Best Cinque Terre Hotels & Areas for the Best Experience

About

Cinque Terre is an absolutely stunning region in Italy, and staying in a nice hotel while there is definitely part of the experience. 

It’s one of those places where paying a bit more for a better view or, even better, a balcony or terrace, just makes sense.

In this guide, we’ll list the best hotels for each town, all with amazing views, but at a reasonable price (for Cinque Terre standards), to help you choose the best place for an unforgettable stay.

But hurry up! Cinque Terre doesn’t have that big hotel capacity, so act fast if you want to secure the best deal.

Top 3 hotels in Cinque Terre

If you’re in a hurry, these are the top 3 recommended hotels that we’d book in a heartbeat:

Where to stay in Cinque Terre?

To be honest, it doesn’t matter much in which town exactly you stay in Cinque Terre, as they’re all well connected by train and travel distances in between are short (around 5 minutes between each town, except 9 minutes from La Spezia to Riomaggiore).

So, you don’t have to worry too much about the exact town, but we’d rather focus on the best deal, amenities, and views for choosing your hotel.

With that said, for the best experience, we’d still recommend staying in one of the five main towns of Cinque Terre (Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, or Riomaggiore). It’s where all the main attractions are, and the hotel views are simply the best.

However, Levanto (the northernmost town) or La Spezia (the southernmost town) are also excellent choices as they offer more affordable hotel options, restaurants, and shops.

Overview of each Cinque Terre town

Here is a short summary of each Cinque Terre town, to help you decide what kind of experience you’d like.

• Monterosso al Mare – The largest town, best and biggest beaches, good for nightlife. Most of the village is flat. Great option if you’re coming by car, as it has a big parking lot (paid, of course).
  
  
• Vernazza – A small, very popular village with breathtaking views. Perfect starting point for main hikes.
  
  
• Corniglia – Perched on a hill. It has a more authentic and local feel. Also, a great starting point for hiking in Cinque Terre (some of our favorite hikes were from here!)
  
  
• Riomaggiore – Perfect for stunning sunsets and a romantic vibe, best nightlife of the main Cinque Terre towns (lots of bars).
  
  
• Manarola – Perfect for casual strolls in its many streets, quieter than other villages, perfect for romantic stays or photography lovers.
  
  
• Levanto – Cute town. Has a bit more affordable apartments with kitchens. Also perfect if you want to stay in campsites. Has more stores, restaurants, and even a beach.
  
  
• La Spezia – lots of shops and restaurants, bigger town, great for more affordable hotel options.

Best Hotels in Cinque Terre by Village

Here is our list of the best hotels in Cinque Terre that offer incredible views (usually with a balcony or terrace) at an affordable price (for Cinque Terre standards). But make sure to reserve well in advance, as these tend to sell out fast!

All hotels listed have an 8+ rating and great reviews from previous guests.

Best Monterosso al Mare Hotels

• Albergo Degli Amici – great location in the old town, breakfast included, rooftop garden, sea views, rooms with balconies, and air conditioning. Check availability.
  
  
• Affordable hotel: Affittacamere Alle 5 Terre – rooms with balcony & great view, helpful hosts, air conditioning, 9+ rating. Check availability.

Best Vernazza Hotels

• Casa Catò – unbeatable view, rooms with a balcony, air conditioning, and a small restaurant. Check availability.
  
  
• Affordable hotel: Hotel Gianni Franzi – great location, incredible terrace views, breakfast included, air conditioning or fans. Check availability.

Best Corniglia Hotels

• Affittacamere Arbasia De Ma – 9+ rating, great location (right in the city center), offers rooms with lovely views and a small kitchenette to share between rooms, or a private apartment with a private kitchen and terrace (great deal!). All rooms have air conditioning. Check availability.
  
  
• Affordable hotel: Affittacamere Il Timone – rooms with terrace or balcony, fantastic sea views (from some rooms you’re able to see all the way to Manarola), air conditioning. Check availability.

Best Manarola Hotels

• Alla Porta Rossa – rooms with a great view and balcony/terrace, excellent location, air conditioning, option of apartment with a kitchen, helpful host, 9.6 rating. Check availability.
  
  
• Affordable hotel: Affittacamere Nuova Vandiris – on a cliff with fantastic sea and sunset views, rooms with balcony, air conditioning, great location, very helpful host, 9.3 rating. Check availability.

