Residence Terra Rossa

We found the place well equipped and reasonably priced, in a good location, though you'll always have to walk down to reach the cable car. Breakfast was up to a good standard, and the staff were friendly and helpful. The single and sofa bed mattresses were lumpy and uncomfortable and need replacing. There were also a few maintenance issues, like shower heads that need replacing, and the rooms could have been cleaned better.

These villas are fabulous, and the spot is ideal between the beach and the hilltop town. There are hundreds of steps to reach either one. To spare your knees, take the furnicular up and use the stairs on the way down.

We stayed in the three-bedroom apartment with a small private pool, and it was spacious and completely private. Residence Terra Rosa’s is a beautiful, clean place, with great views and really helpful staff. There's air conditioning in every room, which we definitely needed in summer. It's a real gem in Taormina, and I'd highly recommend it to anyone staying there. I don't think I've ever stayed anywhere with views this amazing.

The view is lovely, but that's about where the value ends. Our apartment looked appealing in the photos, yet it felt dated in person, and the bathroom had such a strong damp, moldy smell that we had to leave the window open even in November. We thought the price was far too high for what we got, and I wouldn't recommend the place unless you can get a last-minute discount. The customer service was worse. After we'd been told booking through Booking.com was fine, we asked why our rate there was nearly 80% higher than the price listed on their own site. The owner's daughter dismissed us with a cold “That's not my problem, call Booking.” It felt openly disrespectful, like they were fed up with tourists and simply didn't care. She made no effort to understand, apologize, or offer any goodwill.