Villa Sant'Andrea, A Belmond Hotel, Taormina Mare

I recently stayed at Villa Sant’Andrea for one night with my wife and one-year old before moving to the nearby Four Seasons San Domenico Palace for the rest of our stay in Taormina. We initially planned to only stay at the Four Seasons, but we had to be re-accommodated at Villa Sant’Andrea for one night due to a reservation issue at the Four Seasons. We were ultimately glad we had a chance to experience this property, as the beachfront location was beautiful, and it gave us our only beach day on this trip. Additionally, the kind, attentive staff were a standout of part of the experience, and made us all feel so genuinely welcome. However, a very dated guest room and frustrating service encounter related to check-in keep me from giving this hotel a perfect rating. That said, if the rooms are renovated, I’d absolutely return, since this hotel was a Sicilian beachfront paradise. Trip Planning/Pre-Arrival: Our reservation was made with a travel agent in Belmond’s Bellini Club, which enabled us to get free perks. For no extra cost, our reservation included a room upgrade based on availability (which we did not receive), a one-time $90 resort credit, breakfast each morning (which is already included for everyone at this hotel anyway), and priority late checkout. We had a little bit of additional contact with the concierge team before our stay, mostly to book an airport transfer, make a dinner reservation at the hotel, and to note special occasions we were celebrating (our anniversary and our daughter’s first birthday). We also noted that we were traveling with a baby and would appreciate any baby amenities they have. All of this communication received prompt responses, which were always helpful and professional. Arrival: Our flight arrived in Catania around 9:30 am, and we had a very easy time finding the hotel’s driver right outside of baggage claim, who was very friendly and engaging. He was so proud of Sicily and offered a lot of insight about the island on the ride of just under one hour from the airport to the hotel. Upon pulling up to the hotel, we were greeted right away and taken into the lobby to a seated area to enjoy some lemon granita while we checked in. I liked the thoughtful, locally-focused welcome treat. The lobby has clearly been renovated, and has a chic, beachy feel, while still feeling cozy. This whole property has an intimate feel, with only 70 rooms. It was originally built as a private family villa, so despite expansion over time, it retains the feeling of staying in a well-appointed summer home. The beautiful geraniums and petunias throughout the property contribute to the beauty. The staff at check-in were kind and helpful, giving us a tour of the property and taking us down to the beach so we could get changed in changing rooms there and start our beach day. Since it was 10:45 am when we checked in, our room was not yet ready, which was not surprising. However, they were aware of our arrival time in advance and we had requested early check-in, so I was hopeful we might get our room at least a little early so our daughter could nap. The agent at check-in specified that while standard check-in is 3:00, they were working on getting our room cleaned early and would call us as soon as it was prepared. Both my wife and I agreed that the way she spoke made it seem like the room was actively already being cleaned. We then settled on the beach to relax with our daughter. About an hour later, another employee came to check-in on us on the beach, followed by Laura, the Guest Relations Manager, who found us later at lunch to welcome us to the hotel. We appreciated the multiple warm welcomes, and Laura again said they were working to get our room ready as soon as possible. Each interaction gave an impression of an active, coordinated effort to get us into our room quickly. It may have been our own doing, but because of the repeated contact in this manner, we never got quite as comfortable and settled on the beach as we would have otherwise. We also thought about relocating to the pool at one point, but decided against it since we thought we were getting our room very shortly. If they had said from the start, or really at any point, that our room was not likely to be ready early, we simply would have adjusted our expectations and been better able to plan our day. In the end, 3:00 finally came and we had not heard anything more about our room, so we went to the front desk, dodging a variety of staff members literally running around to deliver gift bags to rooms of guests staying there for a luxury brand event. Our room was now ready, but with the lobby now very much abuzz with activity for the private event, it felt like we had become a lower priority. Curious about how long the room had been ready without us being alerted, I asked about it, and was told that our room had only been ready for a few minutes and they just hadn’t had a chance to call us yet. Since I expressed my frustration, the front desk had Laura call me a bit later. My frustration was not really about the fact that we weren’t given an early check-in, as I know that it is not always possible. It was about the way things were not accurately communicated. When I spoke to Laura about it, it initially wasn’t clear that my frustration was understood. Since no check-in is guaranteed before 3:00 pm, it seemed that the fact that we had our room at 3:00 