We have just come back from Sicily having spent 7 relaxing days at Antares/ Olimpo hotel. We arrived on the train (Which incidently was only 6.30 euros for two singles!!) from Catania Central station and the hotel was a short walk from the Letojanni station (although not very well signposted - you can ask for directions, take a right out of the station down the road for about 5 mins go under the bridge on the right and you will come out by the gates of the hotel).
The hotel has a fantastic view of the sea, Isola Bella and Mazzaro in the distance set against huge cliffs and hills, there are two outdoor swimming pools, the Olimpo pool being far superior at the top with bar and pizza restaurant, plus a couple more restaurants indoors serving a mix of buffet foods, we only ate there once but found it good value.
Our room was large and clean with balcony and superior views of the sea, the connecting doors to other rooms meant you could hear muffled talking from next door, but generally it was peaceful. The world cup has been on while we have been away and the hotel has been providing coverage of it in its bars and occasionally in the out door theater, where we spent a good number of nights meeting new people and chatting to the head bar man Antonio who made great cocktails!
The best restaurant in Letojanni would have to be De Ninos, a bit on the pricey side but serves excellent sicilian food in romantic setting by the sea front.
The hotel also provide a free shuttle service to Mazzaro at the bottom of Taormina, where you can take a scenic cable car up to the town itself or explore the clear beaches of Isola Bella - bring a snorkel! We found usng local buses and trains really simple and a cheap and scenic way to see Sicily.

The heat in Sicily in June is incredible and I would strongly urge you not to forget to put on sun screen and hats! I don't envy anyone using the glass hotel cable car in August, we pored with sweat inside its clear walls between 8am and 10 at night!

We highly recommend this hotel, great for couples and families! It will also cure you of any fear of heights!

wow!! after reading the other reviews of this hotel we had to set the record straight...what a hotel!
you arrive ...and the next thing you are showered wIth water and oranges....and pringles....yEs, PRINGLES!!!

THE FOOD...WAS ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS....

the animators...even better always there for a chat or to join in the activities..great fun they really were amazing honestly made the holiday...

pool was very nice also.

walid..was aamazing!!
and the lifeguard too.....made our holiday

all in all this is a fab hotel everyone should go...but you have to make it fun dont go if you are a moody person.

we loved it and you all will too! enjoy

Good points: 1. Views of the hills, the hotel is up a hillside and has to be accessed by a lift and cable car. 2. Decent sized pool (though unheated!) and plenty of sun loungers available. 3. Large rooms with kettle, air con. and TV. 4. Good pasta! 5. friedly staff. 6. Gym and spa (heated indoor pool, jacuzzi) free, 8 Euros for sauna. 7. Clean and nicely decorated. 8. Coutesy bus to Taormina.

Drawbacks: 1. Located near a motorway (but handy for getting onto it for visiting). Drone of traffic can be heard from balconies and pool. 2. Restaurant -can get noisy early on in evening so go after 8pm and tables for 2 often close together.
3. Music from evening entertainment if on the terrace can be heard in the rooms below (it stops around 11.20). We moved rooms because of this. 4. Breakfast not as good as Spanish Hotels of 4 star standard - fruit salad not always available, muesli only available in the last few days of our 2 week stay. 5. Taxi to Taormina, if ordered from hotel costs 15 euros.

Overall a good stay.

I stayed at this hotel with Thomson. It is set on a very steep hill and to get to the Olimpo hotel you take a normal lift to the Hotel Antares and then a glass lift up the cliff to the Olimpo. The actual hotel is very good and clean, the views are amazing and if anything are worth booking this hotel for. At night after dinner you can sit on the bar balcony and you have an old crooner on the piano, it is very romantic. We booked the Terraze because it offers sea views, the only downside is the communul balconies and you have to share with the room next door, some visitors complained and were moved up to the other hotel but had a view of the rocks but their own balcolny. The pool was very good, it opens at 9.30 and closes at 6.30 and there were always enough sun beds to go around as long as you got there no later than 11. This hotel is very popular with Italians and most of the guests were Italian. The food was pretty basic and if you eat there every night you will become bored, although I found the lunch better then the evening meal. There is not much to do or see in Letojanni, a few market stalls selling naff goods. There are a few restaurants and the food in most of the restaurants is to a high standard. We found it quite cheap eating out i.e. two course meal and a bottle of wine £15 each. There is an English Pub called the Twin Pub around the back of the sea front which also does nice food although they only served Tennants. Taormina is much more catered for tourists in that there are more restaurants and bars etc, we went there twice but it is a bus ride away or free shuttle and cable car. The only problem was that the last bus leaves at 11.45 otherwise you get a cab for about 20 euros. We did the Mount Etna excursion which was well worth having a look. The Stromboli excursion was dissapointing as the boat is not a suncrusing type but is covered up and goes too fast not enjoyable or relaxing. You visit two islands and have to spend 3 hours on them which is too much as there is not much to do and then you don't end up getting back to the hotel till 1 in the morning which is too long so I would avoid this trip if I was you. We also hired a scooter and went to Forza d'Agro which is only 15 minutes up the road, this is where the Godfather was filmed and then Sovaca which is a further 15 minutes along. Thomson offers this excursion but we found it better doing ourselves, plus they only visit one town. One more thing is that most shops and businesses shut from 1 pm till 4 pm but are open quite late. My overall verdict is that I would recommend staying at this hotel, the views and setting is out of this world, we had a very relaxing holiday with lovely food, weather, sightseeing, etc.