Taormina Hotel Villa Carlotta was our first stop in Sicily. We and another couple stayed there for 3 nights and would not hesitate to recommend this Taormina hotel to anyone. From the moment we arrived we were taken care of. They parked our car for us and organised our luggage. We were taken upstairs to the beautiful terrace overlooking the sea and Mount Etna and we were given prosecco and Sicilian cake. We had junior suites that were large, spacious, well appointed, clean and with lovely views. Nothing was too much trouble for the staff. They were always friendly, helpful and polite without being intrusive. They organised our trip to the beach and we were given bags with beach towels and a driver to take us and bring us home. We looked forward to our breakfast each morning to see the beautiful colourful smorgasbord of fresh food that was on offer. We had a very pleasant dinner at the hotel one night but as we were only a short walk away from the town we ventured out for the other two nights. The pool was small but plenty big enough and with lots of chairs for everyone to relax. There were a few steps down to the pool so maybe not good for somebody with mobility problems. We were definitely sad to leave.

www.hotelvillacarlottataormina.com

www.hotelvillacarlottataormina.com

Having visited Sicily many times and having experienced a wide range of accommodation types, this is the best. Great service, incredibly friendly and helpful staff and a beautiful layout. The food at dinner ,for the 4 nights we stayed there, was of incredibly high standards and the view onto the sea and the surrounding areas was moving. A great place to come with friends, family or even on a romantic honeymoon. The rooms were spotless and the bed very comfortable. The view is to die for and the staff just excellent.Definitely a place I would return to any day.

www.villaducale.com

We visited Taormina Hotel Villa Ducale at the end of November 2011. We had a double room & my father had the single room next door, both facing out over Taormina & with a stunning view of Etna.
On arrival as mentioned in many previous reviews, we were guided on to the sun terrace with a few nibbles & a glass of prosceco. The sun was setting over Taormina & the view was enough for us all to relax immediately. Alessia then came over with a map of Taormina & explained exactly where the walk way into town was located & where the free town shuttle drop off/pick up point was. Where we needed to head for shopping & walks etc.

The hotel is located high above Taormina but the free shuttle bus or main town buses were so easy it was no issue. Though if you are scared of heights, it may be wise to keep your eyes closed, drivers are mental & you feel very close to some impressively steep drops. The walk is not that bad if you are reasonably fit & not afraid of heights but do not consider otherwise.

Rooms were lovely. Quite spacious without being too big. Shower was gorgeous. Decorated traditionally but still modern & with all needs catered for. The mini bar was well stocked & they supplied free bottled water, replenished daily. Lovely terrace to sit out on. The stray cats can be an issue but this is nothing the hotel can control, the cleaning staff will remove any ‘presents’ they leave if you ask…I would suggest that you do not go out bare foot at night time!

The hotel breakfast was plentiful & enough to keep us going until after lunch time. The ladies serving drinks in the morning were very quick to learn what we wanted….tea with cold milk & keep it coming…we are british after all!

We prefered to eat out in the evening as we wanted to explore but ate on the terrace one evening. Paolo offered to get us anything from the market as long as we told him at breakfast what we wanted. I would recommend doing this, the selction they have on the main menu is small & can run out as it is all freshly made . Ordering in the morning guarantees you get what you wanted.

I cannot fault any of the staff. Service was polite & extremely helpful from the moment we arrived to the moment we left. All you have to do is ask!! We were leaving the day they were closing for the season & they were still enthusiastic! If we were to come back to this region, we would definately book here again.

www.villaducale.com

We stayed here for three nights and agree with the other reviewers that the service is the best. We had a junior suite (these are the only rooms with a private balcony). Great to sit and relax and look at the ocean..Extra blanket, pillows, hangers, broken tv, car retrieval, and every other request tended to immediately and with a smile. They offered suggestions for day trips, pizzerias, shopping, etc. The hotel itself is clean, a bit eclectic and about a 10 minute walk to the town. Nice pool and garden.

Breakfast buffet is to die for with a wide range of cold cuts, cheeses, fruits, warm dishes of eggs, bacon, egg plant, quiches, and a table full of mouth watering desserts. Cappucino, teas and juices included, of course! We ate only breakfast and then dinner every day. You eat in the top terrace level with beautiful ocean views.

