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La Spiaggia's Happy Hotelier

Where: Via Lungomar, 98, Monterosso, Cinque Terra, Italy, 19016

La Spiaggia Hotel in Cinque Terra, Italy is ranked #1 on TripAdvisor thanks to its friendly bike-riding hotelier, Andrea Poggi.

One recent guest had this to say about her host:

We arrived after dark by train, and the rooms were all booked.... our fault. But because we had called ahead, Andrea's wife had cooked us some food along with some wine. He sent us on our way to watch the firework show- a local town celebration was going on. When we returned, he had transportation waiting to take us to a nearby hotel. When we awoke the next morning, they picked us back up and brought us to the biggest room- a beautiful terrace overlooking the mountains and ocean.

The hotelier even asked the young lady and her friend to join him during his afternoon swims and at the dinner table, but totally in a "grandfatherly" way.

An extra bonus? Stay for 3 nights and get a free bottle of wine. However, the hotel rooms are not luxurious by any means. The hotel is simply a small family-run spot by the beach concerned with wine and food so the guestrooms are rather cramped and sparse without comfy-looking beds and luxury sheets.

But if you happen to be two blonde American girls, Signor Poggi will take care of you.

Related Stories:
· La Spiaggia Hotel reviews [TripAdvisor]

Tags: Cinque Terra Hotels / → All Tags

Cinque Terra: The Hotel Alternative

Where: Via Fegina, 4, Monterosso, Italy

Ah, Cinque Terra. The quintessential European backpacker experience. Get off the train, walk through one of the five villages, talk to different folks in the gift shops, and find a room in one of the bright, sea sprayed houses.

Wait, what if you don't want to deal? Maybe you are a little older, a little wiser, past the backpacker thing, or maybe you have been there done that, and just want to go back to Cinque Terra without securing a hotel room.

Well, you aren't going to find five star accommodations, however, if you have around ~100€ to spend, look into Hotel Pasquale in Monterosso.

The NY Post Travel section touts Pasquale's dramatic location-perched between the cliffs and the area's only sandy beach.

We like Pasquale's location as well, and though we will always have a soft spot for the "fly by the seat of your pants" Cinque Terra stay, if you must plan ahead, Pasquale sounds like a fine mission control for your five town hike.

Related Stories:
·   Beat The Euro! [NY Post Travel]
·   Hotel Pasquale Reviews [TripAdvisor]
·   Cinque Terra Site [5terre]