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4.5
#1 of 3 hotels in Castelmola
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Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Hotel Villa Sonia is a historic rural home situated in Castelmola in the district of Taormina where a real corner of “Paradise” awaits you. A charming residence surrounded by green vegetation and having as much tranquility as one would desire, ideal for romantic escapes or family holidays. Ensuring your relaxation are its position, structure and the professionalism of its qualified staff, which provide the facilities that enable you to spend all the time you want to, reliving ancient times and rediscovering unique flavours that only a land as rich and generous as “Sicily” can give you. Tradition, love and hospitality for every single characteristic and detail distinguish our rooms and accompany our guests in the best periods of the year. The hotel is set in a unique and silent natural environment, yet just a few kilometers from Taormina and the sea.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Family
Charming
Languages Spoken
English, French, Italian
Location
Via Porta Mola 9, 98030 Castelmola, Sicily Italy
Name/address in local language
Hotel Villa Sonia
707 reviews
Getting there
Somewhat walkable
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Hotel Villa Sonia captivates visitors with its traditional and picturesque charm, nestled in the scenic town of Castelmola with breathtaking views of Mount Etna that guests adore. While the rooms are celebrated for their cleanliness and vistas, some feel the lack of basic amenities like water or tea facilities slightly mars the experience.
The staff's commendable service and the hotel's overall cleanliness receive consistent accolades, although the extra charges for fundamentals have led to mixed feelings about the hotel's value. The amenities, including the lauded pool and shuttle service, add to the hotel's appeal, despite some missing perks.
Location
Picturesque
Atmosphere
Charming
Rooms
Basic
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Spotless
Service
Helpful
Amenities
Satisfactory
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We've just had a perfect 10 day stay at Hotel Villa Sonia. Everything was amazing from start to finish. The receptionists are all very knowledgable about the local area and are able to advise on buses, excursions and places to go in both Castlemola and Taormina. Paolo, David and Guiseppe were exceptional. So welcoming, helpful and hard working.
All the hotel staff were extremely accommodating and helpful. Unfortunately we didn't manage to get everyones names.
The hotel itself is in an idyllic setting with stunning views overlooking Mount Etna and Taormina... simply mindblowing.
Our room was spacious, we had a balcony overlooking mount Etna. Our room had everything we needed: it was cleaned and sheets/ towels changed everyday. The cleaners were also lovely.
We had bed and breakfast; the breakfast was basic but had all the essentials such as cereal, toast, fruit, yoghurt, crossoints etc. but is fine if you want to save a few euros and the breakfast location is also stunning. They also had a great coffee machine!
The hotel doesn't have a restaurant for evening meals but does own the restaurant up the road... 'La Caverna' about 50 meters away. It is lovely, great food and has live music on from Thursdays to Sundays. There are also a few other lovely restaurants in Castlemola which we would highly recommend such as Pizzeria Nina / Antico Caffe San Giorgio and La Taverna Dell Etna. The hotel also have their own car (8 spaces) for hotel guests which goes to / from Taormina 3 times a day. Hotel guests can book a space but receptionists advised to give at least an hour notice. This is a free service which is excellent. Alternatively there are buses that run to and from Castlemola and Taormina for €1.90 single and €3 return. They go every hour until about 9:40pm
The pool was exceptional: huge shout out to Michele who was running the pool bar during our stay and was very lovely.
We were very sad to leave Hotel Villa Sonia and felt we had to write a review as we don't feel some of the previous reviews have been fair.
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Date of stay: August 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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Myself and two friends have just got back from a long weekend staying at Hotel Villa Sonia and cannot thank the staff enough for a lovely stay. Nicholas was very lovely and friendly behind the bar, reception were more than happy to help us organise trips, dinner reservations and taxis and Maria made us feel very welcome. We stayed in room 503 which was massive and had the most beautiful views looking out onto Mount Etna. We ate at La Caverna just a short walk from the hotel and the hawaiian pizza was amazing, we also arranged transfers down to the beach and our taxi to and from the airport. Thank you so much for a lovely relaxing weekend to escape!
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Date of stay: August 2020Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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If you are looking for a relaxing holiday with your family look no further. This hotel is an absolute gem with natural Sicilian charm. The hotel staff could not be more helpful and are attentive but allow you to enjoy yourself at the same time.
Lunch at the pool and dinner at the Cavern restaurant mean that you can have a day out and come back to a relaxing hotel worthy of a good meal with a superb choice of wine.
Although the drive up is a little scary in a hire car at first it is well worth it and becomes second nature by the end of your stay. The beach club that the staff offer via transfer is a fabulous option and at €20 per person it’s a good day out. Would recommend the boat trip that was on offer at the beach club which is a good way to see the bays from the sea without having to navigate the crowds.
All in all one of our very best holidays and I would not hesitate to recommend.
Thanks very much.
