We just returned from a stay at Casale Villarena in Nerrano on the Amalfi Coast. It was the first time we've been on a trip were we stayed in a 200+ year old house that was beautifully restored. We had 5 star dinners. Guiglielmo and his staff were fantastic and helped us have a real vacation rather than a "check off what you saw" vacation. We came home relaxed and plan to return. Of equal importance was the value we got for our room and board. If you're planning to go to the Amalfi Coast, or just go someplace to relax, go to Casale Villarea in Nerrano, Italy. Tell them I sent you. We're hoping to go back soon.

we had a lovely holiday, good food, an excelent restaurant, the location was also good, nice view, very quiet area, the owner will always give you a good advice, we met nice guests.Mr Guglielmo the owner and Mr Lelo the from the reception were very kind and helpfull. We had a lovely week

This is an exquisite place to stay... There is lots to do and see from this location. The owner and staff were very helpful in organizing our destination trips. The advise was very good and thoughtful of our plans. My only regret is that we could not stay longer... This is a definite when looking for a place to call home on your journey through the Amalfi.

My family and I just returned from a 2 week holiday in Italy. The crowning jewel of the trip was the week we stayed at Casale Villarena in Nerano (Amalfi Coast). Guglielmo and his staff (Maximo and Mario and all the others) have created the perfect family get-a-way in Italy. The villa has 6 apartments and we stayed in one with 2 bedrooms which was lovely and so comfortable. Our view of the ocean was amazing. The villa was in a perfect location. Near the beach and with easy access to all the nearby attractions, by either bus, train, boat and car. We did not rent a car, but had no problems. The hospitality at Casale Villarena is unparalleled. They have poured their hearts and souls into this place and it shows. The food at the restaurant is so incredible, that we did not cook a single dinner in the apartment (which was our original plan). The menu changed each night and the food got more and more amazing. We did not find it necessary to search out other restaurants in the area. Our 9 year old son often put his hands in the air during dinner and declared that the food was "heavenly." Guglielmo took care of everyone of our needs and provided guidance and suggestions each day for sights to see. We hired Mario one day to take us to Amalfi and Poisitano. Mario was an excellent tour guide and driver and suggested that we trade time in Amalfi for time in Ravello and he was so right. Ravello was wonderful and we are thrilled he suggested it as we would have by passed it all together. We also took a boat trip right from the beach in Nerano to Capri...another excursion that Guglielmo helped us with. We visited Sorrento. Pompeii, Ravello, Capri, the beach and even hiked. There is so much to see and do in the area. The Casale Villarena has a swimming pool which became our afternoon hang out after sight seeing in 100 degree weather. At the pool, we met the other guests at the casale and almost all of them had kids and were so friendly. We never felt like foreigners....but more like part of one big family. In addition to the pool, the Casale Villarena offers a Wii and play area for kids. Our son used both of these with the other guest's kids and with kids he met at the Casale's restaurant. Other amenities include a washing mashine and air-conditioning in each apartment. We availed ourselves of both and we grateful for them. There is a small grocery store in town, so we were able to keep our fridge stocked with fresh fruit, drinks and snacks. We can't recommend this area of Italy and this villa enough....we all had a wonderful time and will always think of Guglielmo and his staff fondly. We hope to get back there soon.

Eravamo un gruppo di 8 persone, 6 adulti e 2 bambini che cercava una sistemazione per una breve vacanza agli inizi di settembre. Dopo aver effettuato una ricerca siamo stati attratti da questa struttura vistosi che poteva offrire tutto ció che cercavamo: Servizio alberghiero, ristorazione, piscina, spazio giochi per i bambini e splendida vista sul mare. Devo dire che la realtá corrispose assolutamente a ció che era raffigurato nelle presentazioni. Se aggiungiamo poi che la disponibilitá e la gentilezza mostrataci, da parte di Guglielmo e dei suoi collaboratori,é stata veramente la piú cordiale non possiamo far altro che altamente raccomandare il Casale Villarena. Anche la cucina merita un suo particolare riguardo in quanto é accurata,, gustosa e rispecchia le tradizioni locali. Il fatto che poi sia pure biologica la rende ancora piú apprezzabile. Niente di negativo allora? Sí, un particolare. La posizione sotta la montagna rende impossibile la comunicazione telefonica.....Lo zio che era con noi dovette ogni giorno andare su in piazza col telefonino per poter leggere i suoi messaggi e per poter effettuare le sue importanti telefonate. Se venisse risolto questo problema penso che sarebbe difficile a trovare in questa zona una struttura offerente un rapporto qualitá/prezzo pari a quello del Casale Villarena. Bartolomeo Kovac Ristoranti Pappa Grappa-Svezia

We recently stayed at the Casale Villarena in the villa Garofanella. It was our second visit to the casale - we stayed in the apartment La Vetara 3 years ago and loved it so much we couldn't wait to return. It was great to see the improvements made to the Casale.The gardens are more beautiful than we remembered and they now have a fabulous restaurant. We ate there twice and both meals were wonderful - in particular, the vast selection of antipasta was delicious. Gugliemo and Mario are wonderful hosts. They are both very helpful and nothing was too much trouble for them. They are hugely knowledgeable about the area and are willing to suggest lovely excursions. The Casale is well positioned to be able to explore all the interesting things to do along the Amalfi coast. A car is useful but not essential as there are buses into Sorrento and boats to Capri, Sorrento, Positano, etc. Thank you so much for a fantastic holiday and we hope to be able to return soon.

