Rooms
The hotel’s 44 rooms and 26 suites are divided between the main historic building on the edge of the hillside and the Villa Flora annex to the rear. Of the two, we prefer the rooms in the main building for their spectacular views, which are a real highlight of the property, though the rooms in the Villa Flora are still immaculately presented and offer the height of luxury. The decor throughout is classically elegant in style and offers an air of refined sophistication.
Location
Perched on the hillside, just inside Taormina’s Porta Messina, the hotel is just steps from the Greek Theatre and offers similarly spellbinding views. The main Corso Umberto shopping street can be accessed in less than five minutes on foot and is thronged with charming restaurants and elegant designer boutiques. For those wishing to head down to the beach, there’s a free shuttle bus to the sister property, the Belmond Villa Sant’Andrea, a journey of around ten minutes.
Food and drink
Breakfast is served in the main dining room, which opens out on to the hotel’s stunning Literary Terrace with its panoramic coastal views, and is a sumptuous buffet-style affair. During the day, guests can enjoy a light lunch menu at the pool snack bar, while in the evenings the main restaurant and terrace offer an exclusive fine dining experience, accompanied by live piano music.
Facilities and activities
The hotel offers a wonderful range of facilities including a 24-hour gym, heated outdoor swimming pool and extensive spa complex. Guests can also make use of the free shuttle bus down to the hotel’s sister property, the Belmond Villa Sant’Andrea, which has its own private section of beach exclusively reserved for Belmond clients, and a charming waterfront restaurant. During the summer months the hotel also offers complimentary boat cruises along the coast of Taormina.