Grand Hotel San Pietro Taormina - Preferred Hotels & Resorts

A great massage at the spa, and the bartender was super friendly and made a great negroni. The grounds are beautifully landscaped, with spectacular views. Our room was clean and attractive, and breakfast was substantial and delicious. The meals we had at the pool and restaurant were delicious too. An excellent hotel.

The refund did eventually come through, and Virginia later called to hear what had happened. She was kind and patient, explained the hotel’s refund process clearly, and her concern was appreciated. If we’d spoken with her when the problem first came up, I think the stress could have been avoided. I’d give Virginia’s service five stars, but my one-star rating for the experience at the time still stands. We had booked one room for six nights in July the previous year for €7500. The first payment was flagged by our bank as possible credit card fraud because of the high amount, so they ran checks and temporarily stopped the card. When we tried the payment again, it went through and the hotel confirmed the booking. Later, I found two charges of €7500 on different days. When I contacted the hotel, they weren’t helpful. They insisted we’d booked two rooms, though we had booked for two people and had received no second confirmation. They initially refused to refund the extra charge. It took many calls and the bank getting involved before they returned the money. We got little reassurance or apology for the time and hassle involved, which was very disappointing. For a booking here, I’d suggest using a travel agent rather than booking directly.

Every part of the stay felt luxurious, and the staff were the real highlight. Housekeeping, the restaurant team, guest relations and reception all gave wonderful service. Nothing let us down, and we’d happily come back. Highly recommend.

The team made our proposal feel easy and special, and the setting was wonderfully romantic, with breathtaking views. It felt like something out of a fairytale. I proposed to my fiancée here, and it’s a memory we’ll carry for the rest of our lives. A real gem for a proposal.