If you do a day trip to Etna, it is very cold so bring warm clothes! They do sell sweatshirts at the Mt. Not too expensive. On the way back, if you have time, take the curvy backroads to get home. Consider stopping at the Sine Tempore in Castiglione ( see my other review) on the way back for dinner. Buon Viaggio !

www.hotelvillacarlottataormina.com

As my husband says,there are hotels and there are hotels.There are hotels with faceless staff and nondescript furniture that you use as a crash-pad between sight-seeing or business meetings.There are chrome-n-steel hotels with loud,brash decor and loud,brash staff.And then there is the Hotel Villa Ducale in Taormina,where you feel you have come home the minute you step inside the cool terrace.A warm greeting and you are ushered into arguably the most beautiful view I have ever seen.And I consider myself reasonably well -travelled.We went back a second time and had a wonderful time all over again.

Anyone who has seen the film ‘Babette’s Feast’ will have an idea of the extent and variety of breakfast at the Ducale,full of local delicacies:sweet and savoury tarts.breaded aubergines,sloppy peppers,cheeses,cold meats,cakes,fruit,all kinds of juices as well as cereal and bacon and eggs for the less adventurous.

The rooms are beautifully decorated with Sicilian furniture and furnishings,so you feel you’re in Sicily.(In most hotels you could be just about anywhere in the world judging by the decor – homogeneous and dull).We had everything we needed.For anything more,we had only to ask.

Location-wise,the hotel combines the best of both worlds.It is away from the hustle and bustle of the town.The hotel provides a shuttle service at frequent intervals to and from the town.And also to and from two of Taormina’s best beaches.It’s sister hotel,The Carlotta,is in the centre of town so its facilities can be availed of if desired(Swimming Pool,Restaurant etc).

Excursions can be booked at the front desk whether you want a group outing or a private one-it is all arranged,organised and explained thoroughly.People we got talking to in town from other hotels marvelled at how well -informed we were.All credit to the hotel.

The hotel has a very well-stocked book swap and free Internet service.They also have a very well-stocked DVD collection including Sicilian classics such as Baaria,Il Gattopardo(The Leopard),The Godfather Trilogy,etc.

To cut a long story short,we came as travellers,left as friends:came back as friends and left as family.WE WILL BE BACK!!!!!!

In Photo:L to R:Signora Rosaria,Signor Andrea,Nuana,Marena,Dilan,Loredana,Paolo,Lucca and Antonio.Inside tuk-tuk:Ilea and Alessia.Missing because busy:Santina- most amazing cook and Sagar -Formula 1 driver.

www.villaducale.com

We have recently returned to the reality of work in the UK after a one-week stay at Villa Ducale, the best hotel in Taormina and in Sicily so far. It’s not difficult to see why this superb hotel that is managed by wonderful, friendly staff, has earned so many awards. We were overwhelmed by the views from the beautiful terrace (and from our room, one of the rooms marketed as a Classic Room with sea view) and, on several occasions, enjoyed Santina’s freshly prepared Sicilian food for evening meal (accompanied by local Mount Etna wine of course!). On the day when we were not particularly hungry and didn’t want a full meal, lovely Illie (sp?) presented us with a delicious plate of biscuits in his attempt to kick-start our appetites again, temporarily affected by the heat! On our last day at the hotel, Paolo gifted to us a lovely bottle of wine which, sadly, is no longer on the wine rack at home! The memories of this holiday will remain with us for a long time. Please don’t change – because we want to come back in a couple of years or sooner!
Thank you so much for a great holiday in Taormina.
Alison and Ian

www.villaducale.com

We stayed at Hotel Villa Ducale in Taormina, Sicily from 30th August to 6th September 2011. Without doubt it was an experience we would love to repeat!

We arrived at night and were warmly greeted by Luca who, after serving us with a welcome glass of Prosecco, showed us to our room which was No. 23. Our first impression was the wonderful smell in the room. The bathroom was superb, the bed comfortable, the furnishings rustic and it was decorated in typical Sicilian fashion. Our terrace was extremely large with two sun loungers of very high quality, a Sicilian table and two wrought iron chairs. It was gorgeous and we were absolutely delighted to be spending a week in this room.

Our room was cleaned thoroughly every day, we had clean towels and bath mat twice daily and our bed was turned back for us in the evening. What more could you want?

