The Ashbee Hotel in Taormina is located in restored historic English villa, originally named Villa San Giorgio and built in 1908 in the center of Taormina. The hotel has a beautiful garden with typical Sicilian citrus trees like lemons, oranges and grapefruits and a swimming pool with a panoramic view of the Sicilian coast, the Ionian Sea and Calabria. Although there are many luxury hotels in Taormina, the Ashbee’s blend of contemporary design with the historic features of the villa and its intimate scale, make it one of the best choices in the area.
Apart from the stunning views over the sea and the coastline, the one feature I appreciated very much when I stayed at The Ashbee was how quiet it was. Almost every hotel in Taormina looks out onto a busy piazza, pedestrian street or a road, and during the height of the travel season, you can hear people well into the night, as well as motorcycles, cars and tourist buses. The Ashbee is located on a cliffside. The hotel’s gate is on the small road that leads to main walking street of Taormina. You enter the gate with your car and drive up the short driveway. You leave your car with one of the staff. The main villa and its adjacent buildings are pushed back away from the road; the rooms, as well as the sitting room, dining room and patio face the sea.
View from the garden of The Ashbee
The 25 guest rooms and suites are unique and exclusive: each has a different theme, but all have lovely furniture, paintings, good lighting, and comfortable beds. All rooms come with free WiFi. Breakfast is served in the garden by the pool so guests can enjoy the early morning sun and fresh air while gazing out into the sea. You can also have dinner on the outdoor patio, if you wish.
Taormina, on the east coat of Sicily, has been a very popular tourist destination since the 19th century. It has excellent views of Mt. Etna and is a great base for exploring the wineries in the region, hiking to nearby villages and swimming in the warm Mediterranean. We recommend that after visiting Taormina, you explore the Baroque cities of Ragusa, Modica and Noto and stay at 7 Rooms Villadorata in Noto.
THE ASHBEE HOTEL
Viale San Pancrazio n.46
98039 Taormina (ME)
Sicily, Italy
Tel +39 0942 23537
See also: Mapplr review of 7 Rooms Villadorata in Noto Sicily
About Arnon Kohavi
