We stayy here in October 2011.
Our room whilst small for a 4 star hotel was well appointed with a superb view up the Sicilian coast.
The hotel service was excellent.
The buffet breakfast had lots of choice and the food was very good.
The gardens are extensive.
A great pool with a bar and snack service but be aware it is 179 steps down to it AND 179 steps back up to reception!
The hotel is one of fading grandeur and does need some updating.

The positives - about a ten minute walk into the centre of Taormina so you can benefit from the quiet of the outskirts but have a nice stroll after dinner. The position overlooking the bay and sea is excellent. The room was clean.

Unfortunately is the end of the positives!

This hotel is very dated and is in real need of some expenditure - rooms are shabby and lack character. Bathrooms are dated and ours had mould around the bath tub. Showers are weak and ours kept running hot then cold. Towels are thread bare.

The gardens are fairly neglected as is the pool area - for example, the pool showers were never cleaned during our stay, mosaic tiles had fallen off the showers, mirrors never cleaned, plants not tended.

Service - with the exception of the guy who tended the pool and Vincenzo, the staff were surly and in some cases rude - we began to wonder why the reception staff ever went into the hospitality industry! We appreciate the reasons for not providing irons however many hotels are only too happy to supply one, however we were charged for laundering clean clothes even though we specifically asked for them to be pressed. Staff in the breakfast room were slow to serve, slow to refresh the buffet and never smiled. Prices in the bar and pool were expensive.

the sad thing is this could be such a beautiful hotel with some investment and staff who want to provide good customer service.

Not good value for money. We would not recommend.

Negative points- The walls of the rooms are so thin that you can hear people next door breathing,using the toilet..
Rooms also very old style, in badly need of refurbishment.
Swimminpool closes at 5.30, just when you want to use it more after coming from the beach, lots of steps to get to it too.
Positive-Amazing view of Taormina from the top rooms and a very good breakfast if compared with most of the hotels in Italy.

Checked in last minute just by driving by. Were quoted €200 for the night. Found out the next day on booking.com that they were charging €300 for 3 nights!! Staff were really rude and completely unhelpful. I asked about an iron or ironing service and just got no and no again. No explanation. Came back again and asked a different member of staff and was told that I could ask the maid if I liked in the morning but not where to find her or what time was told he didn't know. Also €10 per night to park. Lovely view and room was spacious but because of staff's attitudes would not recommend.