Grand Hotel Timeo, A Belmond Hotel, Taormina — Hotel in Taormina

Timeo benefits from a prime location. Its a pretty hotel and grounds, adjacent to everything in Taormina (but quiet) and the views are as good as it gets. The rooms were also terrific.

Like others have mentioned, the staff by and large are not world class. Its all a bit awkward and unnecessarily formal. They seem nervous all the time. I think you see the beautiful classic hotel and the architecture and grounds and you expect the staff to match and it just doesn’t. The weren’t “bad” by any stretch, there’s just no personality or connection. A couple of the guys at the beach and pool were better, particularly Angelo at the beach and Alfredo at the pool. On the other end of the spectrum was the goon manning the front door who’s name I won’t mention (lets call him Lurch). He had a threatening stare and would more or less block the entrance every time we came in until I explained to him that Im a guest. Even after coming in an out several times a day for several days (our room was in the separate building), he couldn’t remember that we were guests. Then at check-out he hovered on us like a deranged fly trying to get a tip. That is not who you want at the front of house.

The beach was terrific but getting there is annoying. There’s a 10 minute shuttle ride, which is totally fine, but theres one shuttle every half hour and you have to RESERVE it all the time, there and back. It was constantly booked during our stay in the end of June. Who knows exactly when you want to leave AND return from the beach days in advance???? Of course people also reserve spots but when their plans change they dont cancel, so the shuttle often isnt full even though the concierge thinks it is. Its a bad system. We just paid for a cab sometimes or took the cable car which is actually really convenient (short walk from the hotel and lands across the street from the beach).

Breakfast just kind of sucked (apart from the best setting you can imagine). It’s the same 4 pastries every single day, standard eggs, or pancakes and a couple of cheeses and meats that you can buy at any grocery store in America. This was a bummer, its such an easy thing to improve.

Despite the specifics above I’d still recommend Timeo because of the beautiful architecture and grounds, the unbelievable views of Etna, the location (right next to all the shopping and dining, the theatre, the Villa Comunale and the cable car), and the excellent pool and beach. We didn’t go in the four seasons, but walked past it; I could be wrong but I don’t think the location or views are on the same...

We recently visited Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo in Taormina for drinks. While the hotel itself is stunning, the service experience we received was not aligned with the standards expected from a 5-star property, especially one associated with Belmond and the LQ (Leading Quality) standards of luxury hospitality.

My husband had called the day before (Friday) to make a reservation at the bar, but was informed that bookings are not accepted and only walk-ins are allowed. We therefore arrived on Saturday around 6:30 pm, three of us (my sister, my friend, and myself). Upon arrival, the hostess kindly welcomed us, but told us the terrace was full and offered us a table inside.

To our surprise, the table had only two chairs. My sister and I ended up sharing one chair, and despite staff noticing, no one offered to bring us a third chair. For a property under the Belmond brand, and one that claims 5-star service, this lack of basic hospitality was very disappointing.

After half an hour, we were finally seated on the terrace and our order was taken. The bartender was professional, explained the drinks nicely, and the complimentary gourmet arancini was a pleasant touch. The hostess and the chef outside were also attentive and warm. Unfortunately, the positives stopped there.

When we asked a waiter if someone could give us a quick tour of the hotel — something we have always experienced in other luxury hotels, including Belmond in London — the response was simply: “I am busy, not possible, ask reception.” This was blunt and unprofessional. At reception, the answer was that the garden tours are reserved for in-house guests only, with availability only on Tuesdays (though free of charge). The way this was communicated made us feel like second-class guests, which is the opposite of what luxury hospitality should embody.

Overall, while the drinks, terrace view, and a few members of staff (bartender, hostess, chef) were excellent, the overall service experience was disorganized and inconsistent. Instead of feeling welcomed, we left disappointed and undervalued something that should never happen at a Belmond property.

Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo remains a stunning venue, but staff training is urgently needed to ensure service matches the brand’s reputation for world-class...

Our stay was wonderful from when we first stepped on the property to the moment when we left. The property is beautiful with an amazing view, scenic grounds and excellent common spaces. The rooms are fairly nice. They have lots of character, plenty of storage (which many hotels don’t have nowadays) and nice bathrooms though the junior suites are much nicer than the deluxe rooms. A minor refresh might be of benefit. The pool is great- heated with plenty of chairs, responsive attendants and wonderful views. It is fairly easy to get to the beach (worth doing at least once) at their sister property which is a nice change of pace. Breakfast is great. Though there are plenty of items available at the buffet (including pastries that look like they are from a patisserie), they make many items to order. Dinner at both restaurants (Otto Gelang and Timeo) was excellent (tho at one point the staff at Timeo seemed a little overwhelmed- a minor hiccup). Additionally, during the stay, there are always little treats peppered throughout the day which are nice surprises. ||What really sets the hotel apart and why we are eager to return, however, is the service. Almost every member of the staff that you encounter makes a point of making sure that your needs are met and that you feel well taken care of- from the porters, front desk, concierge to the pool attendants. Everyone knows your name by the second day. When we forgot something in the car from the airport, the staff went out of their way to make sure we got it back quickly. When our plans at our next destination changed, they called to rearrange the reservations we had made. All in all the service was basically flawless and the reason why we already making plans for a...