Hotel Panoramic

Be prepared for very loud disco music from the beach bar directly across from the hotel. It runs from 10 pm until 1:30 am on weekdays and 3 am on weekends, with a heavy pounding beat. We moved from a good front room with a view to a room at the back; we could still hear the music, but much more quietly. The hotel did what it could, though the beach bar has no connection to it. The hotel is at the start of the bay, with good views towards Taormina and the mountains. Rooms are simple, nicely furnished, and spotless, with a mini fridge for water. Towels are changed daily and bed linen regularly. There’s bright reading light and a TV, but no English channel. The air conditioning isn’t great, and pool or beach towels aren’t provided. Breakfast is continental with fried eggs and bacon. No snacks or light lunches are served during the day.

The room cleaner and front desk receptionists were very nice, and the hotel has a lovely view. But our reservation was a mess: we booked with American Express points for a wedding in Taormina, emailed twice to confirm, and the hotel couldn’t find it. American Express called three times to check, and they hung up on them. The hotel later emailed me to confirm the booking. A nightclub opposite blasts music until 3 AM. Closing the windows doesn’t block it, and with no air conditioning it was swelteringly hot in June. The bed and pillows were uncomfortable too. Each shower left the bathroom flooded from a leak. There’s a hotel bar, but during our six days there was no bartender, so we couldn’t get ice or a cocktail by the pool. I wouldn’t recommend this hotel.

Glad we only stayed one night. The rooms were clean but plain, and there were no extras, not even a bottle of water. Across the street there’s a nightclub that keeps the music going until 4 AM, so you won’t sleep all night. At best, this is a two star hotel. I wouldn’t pay more than $80, it’s not worth it.

The location is superb, and the AC in our room worked fine. We spent two nights after finding a very good price on trip.com. The room was small, clean, and cute, with a balcony facing the back of the hotel, which wasn’t especially pretty. We skipped the pool and breakfast because we wanted to spend our time at the beach. The receptionist was very kind and spoke English, and the woman cleaning rooms in the morning was so sweet and cheerful.