Castello di San Marco Charming Hotel and Spa

From the website: a trendy Beach club, a poolside oasis, a courtyard romantic dinner, a sumptuous breakfast. Our reality: oh no the Beach club is not yet open (mid-June, 32C). Oh sorry, no swimming after 6pm as the pool needs a desinfectant shock. Oh no you can not stay on the poolside sunbed, we rented the place out for a wedding. Courtyard? No the dinner is inside in the cellar. Oh no, we don’t do fresh orange juice at breakfast. And no “how was your stay” at checkout or I would have shared my feedback. I am a fair reviewer but DO NOT understand the cavalier disdain for their own guests. We loved the other 4 hotels we stayed at .

FAIRY TALE SETTING In a quiet spot away from Tourist area. Near to Etna . Service good weather was dreadful rained rained and rained. Nice gardens and wine bar to pass a the time and chill awaiting sunny days

I loved every minute of our stay at this hotel. It is such a lovely and relaxing place. Staff were all so friendly and helpful. The garden is just amazing, and the pool area is fantastic. We tried the restaurant the first evening and the food was great and the service as well. There is a lot to choose from for breakfast and you can order eggs, pancakes etc. I loved our room with the little patio in front of it. I could have stayed there for much longer and hope to come back some day.

We had a wonderful and unique stay at this renewed castle, converted to a boutique, high standard hotel. Beautiful and classy garden for breakfast included and luxurious dinner if booked. Amazing large pool overlooking the beach. An easy, 20 minute drive from Taormina. One point had to be taken off, sadly, due to the queen bed mattress which felt small and a bit squeeky and not perfect maintenance of bathroom. Other than that - truly a magical experience reflecting the vibe of romantic Sicily.

Although the grounds and the hotel itself are beautiful. Some of the staff (Cinzia-Front Desk) have a lot to be desired. They are rude and talk about you under their breath until they realize that you understand and speak Italian. The bar at the pool and at the beach doesn’t have ice for your drinks. And when you ask for it, you are told they don’t have it. A bar without ice is unheard of. I understand it is not an Italian custom to use ice but when you charge the prices you charge and you are open to the public of all nationalities you should be able to accommodate simple needs. I do not recommend this place, you can find plenty of other hotels for the same price or less where you are treated with more respect as a paying customer.

Interesting property that may have been a destination for the locals, but seems to be not well-kept, with many areas seem to be a work area that is not well kept. The bar was very nice but the SPA did not look very appealing with a large white chair lef at the entrance for no obvious reason. The front desk staff were very friendly, and the restaurant staff we very nice, too.

Hotel and grounds are beautiful, service was wonderful. It’s far from Taormina - transport is very expensive and can be delayed in the busy summer. Lighting in the room lounge area was subdued, and little things like bathroom and tea supplies were not replenished. It should be possible to have a fresh towel at the beach and pool if needed. These are little details but prevented a 5 star rating for this 5 star hotel.

I have spent many summers on the beautiful island of Sicily and have had some great food along the way. Sicily is a foodie heaven if you know where to look. And yesterday I found myself walking through the gates of the Castello - also a hotel but I did not stay. Instead dinner for 5 in the stunning courtyard. Ambience and service were exceptional. From the Maitre d' to the mixologist, everyone was committed and a delight. And amidst this wonderful setting there was the food. Interesting concepts, beautifully executed. From the egg cloud with an abundance of truffle to the tuna and coconut parfait - it was fantastic. Amaretto sours before, a delicious local white wine with dinner. I really can't fault any aspect of this dinner and it will a destination upon every return to Sicily. The setting of the castello and gardens are worth a visit alone. But the food made it truly memorable.

The hotel is beautiful and super enjoyable, just like the beach. This was good, as was the restaurant, because there is nothing good around that is nearby. That's why you live in the hotel and it's very nice and enjoyable.