Hotel Isola Bella — Hotel in Taormina

Hotel Isola Bella from the outside invokes skepticism. When you look on it, isolated on a busy main road, paint peeling on the outside, with its dusty driveway, we initially thought “what have we gotten ourselves into?”. However, this skepticism was immediately punctured by the helpful and smiley gentleman behind the desk, despite the late hour. Providing us with our key (obviously), and a map pointing out the local amenities, the pattern of friendly staff never waned, with every member at the desk smiling and very happy to help, answering questions or collecting our keys. Their positivity was without a doubt a highlight of our hotel experience.||The room itself is simple, and whilst some may say ‘dated’, we thought it was full of character. If you want to distance yourself from anything Sicilian, pick another whitewashed boring hotel; there are plenty. The room, whilst small, contains all necessary amenities (mini fridge, kettle etc) and ample storage (multiple drawers, wardrobe). Similarly, whilst the bathroom was not flashy, it was always clean, and certainly did the job. We stayed in a double bed (two singles stuck together) which was comfy enough to leave us struggling to get out of bed in the morning. Although we linked our room, the balcony situation was slightly disappointing. Asking for a sea view room is a must - the small space would be entirely forgotten if the view of Isola Bella was available at the same time. Otherwise, enjoy your view of the maintenance area and some steps.||The swimming pool and sunbeds were faultless. It was a large pool with a shallow area for children or those wishing to sunbathe, as well as a spacious standard pool. We went in late July, the start of the summer holidays in Britain, and not once did we struggle to get a sun bed. They were comfortable, came with visors for shade if needed. By the pool were two seemingly recently renovated bathrooms, that were very clean and arguably nicer than the bathrooms in your room. On top of this, we were allowed to use the pool after our checkout at 11am. The view of the sea was nothing short of spectacular, as the pool was elevated and overlooked the aptly named Isola Bella (beautiful island).||To expand on this, Isola Bella (the local beach) nearby is an enormous bonus. Whilst the road is quite treacherous with an almost literal painful lack of pavement, and the steps down to the beach are arduous, it is worth it to bask in such close proximity to the stunning island. Outside of Isola Bella, the options of genuine Sicilian cuisine are limited (we recommend AI Paladino, the little kiosk opposite it, and La Marina). If you don’t like seafood, you will probably struggle. If you are patient, you can take the cable car to Taormina, a roughly ten minute walk from the hotel (along that scary road!). Avoid the cable car any later than 6 o’clock, as it will be very busy for the rush hour. Instead, go around 5, or get an Uber/Taxi, and enjoy the scenic route. It is not difficult to get lost in time in Taormina, and leaving early will be worth it to see the streets before the hungry stampede arrives. The cable car is a €10 return ticket, or €6 each way.||Overall, Hotel Isola Bella would definitely be recommended. Its quaint charm contributed massively to our search for a quintessential Sicilian experience. It is not a luxury 5 star resort - but why would you want that here anyway? The beds are comfy, the pool is lovely, and the views are stunning. The very few downsides lie almost entirely in its location rather than its service. The road can be quite daunting, and unless you are willing to pay for Ubers/taxis you may find yourself in some heart racing encounters with buses and cars. We managed with it for a week, and whilst it was certainly an issue, neither of us ended up in hospital and the holiday was still amazing. The charm and humility that the hotel provides is immersive, and you will find yourself waving goodbye to a genuine Sicilian service on your last day. We...

We had an absolutely wonderful stay at Hotel Isola Bella — this gem deserves far more than its current 3-star rating!||The views are breathtaking, and I’d absolutely recommend paying extra for the sea view — waking up to that sparkling blue water is worth every cent. Breakfast each morning was beautiful, with plenty of fresh choices and something to suit everyone. After eating, it’s lovely to stroll along the road and enjoy the many local cafés and restaurants just minutes from the hotel.||The location is perfect. It’s only a five-minute walk to the cable cars up to Taormina town, but take our advice: wear light clothing and good shoes, especially in summer. (We tried walking up on our first night — let’s just say we won’t underestimate that hill again!) The famous Isola Bella beach is directly below the hotel via a set of steps, with incredible views and some great restaurants right on the water.||A special highlight was spending three of our five days at Lido Pigna beach club. Their beach beds were the most comfortable we found (30 euros per bed, great value), and their food was absolutely delicious.||Most of all, we have to say a huge thank you to the fabulous staff that work around the clock at this fantastic hotel. Giuseppe, Francesco, and Valeria went above and beyond to make our stay memorable, and even our cleaner Rita greeted us every morning with a beautiful smile. It’s rare to feel so genuinely cared for. Nothing was ever too much, they remembered our names, & we felt so safe here. You never have to worry about your key, you hand it in at reception which is open 24/7. I stayed here with my best friend & we both said we’d 100% book this place again if we came back. ||If you’re looking for a great location, wonderful service, and unforgettable views, look no further than Hotel Isola Bella. Taormina alone is one of the most stunning places I’ve ever visited. ||During our 5 night stay, we booked the wine tasting tour near Etna (on get your guide) which we’d absolutely recommend if you enjoy scenic views up in the mountains over the vineyard… we visited many restaurants around the Piazza XI where you’re spoilt for choice, I never had a bad experience anywhere. Loved loved loved this...

The hotel is tired and in desperate need of a refurb. Rooms are very simply decorated. With very basic amenities. Kettle, tea coffee supplied in room. But no milk which doesn't bother me personally. But 2 paper cups is a bit of a joke, no glasses at all, even in bathroom. Daily maid service. Plastic furniture on a small balcony, sea or pool building facing. Ok WiFi throughout, ok aircon in rooms. Water pressure in shower is rubbish. Our son had a separate 1 person room which was a joke, he could hardly fit in the shower and he had to sleep with his legs bent as the bed was so small. If using the toilet your feet wer in the shower area. Breakfast room is OK, food is consistently the same, no variation at all. Bar is all but non existent, open about an hr in afternoon, and if the guy on reception is about at night. Poor selection of drinks. Alot of unbranded spirits. Served mainly in pint glasses.|Staff are very helpful and eager to help. |Outside of the building is very tired, flaky paint, you'll notice if looking at hotel from the pool area that the external wall has been painted from each balcony as far as the painter could stretch, . As said it needs to be either greatly renovated or bulldozed and rebuilt.|We stayed here for a week which was a bit long, a long weekend would have been enough, the report only has a few restaurants and the beach is accessed by about 200...