1. Italy
  2. Amalfi Coast
  3. Praiano
  4. Villa Penelope
  5. Reviews

Reviews of Villa Penelope

Vacation rental in Praiano, Amalfi Coast, Italy

Stashu K.

Lansing, MI

United States

Fantastic

July 2012 - This was our second time and we look forward to booking Villa Penelope in the future.

The town in so peaceful and the location is stunning. Now with the internet cafe in the town it is even better.

Our on-site host Mr. Saverio went beyond the average to assist us and help settle in and check out.

Travel tips

  • The beach below is great.
  • We recommend taking a boat to Capri for the day.
  • Don't forget the Greek ruins in Paestum - the finest ever!

Sue M.

Christchurch

New Zealand

Very good

June 2012 - Villa Penelope was a great place to stay.

The kitchen was compact but it worked well with 2 people and there was plenty of crockery, cutlery, etc. Although it states the villa sleeps 6, I think this would be a bit cramped as 2 people would have to sleep on the divan bed in the living room. The views from the balcony and upper level were a bonus -- the photos don't do it justice.

We really enjoyed the villa and would rent it again plus Praiano is a great location and well serviced by both local and SITA buses.

The information given to us by Summer in Italy prior to arriving at Villa Penelope was very good and most helpful. A friend had recommended Summer in Italy and we certainly found the service very good. Thank you.

Travel tips

  • Getting to Villa Penelope involves about a 6 minute walk downhill from the road, on a good path with not too many steps. However, if you want to continue down the hillside from the villa to where the locals swim this involves roughly 300 steps.
  • The local restaurants were good and easy to walk to.
  • The buses ran regularly between the villages along the Amalfi Coast and to Sorrento so day or half day trips were easy.

Mark D.

High Holborn

United Kingdom

Excellent

September 2011 - Villa Penelope was very nice, really enjoyed my stay, the owner was extremely helpful and very nice. Thanks for everything.

James K.

Amersfoort

Netherlands

Excellent

July 2011 - Absolutely lovely house, terrace, view and village!

The owner came on his scooter to welcome us and helped to carry the luggage down. We parked our car outside of the village.

Only 290 steps down to the beach (quite rocky beach).

Good service from Summer In Italy. We loved to read the extra information you sent us. Great job!

Travel tips

  • Shops, ATM-machine and tourist office are in the village.
  • Nice hike uphill (Sentiero Degli Dei, 1800 steps up from the house).
  • We recommend restaurant La Strada for dinner.
  • Good bus connections.
  • You do not have to make reservations beforehand to go to Capri. There are plenty of opportunities when you get there.

Helen T.

Cambridge

United Kingdom

Excellent

July 2011 - We really enjoyed the villa. Everything worked well, particularly the air conditioning and the shower.

The locals were very friendly and the shopkeepers all spoke good English and were helpful.

The location and views were stunning, with magnificent sunsets over the Sorrentine peninsula and quick access to the beach with great swimming.

You were fantastic! I came across your website by chance, but I've since recommended you to several friends. The booking was organised very efficiently and my emails were responded to very quickly - even on a Sunday!

Travel tips

  • I would advise using public transport - this worked very well for us and was much less stressful than driving on the very narrow and winding roads. It's easy to catch a bus from Naples airport to the train station, then the Circumvesuviana train to Sorrento. The Sita bus runs from Sorrento train station along the Amalfi coast to Praiano.
  • We used buses and trains to visit Vesuvius and Pompeii, Amalfi, Ravello, Positano and Sorrento - just buy tickets in advance at the Tabacchi and stamp them in the machine when you board the bus - it's easy and very economical. A 24-hr bus ticket cost just 7 euros.
  • There is a left-luggage facility at both Sorrento (in the bar) and Naples train stations.

Tina Duus N.

Copenhagen

Denmark

Excellent

July 2011 - It is a very wonderful place with a perfect location. There is plenty of space, and it is nice and charming that the place is in two floors - both with a fantastic view over the bay.

We enjoyed it very much.

Keep up the good work - it always nice and easy to use your agency

Travel tips

  • Just enjoy your stay - it a wonderful place and Praiano is a most charming town with excellent restaurants try e.g Restaurant Il Pino.

Anthony P.

Montclair, New Jersey

United States

Excellent

July 2011 - We enjoyed Villa Penelope. It was somewhat smaller than it looked on the web site but quite adequate for the three of us.

The location was good for getting into the town and the beach. The view was lovely. The air-conditioning was a big plus.

Summer in Italy was great. Very responsive and helpful. My brother booked with you this summer and we needed a second apartment in Praiano.

Travel tips

  • Villa Penelope is within very manageable walking distance to the shops in town, the beach and restaurants as well as public transportation.
  • Avoid bringing a car if possible as parking is very difficult.
  • Day trips to Positano, Amalfi, Naples and Pompeii are not difficult.

Mary D.

Strabane

United Kingdom

Excellent

July 2010 - Villa Penelope is in an excellent location, Praiano is a lovely village - not too big but still lively with plenty of bars and restaurants to choose from.

