I stayed at the Toro Hotel for a long weekend in mid-June, 2010. Friends and I had travelled to Ravello to attend a wedding and as such we were looking for reasonably priced accommodation in the centre of town. We picked the Hotel Toro because it was one of the cheaper hotels in the town and offered both single and double rooms (at around €70 per room per night for a single).

The hotel did not disappoint in terms of location. It was smack-bang in the centre of Ravello, just a stone's throw from the main square, many of the restaurants, cafes, bars and shops can be found nearby and it was only a short walk from Villa Rufolo and Villa Cimbrone, two of Ravello's main attractions.

The hotel itself was incredibly basic. Since it is only a 2* establishment I had not expected too much and so I cannot really complain. The reception staff spoke decent English and made us feel welcome upon arrival.

The three of us who stayed at Hotel Toro each had separate rooms. One of our party had a double room which, although dated was quite spacious, and certainly not as dated as the single room I stayed in. This however was luxurious in comparison to my friend's single room which was like something out of a concentration camp!

My room (which I think was room 2) was small but very clean. The furniture was dated and tired and the hairdryer was very odd - i'd taken my own which I was glad about since the contraption in the bathroom looked like it had been put in in 1960. The bed wasn't uncomfortable but it was very narrow, even for a single bed. I did however have a tiny balcony with a fully opening door to let in the light/air and the room had air conditioning (although you have to ask for the remote control from reception - no charge) and a TV with some English channels. The bathroom was compact but very clean with a stand-up shower. I would not recommend the room for a large person though, the shower unit was very 'snug' and i'm a small woman!

Although I didn't stay in my friend's room I feel I should mention it since I think it shows that standards at the Hotel Toro vary somewhat. I think she was in room 5. It was another single room, again very clean and with air conditioning, TV and ancient hairdryer. The furniture in her room was equally dated but whereas my room was light and airy hers had no balcony and was very dark and dingy. The worst part for me was the bathroom in this room which appeared to be a 1960's version of a wet-room - there was no shower tray, just a showerhead and curtain - I imagine that most items in the bathroom would get wet when the shower was in use, including the loo paper, given that the space was absolutely tiny!

Breakfast was provided as part of the package at the Hotel Toro. It was a simple affair either taken inside or on the small hotel patio (which was quite pretty). There were a selection of cereals, yoghurts, cheeses, ham, bread and danish pastries and cakes on offer (all self-service) and coffee/tea made to order. I thought it was fine.

All in all the Hotel Toro is very basic and not somewhere i'd choose to visit again but as a base for attending a wedding or even a cheap place to sleep when exploring Ravello and the surrounding areas it was fine. We had fairly decent weather when we visited and lots of sightseeing to do so spent very little time in the hotel but I would imagine that if the weather were bad you would not want to spend much time in your room at the Hotel Toro! If you are after luxury I would recommend the Hotel Caruso - beautiful!

Ravello itself is absolutely outstanding, the views are magnificent and the locals very friendly. I recommend a visit to Villa Cimbrone, Villa Rufolo and Mama Agata's cookery school. I will definitely return to Ravello and the Amalfi coast one day!