This is an exceptionally good hotel. We stayed for a week, in a delightful junior suite overlooking Portovenere's bustling, beautiful harbour. During our week we walked around the neighbouring island of Palmaria, and between the Cinque Terre villages, taking advantage of the ferries and the trains. As such, Portovenere proved to be the perfect base for exploration. As for the hotel - from the very start we were greeted by smiling, friendly, helpful staff in all areas of the hotel. This continued throughout the week - everyone seemed determined to ensure that we had the best possible stay. We arrived on the day of "Madonna Bianca", and enjoyed watching the celebrations from the restaurant terrace, where we ate an excellent meal. The room was first-class: pristine and well-maintained, also quiet and peaceful when we needed to rest. The breakfast options were extensive, including a buffet area with a fine selection of the best Liguria has to offer. Service, again, was friendly and flawless. It's no exaggeration to say that this is one of the very best hotels in which we have ever stayed. We were sad to leave. Congratulations to all involved in making our stay memorable and hugely enjoyable.!

This is such a lovely property. The staff is exceptional- to a person, each staff member was friendly, helpful and welcoming. Rooms aren’t huge but enough room and comfortable. Modern and updated. Restaurant was great. Venus Bar/Palmaria patio has an incredible view. Gym is on smaller side but we were able to get a workout in. I don’t know why this town gets overshadowed by Cinque Terre towns and other coastal resorts. It is so beautiful.

Views location and staff are excellent

The location of the hotel was great overlooking Portovenere and just 2 minutes walk into the centre. The staff were really friendly and the food in the restaurant was great, as was the bar area.

We had a junior suite and although the views were stunning and the balcony was great, the size of the room and the furnishings didn't warrant the price. It didn't feel like a 5 star hotel, but we had stayed in the Splendido al Mare in Portofino a few days earlier which was also 5 star and that felt far superior.

The staff, service, the breakfast, and the bar were amazing. The location and view were the reasons we chose this hotel, which was way beyond our normal price range. My husband really enjoyed being able to order eggs and American coffee for breakfast, after 3 days of espresso and pastry.

The room was very small. There wasn't any place to put anything, such as drinks from the bar. We weren't allowed to carry our own drinks to our room from the bar, which was annoying - it took at least 10 minutes for a staff member to bring my half-drunk drink to me, and then there was no place to put the empty glasses.

The location was wonderful. We came in April which was a little chilly and the area just started to open up after the winter. There wasn’t a lot of people, which I appreciated. We rented a Vespa and drove to the cinque terre villages. This was a great way to get around. The closest train is in La Spezia (20 min away). The breakfast at the hotel was wonderful. The staff were superb. We would definitely come back here.

We had the most spectacular corner room in the hotel so our view was exquisite. The staff were lovely. The small town of Porto Venere is an absolute delight to discover- perfect for our 2 day stay there. Excellent restaurants, history to explore, friendly locals.

We were a bit spoiled coming from a brand new 5 star hotel in Stresa Lake Maggiore so by comparison Hotel Porto Venere was just a bit worn looking for the same price. Still, we would absolutely return because the people, the town and the view were spectacular.

I am a frequent traveler and I usually reside in 3-5 stars' hotels in different parts of the world. By far, Grand Hotel Portovenere gave me the best hotel experience that I ever had throughout more than 25 years of frequent travelling! The staff are our of this world with loads of care and support ! Ariana and Chiara in the reception were exceptional in the kind of support and genuine care that they offered allover our stay :) Anna S. in the restaurant was very careful to make us feel at home in every single meal! Everything about this hotel is exceptional; safety, cleanliness, location, breakfast, very delicious and typically Ligurian dinner, …, etc. I never rated a hotel with 10 (even very luxurious ones) - Yet, I would openly and gladly rate Grand Hotel Portovenere with a 10+

Nothing! Everything was more than perfect !

The location is perfect for visiting the town. The staff was truly extraordinary - warm, friendly and attentive. Nice food in the restaurant as well. Lovely little bar with good service.

The hotel is already very expensive and they charge 24 euros per day for parking too. But you need the parking in such a small town!

We spent a little more to get a suite which had an amazing view of the bay, 2 bathrooms, an office / day space and an air conditioner that worked! Each day we had two visits from the staff, a “reset” in the morning and a turndown service in the evening. The staff were gracious and performed excellently! Fillipo at the front desk and Sara the concierge went above and beyond to ensure our stay was a time to remember. Highly recommended for a romantic water based getaway.

Not the fault of the hotel at all, but surprisingly the beaches in Portovenere are rock beaches rather than sand beaches. Was not expecting that - be sure to bring aqua socks if you have them!

Fantastic location - ideal for jumping on the ferry to Cinque Terre. Staff were amazing - always happy to help and advise on excursions and travel options. Room - decent size, worth paying for a sea view if you can, turndowns and bottles of water add to the experience. Restaurant - does a great breakfast, lunch and dinner, so worth paying a visit.

Nothing.