The 5 Best Luxury Hotels in Taormina
Historic hotel by the Greek Theatre, period villa above the Strait of Messina or resort on the Bay of Mazzarò? Our travel advisors personally help you choose among the luxury hotels in Taormina. Included with every suitespot booking: breakfast for two, a room upgrade subject to availability, hotel credit and VIP service – benefits of over €500.
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The best-known hotels in Taormina
What should shape your days in Taormina: culture, food or the sea? That decides which hotel is right for you, and the best-known addresses follow here with location, suitespot score and price per night. Our tip if you prefer a small, family-run house: the Villa Carlotta Taormina Sicily, a restored villa from 1860 with a rooftop restaurant looking out to the sea and Etna.
| Hotel | Location | suitespot score | Price from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mazzaro Sea Palace Taormina | Spisone | – | 450 € |
| Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo | Mazzarò | ★ 4.8/5 | 472 € |
| Villa Carlotta Taormina Sicily | Mazzarò | ★ 4.5/5 | 150 € |
| Grand Hotel San Pietro | Mazzarò | ★ 4.3/5 | 600 € |
| The Ashbee Hotel | Spisone | ★ 4.5/5 | 420 € |
Your guide to the best luxury hotels in Taormina
Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo · MazzaròThe luxury hotels in Taormina each have a very different focus, and which of the best hotels suits you depends on how you travel. Culture lovers stay at the Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo right next to the theatre and dine at Otto Geleng, which has held a Michelin star since the 2026 guide. Food lovers head for The Ashbee Hotel, where St. George by Heinz Beck holds two stars in the Michelin Guide Italia 2026.Families find babysitting and a panoramic pool looking out to Etna and Isola Bella at the Grand Hotel San Pietro. And if you want to be in the sea first thing in the morning, stay at the Mazzaro Sea Palace Taormina with its private beach on the Bay of Mazzarò.
At no extra cost: booking through suitespot costs the same as booking direct with the hotel – the benefits come on top, free of charge.
New and freshly renovated: what Taormina’s luxury hotels offer you
You can see that a lot has happened at the Grand Hotel San Pietro as soon as you arrive: the façade now glows in a warm Taormina red. Since 2023, the 5-star hotel has been renewing its rooms, public areas, pool and spa in stages; 2024 was the turn of the rooms and public areas, and the next phase came in time for the 2026 season.
Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo · Rooms & suitesYou now step into the panoramic pool above the Ionian Sea via a wide staircase, the pool features a new three-tone Bisazza mosaic, and the view stretches to Etna and Isola Bella. At lunchtime you sit under the new thatched roof of the Rizza pool bar, in the redesigned Plumière Spa you can unwind in one of two panoramic jacuzzis with sea views, and the garden-view rooms have gained French balconies.
At the Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo, you can stay in the newly renovated Villa Timeo annex: 21 rooms, its own infinity pool and the Bar Clementina cocktail bar. Belmond now runs the hotel as “Grand Hotel Timeo, A Belmond Hotel”.
There is news at dinner, too: Otto Geleng at the Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo, an intimate restaurant with 16 tables, has held a Michelin star since the 2026 guide, and St. George by Heinz Beck at The Ashbee Hotel is listed in the Michelin Guide Italia 2026 with two stars. Our travel advisors can tell you which parts of a hotel will be finished for your travel dates.
These luxury hotels in Taormina have a pool – and a spa
In Taormina you swim with a view. Four of the five hotels have a pool, and each one is set differently.
Mazzaro Sea Palace Taormina · PoolOur tip for afternoons by the pool is the Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo, with two pools: a heated outdoor pool at the main building and the infinity pool at Villa Timeo; at lunchtime the Timeo Grill serves light dishes by the pool. At the Villa Carlotta Taormina Sicily, the pool lies in a Mediterranean garden overlooking Taormina and the sea, open from 10 am to 6 pm and with its own pool bar.
If you want to look out to sea while you swim, book The Ashbee Hotel: its outdoor pool with an infinity edge sits below the panoramic terrace, framed by palm trees. At the Grand Hotel San Pietro, the panoramic pool sits above the Ionian Sea, looking out to Etna and Isola Bella, with a sea-view solarium.