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Date of stay: August 2022Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Giuseppe Intelisano, Proprietario at Hotel Villa Sonia
Responded 20 Aug 2022
Dear Sarah, Thanks for your feedback, it is greatly appreciated..... :-) What you have shared with us will continue to help us as we try to perfect the experience we provide at Hotel Villa Sonia. Your words to our hotel makes us very proud and rewards us for the attention we constantly reserve for our guests. Hoping to welcome you back to Villa Sonia, we greet you cordially. :-) Giuseppe Intelisano General Manager
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The Hotel Villa Sonia is an old authentic Italian hotel high up in the mountains of a small ancient fortified village.
If you are looking for total peace & quiet it is probably ideal.
The hotel itself was pleasant and the staff work tirelessly to keep it clean, we found the reception staff polite & helpful.
Where the hotel management could vastly improve guests experience would be to have the pool bar staffed whenever the pool is open. Also to offer pool snacks or light lunches neither were available during our stay. This meant you had to actually leave the hotel and go into the village for lunch. Also to have an actual bar in the hotel open in the evenings. During our stay you had to use the hotel restaurant situated just up the road to have a drink. One thing I think needs to be addressed urgently is the cracked & chipped crockery in the restaurant this really isn’t acceptable. add this to the cracked tiles on the balconies and you soon realise that a level of investment is needed for the 4* to be maintained. In my opinion a 3* would be fairer. At the moment the hotel relies very much on the amazing views but a good hotel needs more than a view.
Lastly, trying to explore the region is difficult especially if you travel with Jet2 as they offer no excursions from this hotel stating the location makes it impossible. However local buses and the hop on hop off bus manage to get up to the village of Castelmola. The local buses however do not do excursions. You can walk the hour down into Toarmina but it is a precarious walk down steps cut into the hillside and not viable for everyone.
.We did like Sicily but do your research so you pick an area and accommodation that allows you to make the most of your holiday.
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Date of stay: June 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I would give this hotel 3.5 if that was an option as we did actually have an enjoyable stay at Hotel Villa Sonja. There are many positives, the location (Castelmola is a beautiful little village), the grounds, the pool and the views. Also the reception staff were friendly and helpful. However we feel that this hotel relies heavily on its location and views and without those things it would just be a middle of the road very average hotel. For us it felt more like a 3 star hotel than a 4 star. The decor is definitely a bit dated but that actually didn't really bother me. However there were other things that i felt were just not up to par. For a price tag of over €300 a night, It would have been nice if the hotel had at least provided some shampoo in the room and maybe a free bottle of water. The breakfast was considerably below average compared to most other 4 star hotels that we've stayed in and it was ridiculous to have to pay extra just to have an expresso or any coffee that was actually drinkable. As I said we enjoyed our stay and Castlemola very much anyway. It's just a shame the hotel does not live up to its full potential.
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Date of stay: May 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We stayed at this hotel for a week back in a June and it was chosen for its views of Mount Etna, which did not disappoint. The hotel is on a hill on the outskirts of the village of Castelmola. The village itself is quite small but there are the ruins of a castle, several bars and restaurants and a few small shops. As we were staying on bed & breakfast we made use of these. Breakfast had a decent choice of pastries, continental meats and cheeses, toast etc. There was also a limited range of hot items. All were self service. The patio area where you sit for breakfast has spectacular views as does the pool area. The pool area is clean and well maintained. There is also a bar area where it is possible to get drinks. At the time of our visit, they had also just introduced a lunchtime snack menu. The hotel is very much traditional old Italian style. There are lots of quirky and interesting antiques in the reception and on landings. Similarly, the bedrooms tend to have darker furniture. The bathroom was looking a little dated by today’s standards but everything worked fine and was clean. Reception staff were helpful and friendly and spoke good English. The hotel no longer runs a restaurant on site, but does own the one on the right as you go up the hill and it offers a 10% discount on meals here to hotel guests. It is also possible to charge your bill to your hotel room from there. They also have an interest in the bistro located on the main square. If you wish to venture further afield, the hop on, hop off buses stop in the village. There is also a local bus stop directly outside the hotel. Taormina itself is lovely, but it is a long walk down the hill to get there. Would we return - yes we would.
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Date of stay: June 2022
Location
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Giuseppe Intelisano, Proprietario at Hotel Villa Sonia
Responded 10 Oct 2022
Dear Terriers1913, Thanks for your feedback, it is greatly appreciated. i'm grateful for your cute words, i'm sorry if something haven't satisfied your expectations and will be nice to see you in next years in such a way we can give you our best. Warm Regards
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One of the best stays on our 25 day visit to Sicily. Elegant hotel with first class appointments. While the décor may not be everyone's cup of tea we found it pleasant and inviting. Our Etna view room came with a small balcony that was a nice place to sit and stare at the vast panorama. Great sunsets - but no volcanic activity !
Staff were very helpful helpful, especially in arranging parking and providing directions for taking the bus down to Taormina. One point about the bus - it drops you at the Catania Gate, but you will want to be picked up at the Messina gate. Frankly we found Taormina a bit too touristy, and were glad to be in Castelmola. On arrival, a quick hike up to the town, a stroll down the main street and an Aperol Spritz, a glass of prosecco and some bruschetta told us we had found gold.
