The seven-floor Grand Hotel la Pace draws mostly tourists to its quiet location and elegant atmosphere. The opulent marble-and-stone lobby features a chandelier, grand staircase, and decorative elements like a wooden angel statue from the school of Baroque master Bernini. Rich shades of red, royal blue, gold, and ochre predominate throughout the hotel. Guests congregate at the large, outdoor swimming pool, bordered by an expansive sun terrace with pool bar and Mediterranean views. Another gathering place is the bar and fine-dining restaurant, offering international cuisine in a formal, white-tablecloth setting.

The Grand Hotel la Pace is in a small hamlet outside Sorrento. While the hotel is attractive and the setting quiet, the surrounding area is fairly old and not as scenic. Fortunately, the Sant'Agnello train station is just over a half-mile north, offering access to the rest of the region. Guests can travel one-and-a-half miles west to visit the small coastal city of Sorrento, with its pretty piazzas, namesake cathedral, Basilica di Sant'Antonino, and beach. Hydrofoil ferries to Naples and the Amalfi Coast are also accessible from Sorrento. From the hotel, the ruins of Pompei are 15.5 miles away, dramatic Mount Vesuvius is one hour and 15 minutes north, and Naples and the Naples International Airport are about an hour north.

The seven-floor Grand Hotel la Pace has 119 spacious rooms, featuring ochre-colored walls, molded ceilings, and inlaid-wood furniture. Rooms have an elegant feel but are not overly upscale; walls feel a bit bare, beds have comforters rather than duvets, and the fabrics used look a bit staid. Standard amenities are included in all rooms: Wi-Fi (for a fee), minibars, safes, air-conditioning, and flat-screen TVs. Some rooms have French balconies and some suites have full balconies. Some rooms have Mediterranean Sea and Naples Gulf views, while others have garden and/or mountain views. Bathrooms have shower/tub combos, with cheerful blue-and-yellow or ochre-colored tiles.

The top feature of the Grand Hotel la Pace is its large, circular outdoor pool -- and its poolside bar serving drinks and light fare. The inviting, adjacent sun terrace has lots of lounge chairs and sweeping views of the Mediterranean Sea, Naples, and Mt. Vesuvius. High-quality equipment and personal training (fee) are on offer at the fitness center. A sauna and spa tub are somewhat oddly placed in a bland room, and the beauty spa offers various anti-aging treatments and massages (fee). There is a fine-dining restaurant -- complete with white tablecloths and silver candlesticks -- serving international cuisine of solid quality, and a refined cocktail bar with brass bar stools and elegant armchairs. On-site parking is free, as is the seasonal (April – October) shuttle to Sorrento. The hotel can arrange scooter rentals for zipping around the Amalfi coast, and boat rentals for excursions to gorgeous places like Ravello and Capri.