The Mazzaro Sea Palace Taormina relies on the sea itself: it sits right on the Bay of Mazzarò and has a private beach. If you like more privacy, book the suite there with its own outdoor mini pool.
- Breakfast for two, every day
- Room upgrade subject to availability
- Hotel credit, e.g. US$100
- Early check-in and late check-out
- VIP service and personal advice
- Points and status in the hotel programme
The spas of the luxury hotels in Taormina carry big names. Our tip is the Dior Spa at the Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo, above the Ionian Sea with views of Etna; the signature treatment “Talisman of Vitality” lasts 90 minutes, and there are Dior facials and massages as well. For couples, the Plumière Spa at the Grand Hotel San Pietro has a double cabin, plus a Finnish sauna, a Turkish steam bath and two panoramic jacuzzis with sea views; treatments use Sicilian citrus fruits and olive oil.
At the Hyd’Or Wellness Centre of the Mazzaro Sea Palace Taormina, the menu is built around treatments and rituals with local ingredients. And if you like to train on holiday, the Villa Carlotta Taormina Sicily has its gym among Byzantine catacombs.
Sea in the morning, theatre in the evening
If you want both, choose by the route. The Mazzaro Sea Palace Taormina sits down on the bay, with a private beach right on the doorstep. If you would rather stay up by the theatre, take the Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo: from April to October a shuttle takes guests down to Taormina Mare and to the Belmond Villa Sant Andrea, and access to the Dior Spa is free when you book through suitespot.
Dining in Taormina’s luxury hotels: two Michelin-starred restaurants, Etna wines and rooftop terraces
Two hotels in this selection have a Michelin-starred restaurant. Two Michelin stars in the Michelin Guide Italia 2026 go to St. George by Heinz Beck at The Ashbee Hotel: Heinz Beck designs the concept, resident chef Salvatore Iuliano cooks creative, contemporary dishes, and the terrace opens onto the garden and the Strait of Messina. The restaurant opened in 2017 and won its first star in 2019.
The Ashbee Hotel · DiningOne star has gone, since the 2026 guide, to Otto Geleng at the Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo, named after the painter who made the hotel famous. It is an intimate gourmet restaurant with 16 tables, where executive chef Roberto Toro cooks Sicilian and creatively modern food, with the tasting menus Otto, Sea, Vegetable Garden and Three Valleys – and a water list of its own, curated by water sommelier Veronica Bonelli. Sicilian classics are served at Ristorante Timeo, on the terrace overlooking Etna and the Bay of Naxos.
Mazzaro Sea Palace Taormina · DiningAt the Grand Hotel San Pietro, a 5-star hotel on Via Pirandello, executive chef Luca Miuccio cooks contemporary, vegetable-led Sicilian cuisine at Bàtu, with two tasting menus and a wine list that focuses on Etna wines. For a special evening the hotel reserves the Rotonda sul Mare, a round pavilion above the sea with its own maître d’ – for a private breakfast, an aperitif with oysters and champagne, or dinner.
If you want to dine right above the water, book a table at BLUM in the Mazzaro Sea Palace Taormina: the tables of the fine-dining restaurant seem to float above the bay, and at Armònia Riccardo Fazio cooks Sicilian food with a focus on the sea. The Villa Carlotta Taormina Sicily serves at its Euphoria Rooftop Restaurant from breakfast through to dinner at 11 pm, with views of the sea and Etna.
- Breakfast for two, every day
- Room upgrade subject to availability
- Hotel credit, e.g. US$100
- Early check-in and late check-out
- VIP service and personal advice
- Points and status in the hotel programme
For afterwards, the luxury hotels in Taormina have bars of their own. For a classic setting, take a seat at Bar Timeo in the Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo, furnished in the style of a 19th-century winter garden. The Ashbee Hotel has a rooftop terrace overlooking the Gulf of Taormina as well as The Ashbee Bar and the pool bar.
For sunset we recommend VELVET on the roof of the Mazzaro Sea Palace Taormina, with signature cocktails with Sicilian flavours and gourmet pizza; the Almarè Bar on the terrace above the bay pours Etna wines. Next to the Euphoria Rooftop Bar at the Villa Carlotta Taormina Sicily is the Byzantine-style Torre Lounge.