Best Riomaggiore Hotels

• Ai Pesci Hotel Riomaggiore – the best sunset views in Riomaggiore (and Cinque Terre), rooms with private balcony or terrace, air conditioning, the best location, 9.4 rating. Check availability.
  
  
• Affordable hotel: Affittacamere Le Giare – excellent central location, option of a room with disability access or rooms with a terrace or balcony, incredible view from the terrace/balcony, air conditioning, helpful hosts. Check availability.

Best Levanto Hotels

• Park Hotel Argento – stunning hotel in the town center with shuttle to the train station, outdoor pool, sauna, and wellness center, free parking, buffet breakfast included, spacious rooms with air conditioning, 10-minute walk from Levanto beach, 9 rating. Check availability.
  
  
• Affordable apartment: House Of Alex – spacious apartment with kitchen, balcony, washing machine, and air conditioning, perfect for families or bigger groups, free parking, walking distance to train station and town center. Check availability.

Best La Spezia Hotels

• Casa Esmeralda – very close to the train station, spacious suites with a terrace, spacious, great hosts, 9.8 rating. Check availability.
  
  
• Affordable apartments: Ari’s Home – a simple apartment with a kitchen and air conditioning, convenient location next to the train station, perfect for families or a bigger group. Check availability.

Tips before booking Cinque Terre Hotels

• We highly recommend booking one place and staying there during your entire trip. The villages have great train connections (about 5 minutes between each). That’s why changing accommodations, dealing with check-in and check-out times, and dragging your luggage again is just not worth it. If you’re traveling light or staying for more than 4 nights, you might want to change the stay – otherwise, don’t. It’s better to spend that time enjoying the area (read our guide with the best things to do in Cinque Terre)
  
  
• If you have mobility issues, your safest bet is staying in Monterosso or La Spezia. If you want to stay in another town, it’s possible, but carefully read hotel descriptions to see if they have lots of stairs to get there. Contrary to popular opinion that Corniglia is the worst for that (as it involves lots of stairs from the train station up to the town), all the other towns involve climbing in many cases as well (especially hotels with the best views).
  
  
• If you’re visiting in the height of summer, it can get very hot and humid in Cinque Terre, so definitely make sure your stay has air conditioning or at least fans.
  
  
• The best Cinque Terre hotels get booked out pretty fast, as the area doesn’t have that big accommodation capacity. For the best stays and deals, especially ones in popular towns like Vernazza, make sure to book well in advance (at least 6 months before if possible).
  
  
• Most hotels in Cinque Terre include good WiFi; however, we recommend installing an Italy eSIM before you arrive, so you can easily communicate with your host about the hotel’s location or any help you might need, navigate transport with ease, and explore freely. We recommend this eSIM for Italy, and you can get a 10% discount through our link. 😊

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I stay in just one town in Cinque Terre, or split my stay?

To maximize and simplify your time in Cinque Terre, it’s best to base yourself in one town and explore all the others from there.

How long should I stay in Cinque Terre?

While you can see the main highlights of Cinque Terre in one day, we recommend staying at least 2 or 3 full days to fully experience the area’s beauty, go hiking, and participate in unique activities. Additionally, the Cinque Terre towns are the loveliest in the early mornings, late afternoons, and evenings, when all the tour groups have left. 🙂

What’s the best hotel with a view in Cinque Terre?

Our favorite hotel with a view in Cinque Terre is Ai Pesci Hotel in Riomaggiore or Casa Catò in Vernazza. Nothing beats their sunset views from your private balcony or a terrace.

And if we have to choose one, then Ai Pesci Hotel it is. 😁

Do stays in Cinque Terre have parking?

Most stays in Cinque Terre don’t include parking. The towns are small and narrow, and there isn’t really space for parking. So, while we recommend visiting Cinque Terre without a car, if you have one, you can park it in one of the public parkings for a fee (Monterosso is the best choice), or choose one of the limited hotels with parking (like this one in Monterosso or this hotel in Levanto).

Final thoughts

As we mentioned earlier, Cinque Terre is one of those places where finding a special place to stay is part of the experience. You’ll feel Cinque Terre’s charm the best if you stay in one of the main towns. That’s why we did our best to choose the best accommodation with unbeatable views.

Hopefully, this guide with the absolute best hotels in Cinque Terre has helped you plan your trip. 🥰

If you have any questions or updates, feel free to leave a comment below and help fellow travelers.