Hotel Sole Castello

Location location location:-) Probably most amazing view of the city sprawling on the side of Etna! We had a room facing the mountain and every day I was there on the balcony to admire this amazing view. The hotel is on the hill, bit of walk up the hill through a staircase from the main town Taormina, or a short easy ride on the bus. Really enjoyed our stay in Sole Castello and would love to come back there one day.

Although the views were stunning and the swimming pool a wonderful plus after a busy day's exploration, the location is a bit of a problem should you not have your own car. Yes, there seems to be a bus that stops nearby (I think it was something like one an hour in late Oct at the time of my visit), however, they stop operating at about 21.45 from the main bus terminal. This means that if you can't find Taxis, (as was our situation) then you have a long walk through the town and up the challenging staircase of "16 stages of the cross"up the side of a mountain. It was quite a 'flagellation' in its own right and especially if you after a 10 hour day trip. We managed to get up the stairs carefully pacing ourselves as it was cooler in the evening but at 61 and 71 years of age we would have preferred some means of transport to have been available up until midnight. Taormina is a major tourist hub and it really should not be beyond local government means to improve bus services to better serve hotels and communities outside the centre. Sole Castello could do more to forewarn those on long day trips that the bus service ends earlier in the evening and perhaps even supply the card of a reputable taxi service.

Walking up the stairs on the side of a mountain to get to Sole Castello when no bus service or taxi is available is a CHALLENGE! Furthermore there were warnings of possible rock falls from the cliffs with an exclamation warning sign placed by the local authorities at the bottom of the start of the steps but not as you go down the steps from the top. If the danger is that significant then a much later bus service should be available to citizens (especially adults with children and pensioners) so that they have an option of avoiding the danger and not having to increase their walking journey threefold via a long winding road polluted by cars and mopeds driving by at fast speeds and therefore presenting another danger for the unwary tourist to face. Local authorities need to do more to help hotels and communities outside the congested centre and to give some consideration to the tourists that they are keen to attract and make money from. The hotel swimming pool is lovely but please take care at the deep end as there is NO HAND RAIL ALONG THE INNER SIDE OF THE POOL for you to reach to as you finish your length.

Amazing view, good breakfast

Room needs an upgrade, very old-fashioned decor.