my fiancee and i booked the whole villa for our parents, siblings, and a few friends (including 3 babies) for our wedding. we were nervous at first about planning all of that online without ever visiting. but the entire week - and especially the wedding - turned out PERFECTLY. the place: the villa itself is absolutely gorgeous. the pictures don't do it the justice of standing in the lemon groves, looking up at the old stone arches, wandering through the twists and corners, and always having a glorious view of the sea from basically anywhere you stand. the rooms were huge (bigger than my apartment in cambridge!), more like grand suites than just a room. they found a fantastic balance between old world rustic charm (so you feel like you're still in another time) while having all of the modern accommodations and conveniences that we've come to expect in the 21st century (clean bathrooms, cable tv, a/c, newer kitchens). the grounds are lovely to stroll through, swim in, and especially just to sit, sip some coffee or limoncello, and enjoy the fresh air and views. the staff: incredible! i felt like everyone that worked there bent over backwards to make us happy and fulfill every little whim. they weren't stuffy or formal at all - just wanted us to enjoy ourselves. the restaurant is called "the joy of doing nothing", and while they make guests feel that doing nothing is great, they are all running around all the time to ensure that everyone is happy and content. Guglielmo (who runs the place) has some great stories; Massimo makes sure that you get what you need, and Mario takes care of all the little things for you. By the time we left, we felt like they were part of the family! the food: i am a bit of a foodie, and am always going through boston to find the best chefs and the best places to eat. and while scampo is a great italian meal, it still an't come close to what they cook at the villa. the food is so simple, but every bite is delectable. if you ask where the food comes from, they point down the road! and it keeps coming and coming and coming and coming. walk a lot if you're eating here; you'll need to burn off all the calories! we originally thought we'd have a few meals there and eat out others, but we ended up having dinner there every night because it was so fantastic. the location: stretch in the morning! it is a lovely walk down the hill to get to the beach (where you get a discount if you mention the villa on chairs). you can drive, but as mentioned above, you need the walk to work off all the food! people took lots of day trips around the area; so many drives, hikes and boat trips are so very close to home. the wedding: words can't describe. Massimo and Guglielmo planned everything, all we did was show up! The location they found was on a point overlooking Capri, and they surprised us with flowers and a lovely setup. they got bouquets, mandoline players, a wonderful justice of the peace, champagne for toasting, a guest book to sign, and all the little extras that made the wedding complete. i have shown pix to friends far and wide, all met with "that looks better than my wedding!!!". i seriously could not posisbly imagine a wedding more perfect than the one they gave us. we even got to go off in a "just married" classic fiat 500. the ONLY reason i would tell anybody not to stay here is because i don't want it to be all booked up for when i go back for my anniversary!

I think we had the best appartement on top of the building with a wonderful view to the Gulf of Salerno. The appartement is large and has nice old furnitures. We felt very well and will come back.

Just coming back from our trip to Italy we are very impressed of the excellent service, the delicious meals and the overwhelming kindness, especially to our little daughter at the age of 12 month. The Casale Villarena is a hidden, little residence, located at the far end of the Sorrento Peninsula, surrounded by a nice lemon garden. Our apartment offered everything, we expected and more. We can recommend the Casale without hesitating. Thanks to Amalia and Mario for their immediate help and service, thanks to Guglielmo, who is a fantastic host and cook. We´ll come back. Mariska, Hans and Marieke

Reflecting on our four weeks in Italy this May, Casale Villarena stands out as the highlight. We booked online and flew Vancouver, Toronto, Rome and then drove a rental Nissan Note direct to Casale Villarena, about a 4 hour trip. Our Garmin Nuvi GPS did very well but for the last couple of kms when the switchback roads sort of overcame its abilities. I had driven in Italy before and had a pretty fair idea of the traffic but nothing can really prepare you for the Naples scene. Having travelled for 23 hours, we arrived. Our host Guglielmo greeted us and since we hadn't eaten suggested dinner in an hour or so at 7:00. We installed ourselves in our suite (10 stairs 5 stairs 12 stairs up) freshened up and walked down to the patio area. Guglielmo, on his own prepared and served a fabulous 4 course meal. That evening set the tone for our week. The road on the Sorrento peninsula ends at Marina de Cantone about 1.5 km past Nerano. (Google Earth can show you the topography). Our suite, three rooms in the Casale had 15 ft domed ceilings, a useful kitchen and a private deck that overlooked the village and the harbour. Each morning over coffee and cereal, we watched the village come to life as commuters (at least 5 people) left for work and the local bus (Sita) bugled its way through the swichbacks TA Dah at each blind turn, the church bell tolled the hours and the halfs and the lemon orchard grew lemons. It is so beautiful it can move one to tears! When we didn't dine at the Casale, Charlot, Massimo's place just up the road was our favourite. We went back three times. Our meals ran to about $100 Canadian for the two of us but in true italian style we have learned to linger over each course and each delicious mouthful dining from 6:30 to 9:30 enjoying choosing and discussing the food and being entertained by the view, ending with a Lemoncello that tastes so apropos in an area loaded with lemon groves. While our evenings were quiet and occupied with dining and conversation, we did day trips to Pompei, Positano and Capri, retreating to the Casale after our forays. We took two hikes, one to the headland above the village and one out to the tip of the peninsula. Getting up on top is very rewarding as both Capri, the whole island, and Vesuvius, the crater, are clearly visible. The Bays of Salerno and Napoli curve across the horizon on their respective sides. We took part in a cooking class one day, Diane cooking and I eating. How nice to do things together! The lesson was really fun and even my Italian Canadian wife learned some new cullinary lore. So - If you are walking fit and seeking a slightly deeper understanding of Italy than the Best Western chain offers - the Casale Villarena offers an unforgetable experience. Travel to the area is slightly challenging (compared to say Cinque Terre which is served by train and shuttle bus) so either take the boat or bus or be prepared to dart and dice along one lane winding roads. I can see it all now in my minds eye, 5 weeks later - it brings a smile.