Hotel Baia Delle Sirene

The friendly staff, good breakfast, and lovely terrace view were the best parts. In the room, though, water leaked out of the shower and left me with a puddle to clean up. The bathroom cabinet hung at a crooked angle, the air conditioning didn’t work, and there was dust and hair from previous guests on the floor.

Breakfast was very limited, and most of it had run out well before service ended. Getting into the room was slow too, it was an hour past the scheduled check-in time. Several outlets didn’t work, so charging devices was nearly impossible. There was also a strong sewage smell in the bathroom throughout the stay. The cleaning chemicals were extremely harsh, so I wouldn’t recommend this hotel to people with asthma or chemical sensitivities or allergies.

The service was exceptional, and the rooms, bathrooms, and views were great. There’s parking on site for 15 euro per day. A few things to know: breakfast begins at 8, but coffee has to be ordered and made by staff. That can mean a wait when 20 guests are there. On weekdays, the cargo train can wake you at 5:30am, followed by the regular train every half hour. Then at 7:30am, staff start moving tables and chairs on the terrace directly above the rooms.

The location left us feeling stranded. There’s nowhere nearby to eat or shop, parking is a nightmare, and we needed the car to do anything. Taormina town is where the real magic is, or you can go farther away for more peace. Here, it feels like the middle of nowhere without any perks. We left wishing we’d chosen one of the better options for the same price. The view couldn’t make up for the rest, and we regretted booking it. We also couldn’t get much rest. Our room looked nothing like the photos, and its unblinded window made it feel like a tanning salon at sunrise. Staff chatting and dishes clattering in the kitchen added to the noise. The shower flooded the whole bathroom floor every time, so even using the toilet meant stepping in puddles or giving up a pair of socks. Breakfast was decent, and that was the only time we got to enjoy the view. Guests don’t get a discount at the hotel’s own beach club, while other Taormina hotels offer free shuttles from the hilltop to the beach. That made us feel like second-class citizens at the property.