Who's Going
Boutqiue Lovers, Summer Couples, History Travelers
Reason to Stay
Small Hotel, Historic Location, Upscale Decor
Hotel Type
Luxury Boutique
One of the numerous summer villas built by Brit expatriates during the early 20th Century, The Ashbee occupies a promontory compound with hotel originally built as a private Villa San Giorgio by architect Robert Charles Ashbee. Overlooking the Strait of Messina with some of the best views of any Taormina property, The Ashbee incorporates a Greek-inspired Sicilian styling typical of the era in lieu f the arts and crafts style for which the architect is known. Today guests arrive to a renovated, grand address on the edge of the historic city where a rambling residential façade leads to a series of grand reception rooms lined in veiny marbles.
A long center hallway is home to Ashbee Bar with herringbone floors and walls trimmed in rich walnut paneling with gilded décor that balances old and new. Through a series of doorways, the hotel's main resort terrace comes into view with outdoor lounge home to evening mixers throughout summer. More modern design notes carry-over into the main restaurant with its black-and-white striped walls and red Murano chandeliers that give a strong visual flavor to the room. Outside, gardens planted in blossoming citrus and fruit trees meander to a newer pool deck with views that stretch along the north western Sicilian Coast.
The Room
The thoroughly restored Ashbee Hotel is home to 25 guest rooms that include compact classic guest accommodations with double bed next to side table configuration and fully-upgraded monochromatic marble bathrooms. Larger suites come with two-floor layout offering bright and airy drawing rooms trimmed in powder white walls and bleached wide-plank hardwood floors with even more impressive signature suites like the Hellier and Montgomery offering private outdoor terraces or stone-encrusted fireplaces for colder early-summer nights.
Preferred Room
Montgomery Suite
Special Features
Historic Location, Pool Deck, City Center
Amenities
Restaurant, Bar, Lounge