Etna in a glass
Wines from the volcano take centre stage at two hotels: at Bàtu in the Grand Hotel San Pietro, with its Etna wine list, and at the Almarè Bar of the Mazzaro Sea Palace Taormina, above the bay. If you want to see the volcano while you sip, take a seat on the rooftop terrace of the Villa Carlotta Taormina Sicily. Our travel advisors will reserve your table together with your room.
Where to stay in Taormina: by the theatre, on Via Pirandello or down on the bay – the right location for your 5-star hotel
Taormina is built on a hillside, and the height you stay at decides how you spend your days.
The Ashbee Hotel · SpisoneBy the theatre and in town you are right in the thick of things. The Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo stands right next to the Greek Theatre, with views of Etna and the Bay of Naxos; the historic centre is within walking distance. The Ashbee Hotel, a 5-star hotel, is on Viale San Pancrazio, a few steps from the centre, on a cliff above the Ionian Sea looking out to the Strait of Messina. Our recommendation: the Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo.
Villa Carlotta Taormina Sicily · MazzaròOn Via Pirandello you stay on the slope between town and sea. For couples we recommend the Villa Carlotta Taormina Sicily, a small hotel looking out over the Ionian Sea and Etna. For families, the Grand Hotel San Pietro is a good fit, high above the bay with views of the sea, Etna and Isola Bella, a few minutes’ walk from the ancient sites; a free shuttle runs into the centre.
Down on the Bay of Mazzarò is the Mazzaro Sea Palace Taormina, right on the water and with a private beach – the address for anyone who wants to start the day by the sea.
- Breakfast for two, every day
- Room upgrade subject to availability
- Hotel credit, e.g. US$100
- Early check-in and late check-out
- VIP service and personal advice
- Points and status in the hotel programme
At no extra cost: you pay the same rate as booking direct with the hotel – the suitespot benefits come on top, free of charge.
Getting there: Your 5-star hotel in Taormina is about an hour’s drive from Catania airport and around three from Palermo. The Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo arranges private transfers through its concierge; the Grand Hotel San Pietro offers an airport shuttle for a fee and, on request, a car with driver.
Our travel advisors’ insider tip
In Taormina, the street tells you nothing about the price. The least expensive and the most expensive address in this selection share the same street, Via Pirandello: the Villa Carlotta Taormina Sicily from 150 € and the Grand Hotel San Pietro from 600 €. The catch: at the Villa Carlotta Taormina Sicily, the benefits only apply from two nights. So decide on the number of nights first and the hotel second: from two nights the whole selection is open to you, and for a single night The Ashbee Hotel, from 420 €, is the most affordable way in.
Historic luxury hotels and Michelin Keys: from artists’ guesthouse to Arts and Crafts villa
The Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo was founded in 1850 as a simple guesthouse for the artists and painters who came to Taormina for the Greek Theatre. Otto Geleng painted from its terrace, and his pictures made the town famous. Today the hotel has 67 rooms.
Grand Hotel San Pietro · MazzaròVilla San Giorgio was built from 1907 to plans by the English Arts and Crafts architect Charles Robert Ashbee for Colonel Shaw-Hellier, behind the church of San Pancrazio. Since April 2011 it has been a 5-star hotel with 24 rooms, The Ashbee Hotel; it has belonged to the Leading Hotels of the World since 2014, and in 2018 it received the Condé Nast Johansens Award for Excellence for its service.
The Villa Carlotta Taormina Sicily is a villa from 1860. The Quartucci family of hoteliers, who have also run Villa Ducale in Taormina since 1993, restored it and opened it as a boutique hotel in 2007; today it is a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World. The Grand Hotel San Pietro is set in a restored villa from the early 20th century, in a garden of citrus trees and old olive trees.
Michelin Keys are awarded to hotels, not restaurants. In Taormina, the Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo holds two Michelin Keys and The Ashbee Hotel one Michelin Key. The restaurants’ stars count separately: one for Otto Geleng, two for St. George by Heinz Beck. Stay at either of these two hotels and you have both under one roof: an award-winning hotel and a Michelin-starred restaurant.
