Casa Aurora

When we raised the problems and asked for another place to stay, Giuseppe said there wasn't anywhere else available and that he'd fix things. He came back the next morning without tools, carrying only a fan to put by the hole in the wall. That wouldn't have kept the outside out. I ended up covering the opening with bits of a lint roller as makeshift tape. When we mentioned the ants, he said they just “lived there” and weren't his responsibility. Later, he repeatedly banged on our door and demanded our IDs. We asked why he needed them, since we'd already seen him twice and check-in was clearly over. He initially wouldn't explain and just went down the stairs. Booking.com representatives handling our complaint confirmed that, in Europe, guests can't legally be required to hand over their IDs in this context. He kept insisting, and as two women traveling together, we felt unsafe. We only got him to leave us alone after saying we'd call the police while we packed to go. The room itself was the worst place I've stayed in across many hotels, Airbnbs, and B&Bs in different countries, and the reviews don't reflect what we found. There were small ants all over the counters and bug traps in several corners. The shower had only a handheld spout, with no shower head, so washing was difficult. The air conditioner was installed about two feet from the bed and blew cold air right at my face. There was no way to turn it down; it was either stiflingly hot or blasting directly on us. Big holes in the wall also left the room open to bugs or small animals from outside, as shown in the photos.

We had a good stay and liked the salty breakfast. The flat is on a quiet street, which isn't common in Sicily, though the building itself can be noisy. The balcony view is nice, and there are wineglasses here too! For parking, you can leave your car on the street at your own risk, or use the lot about 100m uphill. We had some trouble with the wifi and lock, but the host did everything he could to help quickly. A wifi repeater would be a good addition, and a microwave would come in handy.

This apartment worked well for our kids. Whenever we asked for information, the host replied kindly. His map showing the routes from Casa Aurora to Taormina's main places to visit was especially helpful.

We stayed at Casa Aurora in February and felt very comfortable there. Giuseppo was kind and ready to help with whatever we needed. The rooms are lovely, the view is beautiful, and breakfast was good. We'll definitely come back ❤️