Villa San Leonardo

Calling this a spa is misleading, since there isn't one, even though the ad says there is. The room is tiny, and with other guests around there's no privacy at all. This is a house being used as a guesthouse, not a B&B. The authorities should check places like this more often.

We had breakfast outdoors in the garden each morning, and the owner was meticulous and very attentive. He also arranges excursions. It's a good choice if your expectations are modest. The place is quiet, in a residence with a lovely panoramic outlook that takes in the sea, and parking right in front. It's not far from the coast. Rooms are cleaned every day, and the sheets are changed every three days. I recommend it!

We stayed at Villa San Leonardo for a weekend a few weeks ago and came away disappointed. There was no real breakfast area, and the setup was poor with very little food to choose from. The owner had us pick breakfast the night before on a completely worn-out piece of paper. The options were toast, honey, or a plain croissant. Nutella or jam could be taken separately from boxes, one for each croissant. That's it. There was no privacy in the room, either on the balcony or indoors. Ours connected to the next room, and we could tell when their light was on or off. Worse, we heard every noise and conversation. The B&B is in an apartment block, where neighbors can see guests in the pool. The water was dirty, almost green, and looked as if it hadn't been maintained to a basic guest-service standard. I wouldn't recommend staying here.

Nunzio was so kind and helpful, and gave us lots of tips on places to visit and how to get there. He was attentive to what guests needed, and we enjoyed chatting with him about all sorts of things. He even reminded me to check the room before we left, which saved us from forgetting some belongings. Thank you, Nunzio. You're a 10, and we'll definitely be back. The location was peaceful and handy for visiting Catania, Taormina, and the area around them. Check-in time was flexible, as long as we let them know. Our room was clean and had all the comforts and amenities we needed. The balcony view was lovely, with Taormina, the sea, and a sea of lemon trees, especially charming at this time of year. The bathroom was great, with a big anteroom containing a sink and mirror. We had breakfast in the well-kept garden. They ask at check-in what you'd like, then prepare it fresh in the morning with quality ingredients. The croissants were warm and fresh, and clearly artisanal, not frozen ones from a bar. I liked that they were plain so everyone could fill them as they wanted.