Hotel Metropole Taormina

The city was breathtakingly beautiful, but the weekend crowds made walking almost impossible and the noise made sleep difficult. I completely understand that I'm part of the over-tourism as a tourist myself, but Taormina didn't feel relaxing, and its charm felt lost. If you've saved and planned for a luxury five-star trip expecting a certain experience, I'd suggest a day visit rather than several nights. The Metropole is central and has some wonderful staff, but the establishment itself didn't feel like a five-star experience and the high price wasn't justified. The views were excellent, as were Lucia and Angelique at the front desk, Maria who arranged tours, Enza at the bar, Peppino (Giuseppe Russo) in the restaurant, and Sebastiano at breakfast and the other Sebastiano at dinner. Maria's complimentary tour was a must, thoughtful and full of fascinating history. We were generously upgraded to a beautiful oceanfront suite for our four-night stay, with a breathtaking view. Still, the room smelled strongly of sewerage for the first two days, and the infinity pool, though stunning, wasn't heated and was too cold to enjoy in late September. Breakfast was stressful with my gluten- and dairy-free requirements: on Day 1 I was incorrectly told our package didn't include à la carte, I had to explain my dietary needs every day, and one morning I waited over an hour for eggs. I appreciated Peppino's effort to resolve it. If you go, book an ocean-view room, that's what made the stay worthwhile.

The service, food, drinks, and accommodations all exceeded what we expected. Amber at reception and Vincenza, our server, were amazing from day one, and the staff were great with suggestions and travel plans. We'll definitely come back.

We had a lovely aperitivo at Hotel Metropole Taormina. Enza was so welcoming and kind, and even offered extra prosecco. Beautiful atmosphere and great service. Highly recommend.

Trying to have lunch during the awful weather on Saturday 27th September 2025 turned into a confusing disappointment. First we were told we could sit near reception and asked for menus, then a brown-haired female staff member wearing a Gucci belt said we weren't due to tour and sent us downstairs to the other restaurant. That one was closed because of the rain. The same staff member then said we could sit somewhere else on the upstairs terrace, before another male staff member told me food wasn't possible. From start to finish it was a mess, with mixed messages and not what I'd expect from a hotel of this calibre.