa Ester is a beautiful place to spend holidays, along the Sorrento Coast and close to the Amalfi Coast.

Travel tips

  • Car recommended.
  • The access to the house is quite steep.

Anne O.

Edmonton

Canada

VERIFIED

The views were amazing

May 2016 - The views from Villa Ester were amazing. We sat on one of the terraces many times just looking out at the view. There are 3 different terraces to choose if you want to get away from your companions for a bit. There is plenty of room to securely park your car, which was a big bonus. This kitchen is tiny and from our point of view it could use some sharp knives and some ice cube trays (in all the accommodations we had in Italy, no one had ice cubes for water or for drinks). Also, the toaster did not work, but we did not pass this onto the host as it was not that important to us. We would have liked and American coffee pot, but again, we found this only once out of 6 accommodations. We learned to use the moka pot to our satisfaction.

Overall, high recommended. If we make it back to the Amalfi Coast, would stay again.

The host, Salvatore, teaches English so communication is not a problem. His parents, Pasquale and Anna Maria, live on the property as well, if Salvatore is not available.

The newsletter we have been receiving from Summer In Italy for the last year has been very informative. Between us, they were read several times.

Travel tips

  • Salvatore recommended a little restaurant in the village about 1 km away that delivers to your door. This was a real treat, especially our first day after traveling from Rome and finding our way to Colli di Fontanelle.
  • Take a tour of the Amalfi Coast... You can’t go wrong. We hired a driver for a day long private tour of the Amalfi Coast and highly recommend this.
  • We used Domenico (Mimmo) of www.amalficoastprivatetour.com -- it was EUR 310 for the day for 4 of us and we had a Mercedes van. He picked us up at our door, which was amazing that he found us because of the small winding roads.
  • Unless you are a confident driver and have a navigator who can read the GPS, leave your car at the residence.
  • We booked a tour of the isle of Capri and again the driver picked us up at the door.
  • If going to the Isle of Capri, take the chair lift in Anacapri. Skip the boat tour around the island... Nothing special to see.
  • Our third day we ventured into Sorrento on our own and were able to park at a large parking lot next to a big grocery store.

Jane M.

Blackford

United Kingdom

VERIFIED

Very good

September 2015 - We really enjoyed our stay at Villa Ester. Eating out on the terrace was exceptional, and the peace and quiet was just wonderful.

Travel tips

  • Need a car, but very narrow roads to the villa, small is best.
  • Quite a few steps down to the villa.
  • Beware if you suffer from a bad back the beds really are very hard!!

Pamela E.

Gaithersburg, Maryland

United States

VERIFIED

Excellent

September 2015 - We all loved Villa Ester. Getting there was part of the adventure. The villa is well located and points of interest such as Naples, Sorrento, Herculaneum, Ravello and Capri are all close by and worth a visit.

The owners were marvelous. Our first day there, they shared a basket of freshly picked figs. Each day as we headed out on our excursions, Maria and Pasquale greeted us like we were family. What a lovely time we had.

We are return clients and will continue to reach out to Summer In Italy for our travel needs. Thanks for everything.

Travel tips

  • You will want to enjoy the breeze in the evenings but that lets the bugs in so take your bug spray along with you.
  • The grocery store in Piano di Sorrento has everything you need and the staff there is friendly.
  • The restaurant across the street has a 'must try' ravioli porcini in cream sauce!!

Paulis Z.

St. Petersburg

Russia

VERIFIED

Excellent

March 2013 - Great place, spectacular panoramic views, the silence, the first line of the sea at an altitude of 300 m, a fireplace, comfortable bedrooms, a fully equipped kitchen, etc.

A place to create and listen to the magical music, immerse yourself in the mysterious world of nature and the elements.

Travel tips

  • I advise you to use small cars like SUV4 as parking as such is missing. The car is parked under a strong inclination. Needs an experienced driver.
  • The nearest restaurant or shop around 1.5 km away.

Lise L.

Lac-Superieur

Canada

VERIFIED

Excellent

October 2010 - It was comfortable and in a safe area. Mr. Pasquale and Anna Maria [the owners] were very helpful and kind. The villa has a wonderful sea view.

Travel tips

  • We would recommend a small car as the road that leads to the villa is very narrow.
  • The villa is very comfortable and the sea view is "magnifique".

Francis C.

Washington

United Kingdom

VERIFIED

Excellent

October 2010 - Very nice, clean house with excellent views and terraces.

Owners were very pleasant and helpful.

Excellent service, thank you.

Michael C.

New York, NY

United States

VERIFIED

Excellent

August 2010 - A wonderful place. Enjoyed it VERY much.

I have used your service in the past and will again.

Travel tips

  • Must be an EXCELLENT driver with experience on narrow roads with very tight turns in order to reach the property.

Ritika S.

