Before we booked any accommodation in Cinque Terre, my biggest question was, where to stay? There are five fisherman’s villages, each as charming as one another. So, where to stay? Another question raised in my head was, how long (or short) was the travel between each town? Wouldn’t it make sense if we stayed in Corniglia, which was located in the middle, so it’d be easy to reach towns on both sides? Hmm, decision, decision… After a decent amount of research, I spotted an outlook from a hotel room online and it sealed the deal for us – immediately! The search was over! We looked no more.
The View That Sealed The Deal
Choosing a travel accommodation is not always about the view, but in this case, it was all about THIS VIEW – a panoramic scene of the entire Cinque Terre! Right from the balcony!
‘Imagine waking up to that glorious scenery!!!’ That was all I could think of and care about, really. So I found out such a room belonged to Albergo Suisse Bellevue (or simply Suisse Bellevue), a three-star hotel up the hill in Monterosso al Mare. I booked it without hesitation. Yes please, give us the room with this marvellous view!
The Scenery Does Not Disappoint
On a late summer day, we checked out from our Milan hotel, hopped onto Trenitalia in Milano Centrale station, and traveled to Monterosso in Cinque Terre. By the time we checked into our hotel room, which was up the hill, we were sweaty, confused, stressed, and tired. But once we opened the French door to our terrace, this magnificent seascape made it all worth it!
The website photos did not lie, however, I think Kent’s pictures look even more flattering than any of the related images we had seen online.
Enjoy The Ever-Changing Cinque Terre Seascape
When we were not out exploring Cinque Terre, we spent a lot of our indoor time gazing at the amazing panorama views from our little terrace. Kent’s tripod literally lived on that sun deck on standby for Kent to capture different looks of the ever-changing scenes. We never grew tired of those breathtaking outlooks during our 8-night stay there.
A picture says a thousand words, therefore, I shall let these photographs do the talk. We were fortunate to watch stormy scenes too with dramatic clouds forming! With a live show from nature, who needs to turn on the TV?
The Outlook Is Awe-Inspiring, How About The Room Itself?
Our room could accommodate a small family of three. It was roomy. The furnishing was minimal yet practical. There was an air conditioner, but we always preferred a natural breeze.
Our bathroom looked like it just had a makeover. It was modern and well-lit. There was a narrow door that connected the bathroom to a patio. However, the toiletry was rather basic. There was no lotion, yet it did have shampoo and conditioner. We stocked everything we needed, such as toothpaste, sunscreen, and lotion from a local market in town. Since it was summer when we were there, I did not mind it had only a shower and no bathtub.
Buffet Breakfast From Eight To Ten
The breakfasts were served in a spacious room with drapes and elegant pendant lights. Shades of greens were shown on tablecloths, curtain accessories, and the walls. Perhaps fresh air and outdoor activities are the key to good appetite… I enjoyed the food and often went for a third trip back to the buffet!
The Multi-Purpose Common Area
The common area that includes guests’ parking space is about the size of a local park! Plenty of outdoor chairs and sun lounges to rest on while enjoying the panorama view of the Cinque Terre.
Free Shuttle Bus Service For Hotel Guests
You get used to it travelling between the village and the hotel up the hill. The free shuttle bus provided by the hotel runs hourly, from 7:30 in the morning to the last service at half past midnight. This photo shows you what the minivan looks like and where exactly it parks and waits. It is in front of the car park in the new town area and opposite the Il Fornaio di Monterosso pizzeria and a souvenir store.
Benefits From Staying In Monterosso
Out of all Cinque Terre’s five colourful fishing villages, the only sandy beach is found in Monterosso al Mare. Those iconic orange and green beach parasols representing Cinque Terre on travel magazines and posters are photographed in Monterosso. Being the largest town in Cinque Terre, it has a wide range of dining choices. From pizzeria to fine dining, this town has them all!
It was the view that brought us to Monterosso. We liked the resort-style atmosphere of this town, and most likely we will stay in Monterosso if we do visit Cinque Terre again someday.
A Traveller’s Note
For those of you who are not too sure if you should include Cinque Terre as one of your Italian destinations, my advice is – do yourself a favour, go see it! Cinque Terre as what we experienced was picturesque, fun, vibrant, and vivid. It lived up to both Kent’s and my expectations. I’m most pleased that we spent a good amount of time – 8 days, exploring all five charming seaside towns.
Due to the Liguria region’s mild Mediterranean climate, Cinque Terre has a long pleasant season that spans from May to October. I’d suggest the months of May, June, September, and October to visit, to avoid the summer holiday’s overwhelming tourists.
