Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo
Taormina may be one of the loveliest spots on earth. Like the island of Capri the main areas are pedestrian only streets which are lined with shops and numerous restaurants. Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo has been one of the up and coming hotels for a few years. However, now that it is part of the famed Orient Express Hotel and Resort group it’s sure to be on a fast track to the top very fast. Orient Express hotels are some of the best in the world and Grand Hotel Timeo like many of their others command a unique location with spectacular views. The gardens that surround the hotel are mature and lush.
Besides its beautiful gardens Grand Hotel Timeo also spoils its guests with great food and beautiful views. Many of the accommodations have terraces that take in breathtaking sweeps of the Mediterranean, Taormina's villa-dotted hills and Mount Etna smoldering in the distance.
The main house of Grand Hotel Timeo has an upscale antique country and the well attired staff does a good job of promptly seeing to guests' needs. Burnished wainscoting adds a touch of formality in the reception area dotted with Murano light fixtures and oil paintings. The music room and game room are wrapped in window-walls affording infinite vistas.
The intimate bar at Grand Hotel Timeo features latticework walls and finely crafted rattan and wrought iron appointments and provides a sophisticated respite from the sun. Meals in the main restaurant are considered to be among the finest on the island. Here, diners gather under coffered ceilings with a fleur-de-lis motif and savor elaborate regional specialties. A sommelier attends to the needs of oenophiles, but perhaps the most notable features are the stunning views.
On sultry days, the windows and doors slide open, and the room merges with its expansive terrace and bougainvillea-topped loggia, which runs the length of the Grand Hotel Timeo. Breakfast, with the chef's tart lemon marmalade and the equally bracing morning vistas of Mount Etna, makes rising early a pleasure.
Guests at Grand Hotel Timeo also appreciate the light breeze on the terrace on hot summer nights. As well as in the main hotel restaurant, meals can be taken alfresco next to the pool from 1 to 7 pm, while enjoying the magnificent scenery and volcano views.
Recreational options at Grand Hotel Timeo include a pool and the Kalixe Bien-Etre Wellbeing Oasis Health and Fitness Center, which offers guests state-of-the-art gym equipment, a Turkish bath, and massage and treatment rooms. Many guests come to enjoy the volcanic scrubs that use ash from Mount Etna.
A free shuttle bus provides a 20-minute ride to a private beach at the Hotel Villa Sant'Andrea on the Bay of Mazzaro, with a restaurant, bar, chaise lounges and umbrellas. Guests can also make use of a wide array of locally based water sports facilities.
Facilities at Grand Hotel Timeo include Wi-Fi throughout the hotel. Parking is free. Car rentals can be arranged through the concierge, and there is a lobby gift shop.
Ornate vaulted hallways lead to richly appointed guest quarters with desks, dressers, bedsteads and nightstands of empire marquetry. Parquet floors, richly textured fabrics, thick spreads, framed prints and excellent views mark all but a handful of the rooms, many of which feature enchanting balconies.
Air-conditioning, new flat-screen TVs, phones with data ports, minibars and safes are standard. Baths (some without tubs) are tiled and marble. Most rooms have balconies or terraces.
Room service is available 24 hours. Small dogs are permitted for a daily fee. Two rooms are wheelchair accessible.
The professional staff, fine dining and fabulous views make Grand Hotel Timeo a hands-down favorite.
Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo is a member of exclusive Virtuoso travel network. Book online or contact our Virtuoso Travel Advisor lance@classictravel.com for more details.
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