Menlo Parl, CA

United States

VERIFIED

Excellent

July 2010 - It's an absolutely brilliant location and true to its description. The owners are most helpful, kind and loving. They made our holiday perfect with their very warm hospitality and care!

Travel tips

  • For a true Italian experience, this is the right place!
  • Car is essential to access this villa.

James M.

London

United Kingdom

VERIFIED

Excellent

May 2010 - Villa Ester is a beautiful house perched about 50 meters or so from the edge of a cliff about 200 meters up. It has amazing views in both directions and catches the sun throughout nearly the whole day. It is a great base to explore the Sorrento penninsula but you will need a car to do this easily.

Salvatore [the owner's son] and the owner are true gentlemen and have some excellent recommendations of how to get about and where to eat. They live across the road but are not intrusive at all.

I would happily come back and do it all again!

Brilliant service, thanks very much

Travel tips

  • Just be aware that this is a great holiday home to get away from it all - the town nearby is walkable (20 mins more or less) and has a small supermarket, and fantastic local restaurant opposite, but not much else. Whilst all the nice nearby towns are only 20 mins drive away, we found that we had to do a bit more driving than we expected.

Phil H.

Brisbane

Australia

VERIFIED

Excellent

September 2009 - We all enjoyed Villa Ester very much. Pasquale and Anna Maria [the owners] were very kind and helpful. We felt very safe with them so close, but they never intruded. Salvatore [the owners' son] was also very friendly and helpful and the property is very habitable and magnificently located.

We would very happily stay at Villa Ester again and also we have no hesitation in recommending Villa Ester to others!

Summer in Italy were easy to contact, quick to respond, gave accurate information and generally very satisfactory to deal with. Keep up the good work!

Travel tips

  • If you are looking for a comfortable villa with a magnificent view of the Amalfi coast, it would be hard to do better than Villa Ester.

Gail I.

Markham

Canada

VERIFIED

Excellent

June 2009 - We stayed at Villa Ester in June 2009 and enjoyed it tremendously.

The location makes for the most wonderful views. From the full moon rising out of the sea to looking "down" to a firework show in nearby Positano, it was positively breathtaking.

The villa was very comfortable and the location was perfect for day trips to take in the Amalfi coast, Sorrento, Naples and Pompeii.

Pasquale [the owner] was very kind and helpful.

We look forward to visiting Villa Ester again one day.

Travel tips

  • We frequented the local grocery store in Colli di Fontanelle and were able to get all needed supplies there.
  • Although we had a rented car, we chose to use the Sita bus for the Amalfi coast drive on one trip, so the driver could also take in the views. These buses run very often and were great.
  • Our favourite day was in Positano. On Pasquale's advice we had lunch at Restaurant Da Adolfo, which was a short boat ride from the Positano dock. It has a tiny beach to relax on before/after lunch.

John M.

Killin

United Kingdom

VERIFIED

Excellent

September 2008 - Villa Ester is in the most beautiful location, the view from the terraces is magnificent.

Very warm, friendly welcome and the owners were so helpful.

We had a wonderful week's holiday there. It was so peaceful and quiet - totally tourist free!

We found your system very easy to use and you answered any questions we had promptly. Your website had the best photos so - what we saw was what we got - excellent.

Travel tips

  • The access driveway down is very steep but well worth it.
  • Public transport is good but can be cramped. It's worth taking the bus into Positano (cars not allowed to park in the town).
  • Follow initial instructions to visit the supermarket as you come off the motorway system from Naples. The supermarket is huge and caters for everything.

Barbara W.

Wokingham

United Kingdom

VERIFIED

Excellent

September 2008 - We enjoyed our holiday at Villa Ester.

Beautiful position on the cliff side and wonderful views from the terrace. In order to experience this the approach was very steep.

Very helpful owners, gifts of figs and home made wine much appreciated.

Excellent website. Enjoyed getting your newsletters before we went. We would certainly recommend you.

Travel tips

  • Do hire a small car! Driving in Italy can be very scary and parking is be a problem in popular areas.
  • All along the Amalfi coast was wonderful, but we found Capri too congested with tourists and would not do that again. Pompeii is worth seeing.
  • Sometimes it was difficult to find a supermarket so stock up when you can. Signage for visitors/drivers is sparse and confusing.

Roderick B.

London

United Kingdom

VERIFIED

Excellent

August 2008 - Excellent for a quiet & relaxing holiday.

Owners are helpful and made the stay enjoyable.

 

 

Travel tips

  • You need a car as you are then only 15 min from Sorrento or Positano. It is a steep & narrow drive down to the Villa but worth it for the view. Don't get too big a car!

Christine M.

Gjoevik

Norway

VERIFIED

Excellent

July 2008 - We were two couples living at Villa Ester for a week - and we had a wonderful time! We "lived" outside on the huge terrace, staring out on the beautiful views... The sea and the sky melting together in the horizon, the small islands just outside the terrace...