What a night at a luxury hotel in Taormina costs – and what’s included
The median price is 450 € a night – the price of the Mazzaro Sea Palace Taormina. The selection starts at 150 € at the Villa Carlotta Taormina Sicily and goes up to 600 € at the Grand Hotel San Pietro.
| Luxury hotel | From | suitespot benefits from | suitespot score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Villa Carlotta Taormina Sicily | 150 € | 2 nights | ★ 4.5/5 |
| The Ashbee Hotel | 420 € | 1st night | ★ 4.5/5 |
| Mazzaro Sea Palace Taormina | 450 € | 1st night | – |
| Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo | 472 € | 1st night | ★ 4.8/5 |
| Grand Hotel San Pietro | 600 € | 1st night | ★ 4.3/5 |
Included at all five luxury hotels: daily breakfast for two and an upgrade on arrival, subject to availability. Four of the hotels also offer early check-in and late check-out, subject to availability. Only the Villa Carlotta Taormina Sicily has a minimum stay: there the benefits apply from two nights, everywhere else from the first.
Villa Carlotta Taormina Sicily · Rooms & suitesHotel credit varies from hotel to hotel. At the Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo it is 100 US dollars, or 220 US dollars in the suites. The Grand Hotel San Pietro also adds 100 US dollars, the Villa Carlotta Taormina Sicily 50 US dollars. A welcome gift awaits you at the Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo and at the Grand Hotel San Pietro.
Mazzaro Sea Palace Taormina · Rooms & suitesThe Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo is especially generous: its benefits include free access to the spa and gym, mineral water in the room and, from April to October, the shuttle to Taormina Mare and to the Belmond Villa Sant Andrea. If you book for at least 10,000 US dollars, you also receive a 500 US dollar voucher for your next Belmond booking; special conditions apply, and our travel advisors will explain them beforehand.
Points and status can be earned at three of the five hotels, across two programmes: Leaders Club at the Mazzaro Sea Palace Taormina and at The Ashbee Hotel – there with your Leaders Club number at booking – and I Prefer at the Grand Hotel San Pietro.
At no extra cost: you pay the same rate as booking direct with the hotel – the suitespot benefits come on top, free of charge.
When it’s at its most beautiful: in May and October, when the sea is warm enough and the town invites an evening stroll. When it’s good value: in November and March – when Etna is often capped with snow. When to book a 5-star hotel in Taormina early: for August and the days around Ferragosto on 15 August.
How long to stay: three nights – one for the town and the theatre, one for the bay and Isola Bella, and one for Etna.
The hotels in Taormina at a glance
What sets the hotels in Taormina apart – from their opening year to the spa:
| Hotel | Opened | Pool | Spa | Michelin Keys |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mazzaro Sea Palace Taormina | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo | 1850 | ✓ | ✓ | 2 Keys |
| Villa Carlotta Taormina Sicily | 2007 | ✓ | – | |
| Grand Hotel San Pietro | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| The Ashbee Hotel | 2011 | ✓ | – | 1 Key |
Earn points & use your status in Taormina
Three of the five hotels belong to a loyalty programme: the Mazzaro Sea Palace Taormina and The Ashbee Hotel to Leaders Club, the Grand Hotel San Pietro to I Prefer. Booked via suitespot, you pay the direct rate and keep points, status nights and benefits. The Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo and the Villa Carlotta Taormina Sicily don’t earn points; at the Timeo, suitespot adds free spa access instead.
| Program | Hotels | Examples in Taormina |
|---|---|---|
| Leaders Club | 2 hotels | Mazzaro Sea Palace Taormina, The Ashbee Hotel |
| I Prefer | 1 hotel | Grand Hotel San Pietro |
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Frequently asked questions about luxury hotels in Taormina
How much does a night at a luxury hotel in Taormina cost?
The median price is 450 € a night. The selection starts at 150 € at the Villa Carlotta Taormina Sicily and goes up to 600 € at the Grand Hotel San Pietro. Breakfast for two is included at all five hotels; at the Villa Carlotta Taormina Sicily the suitespot benefits apply from two nights, at the other four from the first night.
Which is the most expensive hotel in Taormina?
At the top end is the Grand Hotel San Pietro, from 600 € a night, with its panoramic pool above the Ionian Sea and the gourmet restaurant Bàtu. It is followed by the Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo at 472 € and the Mazzaro Sea Palace Taormina at 450 €.
