Pros

  • Exclusive small luxury hotel in historic Taormina
  • Villa-like property with gardens overlooking the Strait of Messina
  • Elegant rooms and suites with flat-screen TVs and modern marble bathrooms
  • Some rooms have private terraces
  • Lush back garden with loungers, fruit trees, a fountain, and amazing views
  • Infinity pool with staggering views of the island and the Ionian Sea
  • Upscale dinner restaurant focusing on seafood, overseen by awarded chef
  • Breakfast served on a rooftop terraces with views of sea and mainland
  • Outdoor fitness equipment in the garden
  • The hotel partners with a beach club (for a fee)
  • Free Wi-Fi throughout
See More Pros

Cons

  • No Etna views (hotel faces north)
  • No in-room coffee/tea facilities
  • Entry-level rooms quite small
  • No spa
  • Additional fees for parking, beach club, et cetera
  • Past reviewers have grumbled about high rates
See More Cons

Bottom Line

The Ashbee Hotel is a 24-room luxury boutique hotel within easy walking distance of all the sites, shops, and restaurants of Taormina. Occupying a villa from early 1900s, the hotel drips with exclusivity, and the gated property's garden has staggering views over the mountainous northeast corner of Sicily and the Strait of Messina. Rooms and suites feature minibars, flat-screen TVs, and marble bathrooms with rainfall showers (some have tubs). Additional hotel perks an infinity pool with staggering views and an on-site restaurant by renowned chef Heinz Beck. While the hotel lacks a spa, it serves breakfast daily on a rooftop terrace, and Wi-Fi is free. Prices are high (even for Taormina), though well-heeled travelers looking for exceptional privacy in the heart of Taormina may find Ashbee worth the steep rates. For a luxury stay with far more space and amenities, like a spa and multiple food and drink venues, plus views of Mount Etna, consider Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo.

See More Bottom Line

Amenities

Oyster Hotel Review

The Ashbee Hotel

What’s the Scene Like at The Ashbee Hotel?

Gated villa property with stunning views over the sea

Built in 1908 by renowned British architect Charles Robert Ashbee, a major figure in the Arts & Crafts movement, The Ashbee Hotel is a luxury property that feels like an exclusive villa. The gated mansion is off a busy Taormina road; as soon as guests walk down the lushly hedged path and past the iron gate, they enter a hushed oasis where luxury cars sit on the wide stone drive. Inside the villa, the vibe is like an intimate, refined country club. A red glass chandelier hangs over the lobby, where white leather couches are placed around a fireplace and fine silver objects and fresh orchids are on display. The lobby opens up to Ashbee’s stately back terrace and garden, lush with fruit trees, yucca, palms, and potted cacti. At the edge of the lawn is a shallow fountain and an infinity pool with staggering views of Taormina to the west, and the mountainous island and blue sea to the north and east. (Because the hotel is on the north edge of Taormina and faces north, there are no views of Mount Etna.) Like the rest of the hotel, it’s an incredibly peaceful place sheltered from the hustle of Taormina just outside the gates. The hotel primarily attracts well-off couples of a certain age, though it also caters to well-to-do families with special Family suites. It's worth noting that some past guests didn't find overall experience to match the high nightly rates (specific grumbles have to do with small rooms, lacking service, and few hotel features).

See More What’s the Scene Like at The Ashbee Hotel?

Where is The Ashbee Hotel Located?

Close to everything historic Taormina has to offer

The Ashbee Hotel is right in historic Taormina. It’s directly behind Chiesa di San Pancrazio, a pretty 18th-century church that was itself built on the ruins of an ancient Greek temple. The hotel is within easy walking distance of everything central Taormina has to offer -- shops, restaurants, and sites, including the Duomo (13 minutes by foot); Villa Communale, Taormina’s incredible hanging gardens (11 minutes); and the Greek Theater (eight minutes). The drive between the hotel and Catania Fontanarossa Airport should take a little under an hour.

See More Where is The Ashbee Hotel Located?

What are the Rooms Like at The Ashbee Hotel?

Sophisticated decor and free Wi-Fi

The Ashbee Hotel has 24 rooms and suites in six categories: Classic, Superior, Deluxe, Deluxe Seaview, Suites, and The Ashbee Suite. Across all, there are elegant furnishings and decor in a rich palette of cream and royal purple. Some rooms have damask wallpapering and all have either hardwood or parquet flooring. All rooms are air-conditioned and stocked with upscale amenities, like minibars, flat-screen TVs, and modern marble bathrooms. Wi-Fi is free in the rooms, but note that past guests have complained about the lack of coffee/tea facilities and free water in the rooms, as well as the small size of the entry-level rooms. 

Classic rooms have views of the courtyard and showers in the bathrooms, while Superiors have the same views, with the option of a tub. The Deluxe category adds a terrace with views of the Strait of Messina. There are a handful of bi-level Suite options, including the Suite del Pittore, the Painter’s Suite, and the Family Suite. The Spa Suite comes with a private Turkish bath. The top-of-the-line Ashbee Suite has two bathrooms (one with a stone tub and shower) and a large terrace with sweeping views of the Ionian Sea.

See More What are the Rooms Like at The Ashbee Hotel?

What are the Features at The Ashbee Hotel?

Spectacular views from breakfast terrace and pool

Breakfast is served on an amazing rooftop terrace, which, unfortunately, is not used for other meals due to the small size of its kitchen. However, past guests have expressed some disappointment that the Ashbee breakfast isn’t more lavish of a buffet. Rather, it consists of croissants, pastries, and ham and cheese sandwiches, with cooked-to-order eggs and fresh-squeezed orange juice available upon request.