was still meeting expectations in their view. While that may technically be true, they certainly didn’t exceed expectations in the manner that a luxury hotel should aspire to do. I did learn through our conversation that the hotel had been part of a large group buyout the night before, which directly contributed to the inability to get our room ready sooner. Had this been communicated earlier, our expectations would have been managed much better. I did appreciate that the hotel’s general manager, Giovanni, came and found us at dinner that night to apologize for the mix-up and check on us. He offered us two glasses of complimentary sparkling wine with dinner, which was a nice touch. They also offered us a guaranteed late checkout the next day, which we couldn’t take advantage of because we had plans, but the offer was nice. When we checked out, I did appreciate that Laura came to send us off, and we left on very good terms. She knew we were spending the rest of our time at a competitor hotel in Taormina, and even offered that we could come back to Villa Sant’Andrea and use the beach at any point during our time in Taormina if we wished, which was really nice. We didn’t have a chance to do so, but I appreciated the generous offer, which left a lasting positive impression. Room: We had a Premium Sea View Junior Suite with Balcony, which had some really nice features. For one, it was very large. It was set-up as one open space with both a sleeping area and a separate living area with a couch, armchair, and small dining table. With a lot of luggage and baby gear, we really appreciated the space. There was also good closet space, so it was very functional in that sense. We also really appreciated the large balcony and great view. The hotel is uniquely situated basically right at the edge of the water, so you can’t get a closer sea view. Our balcony was large with a cute table and chairs, as well as potted flowers to complete the beautiful scene. The bathroom wasn’t huge, but it was functional with double sinks, a large tub, and a separate shower that had really excellent water pressure. The toilet and bidet were in a separate water closet. The Acqua di Parma bath products were nice, and the high-quality towels and robes rounded out the experience. Despite all of the positives of the room, there was a big negative. It was incredibly dated. While I can absolutely appreciate a more classically designed, older hotel room in Europe as compared to what we’d typically find at home in the United States, the room here was neither charming nor historic. It was simply out of date and crying for attention. It felt like it had last been touched in the 1980s or 1990s, with ugly, tired furniture, art, and light fixtures, which was disappointing. Especially after seeing beautifully updated common areas in the hotel, the room was a big letdown in comparison. I only hope that the rooms are up next for renovation, as they desperately need it. Beyond the dated décor, a lack of investment in basic infrastructure was really frustrating. For example, you had to hunt for an outlet to plug anything in, so I was moving and climbing behind furniture to plug in a phone charger. Most hotels of this caliber would have upgraded their charging and plug capabilities by now. Similarly, the thermostat, faucets and other hardware were just out of date. The safe was so tiny that it wouldn’t hold a laptop. Many of these things feel sloppy at a Belmond hotel. However, back on the positive side, we were blown away by the welcome amenities at this property for our anniversary and our daughter’s birthday, even just for a one-night stay. We received a table full of treats awaiting us, including a bottle of Ruinart champagne, a cake, a cute seahorse-shaped cookie for our daughter, some bottled water, and a plate of whole fresh fruit. This alone would have been great, but they also gifted all kinds of high-quality children’s items that we really appreciated. The kid amenities included baby towels and washcloths, a silicone bib and spoon set, a cute beach toy set, a memory game, a coloring book and colored pencils, and even a customized Belmond Italy Monopoly game that is a really fun keepsake. There was also a special Villa Sant’Andrea stuffed animal crab, which is part of a larger collection where each Belmond property in Italy has its own stuffed animal for kids to collect. We stayed at one other Belmond in Italy on this trip, so it was fun to receive two of the stuffed animals in the set. There was also a diaper pail in the room and a crib was offered. The staff were even apologetic about the fact that they didn’t have specific baby toiletries at the time, and offered to go into town and buy some, which was totally unnecessary and we declined. However, the sincere offer to do so spoke volumes about the great service here. Beach & Pool: The Lido Villeggiatura beach club at Villa Sant’Andrea is a highlight of the property, since most hotels in Taormina are perched up the hill and above the sea. It’s a rocky beach on a beautiful calm cove, and is well appointed with comfortable lounge chairs with umbrellas, some other shaded couch seating areas, and private cabanas available for a fee. It is also just steps away from the hotel’s restaurants, which are up one level. The hotel advertises the beach as being a private beach, and the way the marketing photos are all taken implies that there is nothing else there. While