Bellini Inn Deluxe — Hotel in Catania

We booked into the Bellini Inn for our one night in Catania in advance of our return to Rome by train the following morning, influenced by its proximity to Catania’s city center. It was a good choice. At the ring of the bell, we were welcomed by one of the family that owns or manages Bellini Inn and lives in the same building, which appears to be residential apartments. As the hotel was fairly empty during our off-season (early December) visit, our host showed us several rooms and gave us our choice among them. Each room was well-appointed, large and clean, with standard new bathroom facilities. The ceilings are high, guessing around 10-12 feet/3+ meters. The rooms are well lit from sconces and chandeliers. There is a grand breakfast room with two very fine-looking, old sideboards. The entire Inn conveys something of an 1800’s “Grand Tour,” but clean and with good light and contemporary amenities. ||The room we chose somewhat arbitrarily to stay in was very satisfactory. We had requested a simple breakfast (something that may be impossible in Sicily), and we were provided with hard-boiled eggs, cheeses, several different pastries, (store-bought) yogurt, breads and jams, and a selection of fresh fruit, not to mention coffee. Only meat, at our request, was omitted. ||Our host spoke sufficient English and was pleasant and attentive to our needs, including setting us up with a taxi for our morning trip to the rail station. We took his recommendation of a local restaurant, one somewhat back from the main street and serving a local clientele, and were rewarded with a superbly prepared fish from a sea-food oriented menu. ||Bellini Inn Deluxe was a good choice for us and would have been perfect had we been spending more time in Catania, but we had shortened our time in order to extend our stay elsewhere in Sicily. The famous fish market, the Duomo, Via Etna, and the harbor are all close by and there was a lively street life even in this off season. We would stay here again.||We caution against being put off by initial appearances. As is the case for many private homes and B&Bs in the older parts of Italian cities, the entry to Bellini Inn Deluxe, for which signage is modest, is through massive wooden doors with a smaller door cut in. You pass through the smaller door into a large dark entranceway and a courtyard used as a car park, all showing the accumulation of decades. The host who answers the bell, which inauspiciously is one of about a dozen, invites you inside and leads you to the right up two landings of dimly lit stair steps, paint peeling, to another uninspiring door. Once the door opens, though, you find yourself in a setting that evokes the home of a well-off 18th century family or maybe even a Grand Hotel, but with modern, clean furnishings and utilities. It’s an experience that is part of being in the center an old and gritty...

What an amazing place! We stayed in The Pacini Deluxe room and what a room, stunning with marble floors, beautiful luxury bed, lovely furnishings, so very very pretty. We chose this room especially as it had a terrace overlooking the square, lovely at night with a glass of bubbly! Fabio and his partner Christine were amazing from start to finish, couldn’t do enough for us. I had explained to Fabio (through WhatsApp) that I was a coeliac. We arrived at breakfast to find a separate table made up of gluten free bread, biscuits, crackers, cakes etc, we as a couple couldn’t believe the trouble they had gone to, it was amazing and very thoughtful! Breakfast is of great quality too, fresh salamis, ham, cheese, jams, cakes, croissants, fresh warm bread rolls etc . Fabio was brilliant, always smiling and available for anything, loved the way he communicated through his mobile phone translator! Our room was cleaned daily and was immaculate throughout. I can not fault the Bellini Inn, but what makes the place special is Fabio and his hospitality, such a lovely, lovely kind man! Grazie! Will 100% return. One tip though… might be worth considering supplying...

They truly thought of everything! The room was spotless, incredibly comfortable, perfectly located, and full of thoughtful touches—like a soundproof balcony door, blackout sliding doors to keep out the daylight, extra pillows for a great night’s sleep, and plenty of power outlets. Each morning, we were provided with free bottles of water. There was also a kettle, cup and saucers with a selection of teas, a complimentary dish of walnuts and mixed nuts, and a digital heater/air conditioning unit for perfect climate control. Breakfast had a great variety of options and amazing made to order cappuccino/coffees which could be enjoyed on a beautiful terrace. Fabio was exceptionally welcoming and gave us fantastic recommendations for must-see spots around Catania. If you're visiting Catania, this is the only place you should stay!

Only a couple of minor suggestions; The bathroom needs a little more counter space to place your personal toiletries. Maybe a small console table would help. A full length mirror in the room...