The hotel’s St. George Restaurant by Heinz Beck is among the top-ranked restaurants in Taormina on TripAdvisor. The upscale dinner restaurant’s claim to fame is its outdoor seating section with spectacular views of the garden, pool, and Mediterranean Sea. The menu focuses heavily on seafood; tasting menus are available. 

The hotel’s north-facing infinity pool has staggering views of the Sicilian coastline below. There are loungers around the pool deck and a few pieces of exercise equipment under a canopy in the garden. The hotel partners with the Paradise Beach Club down in Letojanni. For a flat rate (per person), guests get round-trip transportation, towels, sun beds, and umbrellas. 

Parking is available for a nightly fee. Wi-Fi is free.

See More What are the Features at The Ashbee Hotel?

Oyster Hotel Review

The Ashbee Hotel

What’s the Scene Like at The Ashbee Hotel?

Gated villa property with stunning views over the sea

Built in 1908 by renowned British architect Charles Robert Ashbee, a major figure in the Arts & Crafts movement, The Ashbee Hotel is a luxury property that feels like an exclusive villa. The gated mansion is off a busy Taormina road; as soon as guests walk down the lushly hedged path and past the iron gate, they enter a hushed oasis where luxury cars sit on the wide stone drive. Inside the villa, the vibe is like an intimate, refined country club. A red glass chandelier hangs over the lobby, where white leather couches are placed around a fireplace and fine silver objects and fresh orchids are on display. The lobby opens up to Ashbee’s stately back terrace and garden, lush with fruit trees, yucca, palms, and potted cacti. At the edge of the lawn is a shallow fountain and an infinity pool with staggering views of Taormina to the west, and the mountainous island and blue sea to the north and east. (Because the hotel is on the north edge of Taormina and faces north, there are no views of Mount Etna.) Like the rest of the hotel, it’s an incredibly peaceful place sheltered from the hustle of Taormina just outside the gates. The hotel primarily attracts well-off couples of a certain age, though it also caters to well-to-do families with special Family suites. It's worth noting that some past guests didn't find overall experience to match the high nightly rates (specific grumbles have to do with small rooms, lacking service, and few hotel features).

See More What’s the Scene Like at The Ashbee Hotel?

Where is The Ashbee Hotel Located?

Close to everything historic Taormina has to offer

The Ashbee Hotel is right in historic Taormina. It’s directly behind Chiesa di San Pancrazio, a pretty 18th-century church that was itself built on the ruins of an ancient Greek temple. The hotel is within easy walking distance of everything central Taormina has to offer -- shops, restaurants, and sites, including the Duomo (13 minutes by foot); Villa Communale, Taormina’s incredible hanging gardens (11 minutes); and the Greek Theater (eight minutes). The drive between the hotel and Catania Fontanarossa Airport should take a little under an hour.

See More Where is The Ashbee Hotel Located?

What are the Rooms Like at The Ashbee Hotel?

Sophisticated decor and free Wi-Fi

The Ashbee Hotel has 24 rooms and suites in six categories: Classic, Superior, Deluxe, Deluxe Seaview, Suites, and The Ashbee Suite. Across all, there are elegant furnishings and decor in a rich palette of cream and royal purple. Some rooms have damask wallpapering and all have either hardwood or parquet flooring. All rooms are air-conditioned and stocked with upscale amenities, like minibars, flat-screen TVs, and modern marble bathrooms. Wi-Fi is free in the rooms, but note that past guests have complained about the lack of coffee/tea facilities and free water in the rooms, as well as the small size of the entry-level rooms. 

Classic rooms have views of the courtyard and showers in the bathrooms, while Superiors have the same views, with the option of a tub. The Deluxe category adds a terrace with views of the Strait of Messina. There are a handful of bi-level Suite options, including the Suite del Pittore, the Painter’s Suite, and the Family Suite. The Spa Suite comes with a private Turkish bath. The top-of-the-line Ashbee Suite has two bathrooms (one with a stone tub and shower) and a large terrace with sweeping views of the Ionian Sea.

See More What are the Rooms Like at The Ashbee Hotel?

What are the Features at The Ashbee Hotel?

Spectacular views from breakfast terrace and pool

Breakfast is served on an amazing rooftop terrace, which, unfortunately, is not used for other meals due to the small size of its kitchen. However, past guests have expressed some disappointment that the Ashbee breakfast isn’t more lavish of a buffet. Rather, it consists of croissants, pastries, and ham and cheese sandwiches, with cooked-to-order eggs and fresh-squeezed orange juice available upon request.

The hotel’s St. George Restaurant by Heinz Beck is among the top-ranked restaurants in Taormina on TripAdvisor. The upscale dinner restaurant’s claim to fame is its outdoor seating section with spectacular views of the garden, pool, and Mediterranean Sea. The menu focuses heavily on seafood; tasting menus are available. 

The hotel’s north-facing infinity pool has staggering views of the Sicilian coastline below. There are loungers around the pool deck and a few pieces of exercise equipment under a canopy in the garden. The hotel partners with the Paradise Beach Club down in Letojanni. For a flat rate (per person), guests get round-trip transportation, towels, sun beds, and umbrellas. 

Parking is available for a nightly fee. Wi-Fi is free.

See More What are the Features at The Ashbee Hotel?

Best Rates

Amenities

  • Air Conditioner

  • Airport Transportation

  • Balcony / Terrace / Patio

  • Cable

  • Kids Allowed

  • Mini Bar (with liquor)

  • Pool

Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.