Villa Sant’Andrea is on one end of the beach with plenty of space for guests and has its beach section cordoned off, there is an immediately adjacent part of the beach for other hotels, restaurants, and general public access that is quite busy, which is worth knowing. There is enough separation, but it’s not truly private in the way we expected. We appreciated that as we arrived on the beach, the staff literally ran over to give our daughter beach toys, and they were very good about suggesting seats that would have maximum shade throughout the afternoon. The service to order drinks was also generally attentive, although we were disappointed in very small pours when we each ordered a glass of champagne at the beach. I did find it odd that no food is served on the beach. It’s nice to be able to just stay put on your lounge chair and order a casual lunch, but we were told that we needed to visit one of the restaurants if we wanted any food. The sea is quite cold by the hotel, so we were told that the heated seawater pool would be much warmer, which is on the opposite end of the hotel and up a level overlooking the sea. I went to see the pool and thought it looked great, also with a nice variety of seating areas and its own bar. We intended to go there as well, but ran out of time. Dining: The dining options at Villa Sant’Andrea include: Ristorante Sant’Andrea: This is the main hotel restaurant, which is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and features outdoor seating with sea views (and a nice indoor dining room that also has sea views if weather isn’t ideal). It’s a very pretty setting, and we enjoyed dinner here on the outdoor patio. The hotel described this restaurant to me as being casual and fine for kids, but it was a little bit more formal than expected, with a quiet, romantic vibe. We were a little worried our daughter would disrupt other tables, but the staff was absolutely wonderful and did nothing but make us feel comfortable and welcome. They made sure she had a kid’s meal quickly, and were so attentive to her in ways that went above and beyond. They indulged her interest in exploring the restaurant, with nothing but smiles and kind words at all times, even when I feared she was underfoot. At one point in the meal when our daughter’s sippy cup fell onto the floor (at our daughter’s own doing), they rushed to have it cleaned in the dishwasher in the kitchen, and when another item of hers fell on the floor, they also rushed to sanitize it immediately, which was unnecessary, but very nice. They treated a one-year-old like a VIP and wanted to make sure she had everything she needed. The service was also excellent from the adult perspective, including a large team of very attentive servers throughout our meal. One server’s job was seemingly focused only on refilling bread, which he was great at. His repeated offers of more and more bread (which was hard to resist) were lighthearted and fun. We appreciated that the menu at the Ristorante featured a whole section of Sicilian specialties, and we really loved the eggplant parmigiana in particular. The whole fish in a salt crust that we got as our main course was impressively prepared (if a little plain), and finishing the meal with a delicious cannoli was perfect. The anniversary that we were celebrating was noted on our dessert plate. I appreciated that the hotel was communicating well internally about special occasions, as I had noted it on our hotel reservation, but not specifically on the dining reservation. Bar Sant’Andrea/Brace: This is the more casual restaurant/bar which is located outside directly next to the Ristorante, and is open for lunch, drinks, and dinner. We enjoyed lunch here on our beach day, at a beautiful table overlooking the sea. We had great service at lunch, and liked the casual menu of mostly salads, sandwiches, and pizza. We also returned that evening before dinner for drinks, and the staff were equally lovely that time, remembering us and our daughter. They offered nice bar snacks, along with well-made classic cocktails. We were a little confused about the other bar we saw in the hotel. When you come down from the lobby to the level where the dining is located, there is a beautiful bar area with lots of cozy seating areas nearby. It appears to be the perfect lobby bar, and was clearly recently renovated. We went there hoping to get drinks before dinner, but it was clearly not in use, with no one working at the bar or sitting in the lounge. I wasn’t sure if it wasn’t open because of the large private group at the hotel that night, which was having their own event, or if it simply isn’t really used. We were still happy to get drinks at Bar Sant’Andrea, but a more classic indoor lobby bar was also something we would have liked to experience at this hotel, and it was odd for one to be there, but not be used. Brizza: This is an interesting dining option, with a handful of tables set-up right along the beach for dinner in a romantic setting with a tasting menu. This wasn’t open yet for the season when we were there, but I can imagine it being a very nice experience. In-Room Dining: We decided to have breakfast in our room, since we had such a lovely balcony and wanted to enjoy the views as much as possible. We liked that since breakfast was included at this hotel, we could order whatever we wanted from in-room dining and it was included, with the only extra cost being a 10-euro