Breakfast is an experience in itself. It is something that you really do not want to miss. The food really is exactly as depicted on the web site EVERY day. There is so much choice and it is all displayed very attractively. We looked forward to breakfast.. We were asked what we would like to drink immediately we arrived on the terrace, such is the high level of service supplied by ALL the staff.

Villa Ducale also provide complimentary cakes and drinks at around 4.00 p.m. every day in an informal atmosphere. From 6.00 p.m. complimentary canapes are served and these really are delicious.

We ate at the hotel. The food is superb – it really is. Everything is cooked to order – there is nothing already made just sitting waiting to be reheated. We enjoyed every single meal and it is cheaper to eat at the hotel than in Taormina and the food is better. In the evening the terrace is illuminated by candle light. Tea lights are lit on every table and there are lanterns of various sizes everywhere. It really is a wonderful sight and adds to the ambience. We loved it!

Paolo is the Manager of this hotel and he performs his role to perfection. ALL the staff are proud of Villa Ducale and it shows. It is very much a team spirit. Ilie’s main role is waiter and he definitely goes the extra mile to ensure that guests’ every need is met. He has a wonderful sense of humour and enjoys talking with the guests and definitely added that special something to our dining experience.

Absolutely everything is provided before you have even thought about it by Paulo and his team.

The trip to Mount Etna to view the sunset is well worth doing and, again, the staff at Villa Ducale are more than happy to arrange this for you.

Give it a try, all the complimentary reviews are true there is no more which we can add except to say thank you to everyone at Villa Ducale for a most memorable week and we cannot wait to stay with you again.

www.villaducale.com

We stayed at the Taormina hotel Villa Ducale from 15th August to 23rd August. A transfer from the airport was arranged for us by the hotel. We arrived very late on a flight from Gatwick and the staff greeted us with a glass of Prosecco and invited us to sit down and take in the views. The following morning Paolo spent some time with us explaining the local area and where to go & what to see. We decided to take a walk into town down the steps which although it was very hot was very enjoyable. We spent some time in Taormina and then decided to walk back up. It was very hot and I wouldn’t recommend doing this in the height of Summer! The following day we decided to take the courtesy shuttle into town and back as this is a free service provided by the hotel and is a very good option for those that prefer to relax!

The staff are all amazingly friendly and helpful and they were only too pleased to banter with us and help us with our stay. The view from our room was amazing, looking directly towards Mount Etna as well as the sea. The room was clean and was cleaned daily. We asked for a parasol so we could sit in the shade on the balcony and they were more than happy to oblige. We ate at the hotel most nights as we found the prices to be very reasonable in comparison to the town and the food was delicious. We took a tour to Mount Etna which was also enjoyable.

The best thing about this hotel is it’s simplicity in the sense that you can relax and come and go as you please. The staff are always willing to help and nothing is too much bother for them. It is almost as if you are staying with friends.

The food was delicious and I particularly enjoyed being able to get away with eating the complimentary cakes for breakfast as well as in the afternoon! The villa also provides complimentary appetisers in the evening. With such a large breakfast we didn’t need to eat lunch and enjoyed the cakes in the afternoon when returning back from town. We then only needed to arrange dinner and we ate directly off the menu as all the food was really good.

We visited Isola Bella, and the hotel arranged sun loungers for us at Pizzachella beach club where the snorkelling was very good. The hotel will also arrange sun loungers with other beach clubs.

We don’t normally go back to places once we have visited them as we tend to try new places each year. However, we will definitely be returning to the Villa Ducale and hopefully bringing some more friends and family with us next time!

A massive thank you to Paolo, Alessia, Luca, Antonio, Ilie and all the rest of the Villa Ducale staff for making it such an enjoyable stay!

Lydia & Garry England

www.villaducale.com

Unlike any other hotel awards programs in the world, TripAdvisor® Travelers’ Choice® winners are based on the millions of real and unbiased reviews and opinions about hotels.

Taormina, January 28th 2012 – Hotel Villa Carlotta was chosen again as a Best Luxury Hotel by TripAdvisor® in its 2010 Travelers’ Choice® awards. Now in its tenth year, the TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice awards honor the world’s best hotels, earning their distinction from those who know them best – real travelers.

For reviews on the Hotel Villa Carlotta go here .
For the complete 2012 Travelers’ Choice list, go here.

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