We were here in mid October in the pandemic year of 2021. So the hotel was not crowded, which made for a comfortable experience. By the looks of it, in August, you'd be surrounded by many, many guests ! Dinner in La Caverna was very good.
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Date of stay: October 2021
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stayed here 8 nights. It would be easy to say the hotel is a little tired but it has charm, great location and the staff could not do more. There is a 10% discount at Restaurant up the hill where the service is great and they serve lovely sundown drinks and dinner. Pool area is perfect.
Very relaxing stay and recommended without reservation
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Date of stay: May 2022
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip:308 or 309 were good rooms although in truth, time is always spent being out in this wonderful...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Giuseppe Intelisano, Proprietario at Hotel Villa Sonia
Responded 23 May 2022
Dear Guest, Thanks for your feedback, it is greatly appreciated. What you have shared with us will continue to help us as we try to perfect the experience we provide at Hotel Villa Sonia. Hoping to welcome you back to Villa Sonia, we greet you cordially. :-) Giuseppe Intelisano General Manager
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This was my favorite hotel in all of Sicily. It is located in Castelmora high in the hills above Taoramina, one of the premier towns of Sicily. From the hotel patios and balconies there is an amazing view of Mr Etna with steam coming from its crater. Each room has a balcony or patio with excellent views. There is a large pool and patio area on which to relax, talk and gaze at an amazing sunset over the volcano. There is a small bar poolside that serves drinks and light refreshments during the day. The staff was the most friendly and helpful of all the hotels where we stayed. We were a large family group of 17 and they worked hard to accommodate us in every way. The hotel also has a great restaurant next door and I thought the food was outstanding. The atmosphere is festive and friendly and the service excellent. Breakfast is included and is served in an area that is simultaneously cozy and elegant or you can elect to take your breakfast out onto the lovely patio. There was a lot of options to choose from at the breakfast buffet and I thought it was definitely the best breakfast we had on our trip. The road to Taoramina is very steep and windy but it is very easy to get a taxi to and from town. Since most Italians drive as if they are participating in the Grand Pre I would suggest this as the best option. Also there is plenty of parking at the hotel if you have a car rental. I have included my own photos and a few from their brochure to give you a good idea of the hotel.
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Date of stay: October 2022Trip type: Travelled with friends
Room Tip:Probably the only difficult thing is the drive to Taoramina down a steep winding road which is...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Giuseppe Intelisano, Proprietario at Hotel Villa Sonia
Responded 7 Apr 2023
Dear Guest, Thanks for your feedback, it is greatly appreciated. What you have shared with us will continue to help us as we try to perfect the experience we provide at Hotel Villa Sonia. All my sincere thanks for your kind words, and i hope we can see each other in the next years. Warm Regards
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Our concierge David could not have done more for us. He provided answers to questions we would have had, but hadn’t had time to think of. He offered to check if a restaurant was open for us, when everywhere was shut, and he made us a dinner reservation, perfectly timing it so that we could still watch the sunset from our balcony. He printed out public bus timetables for us, without us having to ask. He is empathetic to what it is like to be a guest. Similarly, our shuttle driver generously went out of his way to drive a little further, to make a drop-off step-free for a member of our party who has mobility issues.
We liked our room and its pot-bellied furniture, with views of Etna reflected in the wardrobe mirrors. The view of the snow capped volcano was astonishing and kept changing. Sunrise yoga on the balcony watching Etna turn pink then mauve was breathtaking.
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Date of stay: March 2023
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Giuseppe Intelisano, Proprietario at Hotel Villa Sonia
Responded 7 Apr 2023
Dear Guests, Thanks for your feedback, it is greatly appreciated. What you have shared with us will continue to help us as we try to perfect the experience we provide at Hotel Villa Sonia. All my sincere thanks for your kind words, and i hope we can see each other in the next years. Warm Regards
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Yes Catania is the nearest airport. I m not sure but i think the hotel can arrange private transfer for you. If you want..there is bus service from airport to Taormina and then you can take another bus to Castermola. Or a short taxi ride
Manchester, United Kingdom86 contributions29 helpful votes
Sorry but we left mid-September so don't know, but if you email the hotel they will get back to you, although it may to some extent depend on the weather. If it is open when you are there, I can highly recommend the Steak at the pool bar for lunch!
Rowlands Castle, United Kingdom8 contributions4 helpful votes
Hi Shirley, there were table and 2 chairs on the balcony of our Superior Room 510 last week. No kettle or coffee facilities in room but the kitchen did lend me one each day when I asked at reception. Not sure if that would be possible if everyone asked! It is common in Italy for no kettle so you could always take a cheap small travel kettle to use. There's a small hardware shop in Taormina too (near Greek Theatre) where you could buy one.
The Hotel bar and restaurant are very good at providing drinks to the rooms if you need at any time though.
And there are so many positives at this hotel, not having a kettle shouldn't massively ruin your stay once you see the views from the bedroom window! Colin
There are more places to choose from in the Castelmola area.
PRICE RANGE
£118 - £221 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
ItalySicilyProvince of MessinaCastelmola
NUMBER OF ROOMS
42
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