Best Luxury Hotels in Taormina

A former Dominican monastery, this 15th-century palazzo has been converted into a hotel, with views of the Mediterranean Sea, Mount Etna and its lush gardens. The double Michelin-starred Principe Cerami restaurant, serving exquisite Sicilian menus curated by Etna-born chef Massimo Mantarro, enjoys a romantic setting and is a real highlight of any stay here. Further amenities include a bar and a lounge, a large outdoor swimming pool, a fitness centre and a spa offering treatments using organic products. The San Domenico Palace is within walking distance from the historic centre.

Over a century old, this elaborate and effortlessly classy villa first belonged to a Cornish native. Found in the seaside suburb of Taormina, it has direct access to a private beach and charming views from the wrought iron balconies. Inside you’ll find Baroque artwork, marble staircases and room scents by Ortigia. There’s a kids club and programme of themed activities for the bambinos, watersports onsite, a spa and a terrace restaurant. Guests also have access to its sister hotel, the Grand Hotel Timeo, in Taormina itself (a free shuttle bus will whisk you there in moments).

Set within the Isola Bella Nature Reserve, this luxurious resort features its very own beach club, meaning that guests will find it very easy to enjoy their time in the sun. The resort underwent a full refurbishment in 2016 and guests are sure to love the modern amenities, which include the award-winning Expire Spa featuring a Turkish bath, Jacuzzi and a selection of skin treatments, the onsite Fusion Restaurant and more than 200 sun loungers set right on the sand. There are just 58 guestrooms and three large suites, which means that guests at La Plage Resort are treated to plenty of privacy and a feeling of intimate decadence that is absent from larger establishments. Taking the cable car down the side of the hill to reach the town centre is an enchanting experience that guests who have a strong sense of adventure will not want to miss.

Walking through the grounds and up the steps to the main doors of the Ashbee Hotel feels like wandering through the pages of a classic English novel and the illusion is perfectly maintained throughout the establishment. In terms of style, the rooms are decorated in soft grey and silver tones that are perfectly accented by royal purple furnishings for a real taste of decadent class, while the grounds are set with stone statues and gently bubbling fountains. Guests will want to make sure that they book early in order to secure one of the 25 rooms and suites and the hotel is so majestic that simply sitting down to dinner feels like a grand affair.

Set on a clifftop on the edge of Taormina, the Excelsior Palace Hotel provides guests with a first-rate experience combined with plenty of luxurious and stylish touches. Couples are sure to love dining on the terrace after dark as the waves crashing on the beach provide a natural backdrop combined with the glittering lights of the town that stretches along the curving bay. Each of the hotel’s 85 rooms are extremely elegant and provides guests with exclusive touches such as large beds and bathrooms, while those who want to enjoy the best should opt for a suite with views of Mount Etna.