The Ashbee Hotel

Think of a boutique hotel with only 24 rooms in the middle of Taormina. Luxury rooms. Add to that the most magnificent view across the sea to the Messina Straits and Mainland Italy. Throw in the ultimate hospitality experience. 5* luxury and a 2* Michelin Restaurant. Supplement this with exceptional staff (A special mention for Ivana-the Queen of Cocktails). The pool with THE view. In 5 minutes you can be in the centre. Take the Etna Tour, a Wine Tour, a Pizza lesson or, the best, a personal Godfather tour. If you go to Sicily this hotel is the one for you.

We just spent 3 glorious nights at the Ashbee and really loved it!! Firstly the location of the hotel is perfect, just a 3 min walk to the to the start of the Main Street in Taormina. The property is lovely and has this old school kind of vibe. Our room was spacious, and very well kept with a large balcony and spectacular views. The only negative about the room was that the bathroom was quite small, with just one sink, but it was really adequate. Nice robe and slippers in the room as well and turn-down service in the evenings. What stood out at the Ashbee was the incredible top-notch service. The reception staff were all so attentive and helpful. Special shout out to Carlos who was so caring and accommodating and helped us with many of our plans. We did an excursion to Mount Etna which he helped organize which was great. The only negative about Taormina in general is that the beach is far and crowded and quite a hassle to get to. The Ashbee has a few Beach clubs it works with, we went to one they recommended called Nuova Spiagga Paradiso which was amazing with great service, but it’s quite expensive. and not included in the cost of the hotel. Overall, the Ashbee was an amazing choice, we’re so happy we stayed there, I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND it

Beautiful hotel with wonderful staff, very helpful, we were let down by our airport yransfer and the front desk sorted it immediately for us.

We booked The Ashbee through Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts after wonderful stays at other LHW properties. While the property is architecturally beautiful and well located, the overall experience left us disappointed—especially given the price point. The hotel felt more like an extension of the St. George restaurant than a full-service luxury property. In the evenings, the outdoor spaces—including the bar and terrace—seemed reserved exclusively for restaurant guests, not hotel guests. The “Ashbee Bar” is really just a small, unmanned bar cart, and when we inquired about getting a pre-dinner drink around 6 PM, the staff made us feel like we were inconveniencing them. The pool is lovely and offers a stunning view, but don’t expect attentive service. Although there’s a pool bar and restaurant nearby, it was staffed by just one person during our stay, which meant no poolside service from the lounge chairs. Breakfast is served on a beautiful terrace, but the selection was underwhelming compared to other LHW properties. Hot dishes like eggs Benedict came with an extra charge—and were mediocre at best—which left us with the impression of being nickel-and-dimed. Check-in was a low point. We arrived at 12:45 PM, and while we understand early check-in isn’t guaranteed, our room wasn’t ready until 4:45 PM—nearly two hours after the standard 3 PM check-in time and four hours after we arrived. The staff did offer a complimentary drink and waived valet parking as compensation, but it certainly put a damper on our first day. At nearly $800 per night, this stay fell short of the elevated service and warmth we’ve experienced at comparable LHW and FHR properties. It’s a beautiful hotel, but based on this experience, I wouldn’t recommend it.

This hotel is very basic. Even though they offer robes and ugly purple slippers, in my opinion, it is not a luxury property. I booked through AMEX FHR. My room category is a superior room with a view of a driveway. The towels are old. The bath mat was stained with dirt. It took for attempts to get an adaptor that would fit in the bedside outlets. Probably the most annoying is there is no hot water. Correct. There is no hot water. The water only gets warm. It’s tepid. You cannot even wash your hands with hot water. Pass in this hotel. Spend the extra money and stay at a more premium property.