TiO2 dot and rod shaped colloidal nanocrystals (NCs) prepared by an hydrolytic colloidal route and capped with different surfactants have been spin coated onto gold substrates and onto quartz slides. Morphological, structural and optical characterization of the colloidal NCs and the thin films has been performed by means of Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and UV-VIS spectroscopy. Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) has been used as optical transduction method to test the sensing ability of the prepared films for alcohols vapours detection as a function of NC shape, capping molecule and thermal treatment.