And the best part; the peace and quietness that made us have the most relaxing week for a long, long time.

We spent three weeks in Italy, three different houses - and when coming home to Norway, Villa Ester stands out as the favorite place!!!

I wont hesitate to recommend this lovely place to anyone.

Also because of the delicious Italian ice-cream being sold in the small village nearby. Mmmm...

Thank you for all your help, dear Luca. I´ve got nothing more to say than "splendid" work!

I feel so well taken care of - with all your follow-up mails and everything!!!

Travel tips

  • Bring binoculars!

Alex B.

Haddonfield, NJ

United States

VERIFIED

Excellent

April 2008 - Villa Ester is one of the best places that we stayed at since I've been engaging Summer-in-Italy for my spring vacation.

Even though it was a little chilly outside (no heat provided in the villa, except for a space heater), we enjoyed our stay overall.

Walking up the steep path to the main road was a challenge for us (after all we are no longer "young" (in years that is)); however, having the small, local bus take us to Piano di Sorrento, from where we could get anywhere, was a great service.

I will recommend the villa to anyone. Sr. Pasquale [the owner] is a true gentleman. We greatly enjoyed our stay.

Thank you for the high quality of your service and the properties that you rent. I have never been disappointed by your high quality service.

Andrew P.

Chipstead

United Kingdom

VERIFIED

Excellent

August 2007 - We thought it was a wonderful location with superb views and private sun terrace.

Pasquale and his wife [the owners] were very friendly and helpful especially when my husband fell down the steps and sprained his ankle. They appreciated my meagre attempts at Italian and between us we managed to work most things out.

Travel tips

  • If you can manage with a small car it would be much easier. We had a Focus Cmax and the first few attempts up the hill were accompanied by the smell of burning rubber! Got the kids to walk up the hill after that. Just have to be brave and go for it.
  • Also wise to call before you reach the village as we couldn't get mobile coverage there. Thankfully able to call the Summer In Italy staff who informed them of our arrival.
  • Lovely little supermarket in the village with very friendly staff.
  • Ravello is a must.
  • Amalfi drive lovely.
  • Blue grotto a bit of a waste but nice boat trip.

Oswaldo B.

Montevideo

Uruguay

VERIFIED

Excellent

July 2007 - Amazing sea-sight, excellent terrace and very comfortable. We love it!

We are grateful for your service. We will recommend you!

Travel tips

  • Enjoy it but if you have more than one car you will have a little problem for parking!
  • Pasquale [the owner] have recommended us an excellent restaurant at few minutes: Il Pozzo dei Rospi. The best antipasto of all the Amalfitan coast!

Katia H.

Bruxelles

Belgium

VERIFIED

Excellent

July 2007 - We stayed for one week in this outstanding villa.

The view from the huge terrace is wonderful.

It was very convenient to visit Pompeii, Naples, Sorrento, Positano and Capri.

Monic L.

Boucherville

Canada

VERIFIED

Excellent

May 2007 - It was wonderful and very clean.

We recommend this villa to everybody.

Travel tips

  • Yes, a renting a car is a must.

Gayle T.

Tucson, Arizona

United States

VERIFIED

Excellent

October 2006 - The views were breath-taking and the villa immaculate. We spent most of our time on the terrace enjoying the sea views and the panoramic coastline.

This was a perfect home base for exploring the Sorrento and Amalfi Coasts.

Nearby Colli di Fontanelle is a small but charming village. We loved the small stores and local wine and cheese.

All in all, one of our best stays in Italy!

This property is a winner!

Travel tips

  • If renting a car, get a small one. Parking at the villa can be challenging for a large car.

John G.

Whatton in the Vale

United Kingdom

VERIFIED

Excellent

September 2006 - We had a great time at Villa Ester, Mr & Mrs Pasquale and Mr Salvatore are excellent hosts, very polite and helpful.

The views were fantastic from the villa and the location with easy access to Sorrento, Positano and the Amalfi coast was excellent.

I would highly recommend Villa Ester

Would definitely book with you again if considering another holiday in Italy

Gary L.

Belleville

United States

VERIFIED

Excellent

September 2006 - We had a wonderful time. The location and view were unbelievable.

The pictures didn't do Villa Ester justice. The garden around the patio was full of flowers and herbs.

We had breakfast and several dinners on the patio overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.

The owner and caretakers were very friendly, helpful and informed about the area. Restaurants in the area were excellent.

A wonderful trip. Driving in Italy is a challenge, but to enjoy the area it is necessary.

The information about Villa Ester was very helpful, so we knew what to expect. We have been very happy and have recommended Summer in Italy to others.

Unfortunately, Villa Ester can not be booked at this time.

We would love to help you find a suitable alternative. Please be in touch for personal advice from our staff!