Villa Alviani Anna, Sorrento, Italy

My husband, Douglas, and I stayed at Villa Alviani Anna (Via delle Rotonda 9 [ingresso Via Rota 8], 80067, Sorrento, ITALY; phone/fax +39 0818073785, cell +39 3337947741 or visit http://villalvianianna.com), March 19-30, 2009. The location is excellent, a 10-minute walk from the central bus and train station (Circumvesuviana line). For those with a car, parking is available on the property.

This B&B has five rooms of different sizes. Ours, set well back of a relatively busy street, had a balcony and overlooked a swimming pool and a beautiful, large garden full of lemon trees. Our room was very quiet. While on the small side, it was spotless, as was the bathroom. Daily maid service was provided.

The room rate was €60 ($79), which would increase to €95 ($128) in high season. Included in the price was an excellent breakfast with home-baked pastries, fresh fruit, cheeses, etc.

Sorrento is a lovely town in its own right, and it has frequent bus or train service to Positano, Amalfi, Pompeii, Herculaneum and Naples. Several ferries go daily to Capri. As an added convenience, there is a direct bus from the Naples airport to Sorrento for €10.

We recommend this establishment highly as a base for an active, varied vacation.

— MIRIAM WORTHING, Rockville, MD