Villa Penelope is clean and well maintained. The air-conditioning is a god-send as it was very hot while we were there. The view from the main bedroom is spectacular. It looks across blue sea to the town of Positano. You can also enjoy this view from the shower! The bathroom seems to have been recently refurbished and is in excellent condition. The master bedroom has plenty of storage space and a comfortable bed. The twin room was shared comfortably by 2 teenage girls. The kitchen and living room are a bit rustic but perfectly adequate. The outside terrace is lovely to sit out on at night and has a view of the sea.

Signor Saverio who looks after the villa was very kind and helpful and so was his wife.

We booked with Summer in Italy as they had a villa to meet our needs in the location we wanted. The website is easy to use and the pictures accurate.

Travel tips

  • To get to Villa Penelope you have to go down steps from the main street in Praiano, through the church square, along a pathway and down some more steps. It was a bit of a struggle the 1st night with our bags so I would not recommend it to anyone with mobility problems. However if you can manage the walk, it's a lovely place to stay and very typical of this region.
  • Parking is a bit of a problem as you have to park on the roads in or out of the village.
  • There are several shops in the village where you can get most things and there is also a butchers and a tourist information office.
  • There are lots of restaurants to choose from but I would highly recommend Restaurant La Strada with its lovely staff and gorgeous food.
  • The path to the beach is right outside the villa. The beach is rocky so you may need shoes for swimming. The sea is clean and good for snorkeling. It is quite a trek back up the steps though! But the views are wonderful. The beach at La Praia is lovely as is Positano.
  • We visited Capri, Positano, Amalfi and Pompeii and I would recommend them all. If you go to Capri, get the funicular train to the top of the island where you will find designer shops, quaint streets and stunning views.
  • Driving on the Amalfi coast is a bit of a nightmare as the roads are narrow and windy but there is a good bus service and a bus stop in the middle of Praiano.

Elena P.

Moscow

Russia

Excellent

July 2009 - Villa Penelope was the first option we had one opinion for as soon as we found it on the website.

And in reality it was exactly the same as it is presented on summerinitaly.com :)))

Very cosy, peaceful and comfortable place.

Sylvie L.

Montréal

Canada

Excellent

July 2009 - Villa Penelope is very well located. Very quiet area with a wonderful view. The villa can easily accommodate 4 guests and more.

The terrace offers a fantastic view and I spent a lot of time looking at the Mediterranean. Air conditioning in each room was a plus as it was pretty hot in the first week of July.

If you want to cook elaborated meals, you may not find all the equipment you need, but overall we were able to cook decent meals with what was available.

We would recommend the villa for sure for anyone that wants to have a week of rest but at the same time be close to some touristic sites.

Summer in Italy did a great job to facilitate the selection of the villa and the reservation etc.

Travel tips

  • The owner of the villa spoke to us about a day trip in boat to Capri that leaves right a the beach close to the villa (you only need to go down the 300 steps). Not only it was very convenient, but the trip itself was THE event of our vacation. The company for the tour is La Sibilla, and we had a wonderful time to get to Capri. The driver stopped in many 'grotta' and we thought that the tour around the island was even more interesting than Capri island itself (we don't enjoy shopping and Capri is mainly a place for this).

Greg S.

North Adelaide

Australia

Excellent

October 2008 - Villa Penelope is a nice place.

- Struggle with luggage to get to, travel light.

- Many thanks to Saverio [the caretaker] for his help to and from villa.

- Praiano is great as it is between Positano and Amalfi hence cheaper prices.

- Lovely people who run the little supermarket.

- Overall experience was lovely.

Isabelle L.

Laval

Canada

Excellent

July 2008 - We really enjoyed our week at Villa Penelope.

The view of the terrace and the location exactly half between the village and the beach was more than perfect.

The rooms were comfortable and the villa was clean.

We will recommend your website to our community.

Travel tips

  • A car is not really helpful on the Amalfi cost since there is not lot of parking space. A great way to visit the cost is to go with a limo service (Taxi). The costs at the end would be the same as rental but at least you will be able to enjoy the view of this scenic road.

Charlotte D.

London

United Kingdom

Excellent

September 2007 - I had a wonderful time here. The villa is in an excellent location and the views from the bedroom and terrace are unbeatable.

The owner is lovely and very helpful.

Travel tips

  • Beware of the buses - they can be unreliable though they do eventually turn up!

Nicole D.

Beverly Hills, CA

United States

Excellent

October 2006 - A very very special place.

If you're looking for a villa where you feel as though your living among the locals, a hidden sanctuary where the beach lays below, amazing sunsets at night, a walk through grapevines and bougainvilleas... you're going to love Villa Penelope.

Great job, finally a home away from home - at very reasonable prices! So much of the Amalfi Coast is becoming a place for the rich and famous - thank you for letting it be a luxury for all of us!

Travel tips

  • Bring a good book and walking shoes.
  • PACK LIGHTLY! You have the luxury of doing your own laundry, so you really don't need a lot. Remember this is Italy, small pathways, a LOT of rock steps - the less you bring - the BETTER!!

Unfortunately, Villa Penelope 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!