We loved our stay in this delightful small hotel. Staff were friendly and very helpful. The location was perfect. The room was small, but was very clean and had a gleaming updated bathroom. The breakfasts were substantial, with choices to suit varied European and North American tastes. We stayed during the shoulder season so we thoroughly enjoyed our balcony over the Corso Umberto; it was never too noisy, and provided a fascinating place to sit and relax and watch the world stroll by. The street is lined with great shops and restaurants of all kinds, and it was an easy walk to all the sites of Taormina.

We arrived by train/bus so didn't have to worry about parking, but we did have a little trouble finding the hotel initially (a lovely American couple came to our rescue.) After you have been there one night, however, you will not be able to understand why you found it confusing. Taormina is a small, walkable town, and getting lost is difficult.

Taormina has a very different flavour from the rest of Sicily. We are glad we made a stop there, and we are sure to return---but make sure this isn't your only experience of the island!

Aside from the usual (amazing) sites, we climbed over 700 steps to a castle on a hill above the town, and on another day walked a little below the town to the public gardens. We would highly recommend both these activities. Also, get up before 7 one morning and walk down the Corso Umberto to the look-off---you will be rewarded with a view of Etna without her usual cloud-top.

We stayed at the hotel for 2 nights in May 2011. The location is perfect, right on the main walking/shopping street. Easy to walk to pastry shops, restaurants, the Greek Theatre, the gondola down to the beach and anything else you might be interested in. This hotel was much cheaper than all options I could find for hotels of similar quality. Although I wouldn't say this was a "fancy" hotel it was just what we needed as a base to explore beautiful Taormina. They have free wifi, beds were comfortable, and it was very clean. Our bathroom was very spacious as well (though we had a corner room which seemed like it may have been bigger than other standard rooms). We highly recomended this place.

All staff were really friendly and helpful with everything. Rooms comfortable and clean. Hotel reception ideally situated in middle of main busy vibrant street that doesn't sleep until late evening. Rooms appear to be behind street not on to it so not noisy. Hotel takes a bit of finding due to narrow streets & one way system. Parking limited so make sure you reserve it. Bus & train services easier than using car after initial parking.

Victoria is more of a hotel than a b&b with 4 floors of rooms, some with balconies, situated right on the pedestrian street corso umberto ii closer to the Messina arch. The couple of hotel parking spots were full so we had to park in the Lumbi car park (14 eur per day) and take the free shuttle to the Messina arch. But you have to ask the desk for a voucher which gives you 20 pct off. It was not mentioned on arrival.

The location was great for exploring Messina. You could pop back in and put at will and cool off for lunch, change for dinner, drop off shopping etc. But there is no pool, no lobby, and no fridge so it's not a great place to hang out.

The breakfast was a basic continental, croissant, ham, salami, cheese, prepackaged yogurt, cereal, juice and espresso. Had better at b&bs in Amalfi and Sorrento. Some fruit would have been nice. The apples were dried out balls of nasty flesh.

The rooms were very clean and air conditioned. But the bed had the hardest mattress I've ever felt. Even though our room 123 was on the main walk street, noise was minimal. There was a tiny view to the Greek theater but no balcony. The tv was a joke, so small and high it was worthless, but I guess you aren't supposed to be hanging out in the room. Free Wifi was just installed which was very nice but slow. The bathroom was spotless but had the smallest shower shower that made for some contortions in cleaning. But at least there was no moldy grout or nasty shower curtain.

The staff was friendly, helpful and super sweet speaking Ng English, German, and of course Italian. This place is probably best for a young couple, with few bags to carry, that will be drinking late and eating out all day. If you can't walk or have a child there are probably better choices. We paid 95 eur per night.

Taormina is a beautiful city with wonderful architecture, a vibrant passageata scene, but expensive for food. Bam bar does have a wonderful granita for 3.50 eur and the xxx near there has decent lower priced fare on a nice quiet piazza. The tiramisu closer at the Messina arch has a great veal scallopene in lemon cream sauce (see my review there). There's a supermarket outside the south arch. The villa zuccaro on piazza del carmine looked like a fantastic quiet spot but only open for dinner. Bar turrisi in castlemola has a great view (and fantastic large insalata mista!) with crazy sexual decorations. Worth the drive, bus, (long) hike. Mount etna is worth the drive and a day hike on the mountain. Check with the ti in linguaglossa. The Greek theater wasn't worth the 8 eur after having seen Pompeii. I heard Syracuse was way better.