delivery fee. I thought this was very reasonable. The food we ordered was very good, and set up nicely for us on the balcony. Location: The majority of the town of Taormina is located on a hilltop overlooking the sea, while a smaller beachside area at the bottom of the hill is where Villa Sant’Andrea is located. The hotel is definitely a bit removed from most of the action in Taormina (and a good 15-minute drive, given slow-moving traffic and narrow roads to get from the bottom to the top), but that can also be a good thing, since the main town can be chaotic and crowded, and the beach area is more serene and quiet. Having reciprocal access to Grand Hotel Timeo really gives you the best of both worlds when staying at either of these properties, and is something that would make us seek out Belmond in particular when visiting Taormina in the future. If you want more isolation and beach/pool time, Villa Sant’Andrea is the way to go, but Grand Hotel Timeo or the Four Seasons would be the obvious choices in town. Other Amenities: The hotel does offer a couple of other free amenities which are nice. One is a complimentary 90-minute boat trip of the area, which is offered up to three times per day from mid-May to the end of September. We were advised to book it in advance, since there are limited slots on each tour. The hotel said our daughter would be too young for the boat trip, so we weren’t able to do that, but they did offer to set-up a private one for us for a fee in a different boat that would be more suitable, which we did not end up doing. There is also complimentary shuttle service that runs between Villa Sant’Andrea and Grand Hotel Timeo, and takes about 15 minutes. I’m not sure if it has a set schedule, and if you need to reserve it in advance, but it makes getting up the hill from Villa Sant’Andrea to the main part of town a bit easier. There is also a cable car almost right outside the entrance to the hotel that you can use to get to the main town as an alternative. Staff Service: Staff service at Villa Sant’Andrea was really excellent, and hit a great tone of being professional, but also personal and warm. We found the restaurant staff at both restaurants to be incredibly warm and accommodating, going above and beyond to provide attentive service and make us and our one-year-old comfortable. The beach staff was also very nice and helpful in similar ways, which we appreciated. The only other staff we really interacted with were at the front desk, and they were also kind and professional. While I was frustrated initially about the check-in experience, it was more over the content of the communication, never about professionalism, which was always top notch. Laura in particular went out of her way to make sure we left on a positive note. Overall: Our quick one-night stay at Villa Sant’Andrea was very good overall. The hotel is uniquely positioned directly on a nice beach, which is not always easy to find from luxury hotels in Italy. However, it still has the benefit of being in Taormina, featuring easy ways to get into the main part of town, while being a peaceful seaside oasis to return to. Service in particular was phenomenal, and made us feel so welcome and comfortable. The only big negative that would hold us back from staying here again was how dated our room was. It was large and very comfortable with a great view, but with very high summer rates, I would expect a fresher room commensurate with the style of the public areas and the Belmond brand more generally.

We were fortunate to have found the San Andrea, easily one of the nicest resorts we’ve been to in Europe or anywhere in the world. The setting is absolutely spectacular. The ambiance wonderful. Cuisine excellent. Possibly the most stunning beach we’ve ever stayed on. Their service shines - I can’t call out any one person as they all are over the top exceptional. This is often the area where hotels — even top ones — can fall short. One bad apple, etc. San Andrea stands out for its service. We found it ideal to be by the beach during the day, and then take the complimentary shuttle up to town and back. The cable car is literally a block away, cheap, and super convenient if you want to go up and back on your own time. The sister property at the top, Timeo, is the perfect spot to enjoy an apertivo before strolling the town and or heading to dinner. Most amazing view of the bay, the city, and Mt Etna. The service is just as exceptional and they treat San Andrea guests as general guests of the Belmond. You get the red carpet treatment up there. My only ding is the extortionate pricing of food and drink items. Just because you can afford to stay at the place and its prices doesn’t make it cool to be charged 20 Euros for bottled water for 2 or 10 for a Diet Coke. It leaves a little sour taste in what otherwise is a virtually flawless hotel and experience. That said, focus on all the previous paragraphs. This place is amazing. You won’t regret deciding to make San Andrea your base in Taormina and will thank yourself for doing so.

we spent three wonderful days. Relaxing and exploring Taormina. We booked an Etan wine tour and a complementary boat tour through the concierge. Both tours were fantastic. Was nice to get back to sit on the beach and by the pool. the service was impeccable and the hotel was beautiful. We had a wonderful dinner at ristorante St Andrea and the breakfast there is terrific as well.