This hotel (which is over a hundred years old) has a slightly old-world elegance with wonderul gardens, swimming pool and outlook towards both the sea and Mount Etna. Our room was very spacious with generous storage and a shower more powerful than any I have previously come across in a hotel (room 022 - oddly, next to the room where a previous reviewer complained of the low pressure in the shower!). The room gave us views across both the gardens and Mount Etna. The air con was swithched off at night which was a bit of an irritation and be warned that you need to make provision for mosquitos - I got several impressive bites. Having said that, the hotel staff were happy to supply a plug-in mosquito repellent when asked.

The location of the Hotel is perfect - just at the start of the Corsa Umberto, so that it could not have been easier to take an after dinner stroll each evening down this wonderfully atmospheric pedestrian street. The Hotel is also ideally located for exploring the whole of Taomina and Castelmola.

Food was good overall, with 4 courses available at dinner. Staff were pleasant and generally efficient although we did have a couple of 'Manuel' moments at meals... The bar area and the interconnecting lounges were lovely and the 'extras' served with pre-dinner drinks a very nice touch.

The swimming pool was theoretically closed but my husband was told he could use it and there were towels available in the pool area. He felt the pool was very impressive for a hotel in terms of both length and depth, and it was certainly situated to make the most of the views.

I can definitely recommend this hotel, though B & B might be better than Half Board if you want to sample the best of Sicilian cuisine.

We stayed for a week having booked through Citalia. The views from the hotel are wonderful, stretching north and south along the coast with Etna rising magnificently inland. The main street of Taormina, Corso Umberto, starts at the front of the hotel but as you also look down from the patio onto the Autostrada there is significant traffic noise. Our room, 021, was on the corner of the ground floor with two windows and a narrow balcony, so we had a stunning outlook. The bathroom needed up-dating with miserable hot-water pressure in the shower and inadequate safety equipment like a hand rail and anti-slip mat. Brown tiles are rather dismal! Although it was early October it was warm at night and the AC went off about 3.00 a.m. and we didn't feel safe leaving the window open as it would have been possible for someone to have gained access along the balcony.
We wished that we hadn't had to accept half-board as the food was a real let-down. On most days the vegetables that came with the main dish had been frozen (there was a warning on the menu) and were so soggy and tasteless they were inedible. In addition the deserts had been plated for so long that it was possible to tip the plate vertically and neither the cake nor the sauce moved - they were stuck fast. This is in a country renowned for its fresh seasonal food - marks 0/10.

Helpful, polylingual staff; comfortable, decent-sized room, good breakfast, lovely swimming pool - big enough actually to swim in, and to top it all direct views of Etna gently smoking away from the room window.
If one wanted to cavil, then the balcony is quite small, and there is no parking (but the multistorey carpark is not far away). But these are a small price to pay.
We didn't eat in the restaurant, so can't comment on food.

Old fashioned courtesy and service in a wonderful location. Our room faced Etna with a side view to Giardini .Change of bedding every other day. Lovely pool area. Good choices of local dishes in the restaurant. We were very well looked after !
Out and about the main steet of the town is yards away, is flat and an easy half hours stroll to the opposite end with plenty of distractions. If you are nimble try the path from the Wednesday market via Saracen Gate up to Castelmola. Or the path down to the railway station off Via Roma. And only € 3.95 each way to Catania and Messina by train.