Just before we travelled to Sicily a friend advised us to change our booking and stay in Taormina itself...we were so glad we didn't heed their advice!!

This hotel is on a small private beach with great views of the sea. To be able to walk down to the beach after (or before!) breakfast and swim in the sea was absolutely glorious. The beach shelves quickly once in the water so not good for children or the nervous but you can't beat the experience. There's even a small island you can swim to if you need a sense of purpose. The beach attendants are great, providing towels and positioning your sunbed to face the sun and tidying up when you leave. In fact, all of the staff at the hotel were very friendly and helpful from the ladies on reception to the restaurant and bar staff and the maids. That said, saying 'Buongiorno' to everyone was a tad tiring especially on the way to breakfast in the mornings.

We upgraded our room to ensure we had a balcony that looked out onto the bay and we were very glad that we did - the view was stunning. We had an end room which meant we had a wall to the left of our balcony which blocked out the sight of the horrible looking hotels to the left of the Sant Andrea. The room was large and bright with plenty of space with a splendid bathroom with two sinks and a separate bath and shower. It would have been nicer to have a small sofa instead of the table and chairs in the room but it mattered not. The balcony had a small bistro style table and chairs where you could have breakfast but we always preferred to eat on the terrace as the choice and quality of food was fabulous.

At the hotel there is a small gym for anyone wanting to shift any excess poundage from putting away the pasta and pizza plus I would recommend taking the time to look around the terraced gardens which are actually quite lovely - look for the fountain with the dedication stone which gives some history about the previous owners of the villa.

The hotel is larger than you think and you do end up walking quite a long way from one end to the other, especially if you are going from the beach to the swimming pool. I also think that some of the public rooms need more of a sense of purpose but maybe that will come in time -Orient Express have only recently taken over this hotel and the Gran Timeo up in Taormina itself.

Speaking of which, the shuttle bus that runs hourly up to the sister hotel is a great boon for the hotel as you get to travel in comfort as opposed to the cable car which is only across the road from the hotel but you have to pay for it and it can get very crowded. Having drinks on the terrace of the Gran Timeo before heading into Taormina is a treat especially as you get another great view and also a glimpse of Mt Etna.

The hotel is beautifully located, so close yet completely removed from the craziness of Taormina. The quality of the rooms varies greatly - we stayed in a suite for two nights (I believe room 318) and it was worth every penny. Other rooms look dark and they do not necessarily offer views. Avoid the overpriced formal restaurant and sit for lunch in the less formal dining / salad bar area. It has a beautiful view, and it is only a few steps from the beach. They also serve what is possibly the best pizza in Sicily. One defining characteristic of the hotel is its excellent staff - they are polite, attentive, and available - truly some of the best we have found in Italy.

Our first time in Sicily and we cannot wait to come back to Villa Sant'Andrea. The unique location of the sophisticated hotel combined with the gorgeous grounds made our stay very special. The meals were great as were the professional and friendly staff. Great concierge too.

We stayed here for 7 nights for our honeymoon. The location is perfect, away from the tourist trap of Taormina but within 10 minutes so the village is easy to visit for it's many restaurants and shops. The hotel itself is luxurious and very comfortable. The staff are fantastic and so attentive to guests needs. They make such an effort to make the stay unforgettable. I have stayed here before, before the pool was built and it is a much welcome addition to the facilities. We had it to ourselves most days. The food is excellent with a huge choice for breakfast. We didn't dine in the hotel in the evenings as the prices were a little too high in our opinion but the snack bar for lunch is very reasonable with a good choice of items. We can't wait to return here and would highly recommend it!