Which luxury hotel in Taormina was renovated most recently?
The Grand Hotel San Pietro: it has been redesigned step by step since 2023, and the 2026 season brought the new Taormina-red façade, a new Bisazza mosaic in the panoramic pool, the covered Rizza pool bar and the redesigned Plumière Spa. At the Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo, the Villa Timeo annex, with 21 rooms, an infinity pool and Bar Clementina, has been newly renovated.
Which luxury hotels in Taormina have a pool?
Four of the five: the Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo has a heated outdoor pool and the infinity pool at Villa Timeo, the Villa Carlotta Taormina Sicily a pool in its Mediterranean garden, The Ashbee Hotel an infinity pool below its panoramic terrace and the Grand Hotel San Pietro a panoramic pool looking out to Etna and Isola Bella. Down on the Bay of Mazzarò you swim right in the sea.
Which luxury hotels in Taormina have a Michelin-starred restaurant?
Two: The Ashbee Hotel has St. George by Heinz Beck, with two Michelin stars in the 2026 guide (resident chef Salvatore Iuliano), and the Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo has Otto Geleng, with one star since the 2026 guide (executive chef Roberto Toro).
Which luxury hotels in Taormina have Michelin Keys?
The Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo holds two Michelin Keys, The Ashbee Hotel one. Both hotels also have a Michelin-starred restaurant on site.
Which luxury hotel in Taormina has a spa?
The Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo, with the Dior Spa above the Ionian Sea; the Grand Hotel San Pietro, with the Plumière Spa, including a Finnish sauna, Turkish steam bath and two panoramic jacuzzis; and the Mazzaro Sea Palace Taormina, with the Hyd’Or Wellness Centre. When you book through suitespot, access to the spa and gym at the Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo is free.
Which luxury hotel in Taormina is right on the sea?
The Mazzaro Sea Palace Taormina sits right on the Bay of Mazzarò and has a private beach. From the Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo, up by the Greek Theatre, a shuttle runs down to Taormina Mare and to the Belmond Villa Sant Andrea from April to October.
Can I earn points at Taormina’s luxury hotels?
Yes, at three of the five hotels. Leaders Club applies at the Mazzaro Sea Palace Taormina and at The Ashbee Hotel, if you give your Leaders Club number when booking; I Prefer applies at the Grand Hotel San Pietro.
Where should I stay in Taormina?
By the theatre and in town for short distances (our pick: the Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo), on Via Pirandello for views of the sea, Etna and Isola Bella (our pick for couples: the Villa Carlotta Taormina Sicily, for families: the Grand Hotel San Pietro) and down on the Bay of Mazzarò for days by the sea (our pick: the Mazzaro Sea Palace Taormina). The right location for your 5-star hotel in Taormina depends on whether culture or the sea comes first.
Which luxury hotel in Taormina is right for families?
The Grand Hotel San Pietro and The Ashbee Hotel offer babysitting. At the Villa Carlotta Taormina Sicily, children are welcome from the age of ten. Breakfast for two and an upgrade subject to availability are included at all five hotels.
Which luxury hotels in Taormina welcome pets?
The Villa Carlotta Taormina Sicily, the Grand Hotel San Pietro and The Ashbee Hotel. For the other hotels, our travel advisors will check the conditions before you book.
Which is the best hotel in Taormina?
There is no fixed ranking – the best hotel is the one that suits your trip. Culture lovers stay at the Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo right next to the Greek Theatre, food lovers at The Ashbee Hotel with St. George by Heinz Beck and its two Michelin stars. Families find babysitting and a panoramic pool at the Grand Hotel San Pietro. If you prefer a small, family-run house, stay at the Villa Carlotta Taormina Sicily. Our travel advisors will gladly help you choose among the luxury hotels in Taormina in person.
Which 5-star hotels in Taormina have a pool with a sea view?
The Grand Hotel San Pietro has a panoramic pool above the Ionian Sea, with a new Bisazza mosaic and views of Etna and Isola Bella. The Ashbee Hotel has an outdoor pool with an infinity edge below its panoramic terrace, framed by palm trees, on a cliff above the sea. If you would rather swim in the sea itself, stay down on the Bay of Mazzarò at the Mazzaro Sea Palace Taormina, with its private beach.
