Hotel Villa Paradiso dell'Etna

The hotel is kept well. The style is something like liberty, I would say. The room we had was comfortable, with fridge filled with usual expensive small drinks (like other hotels), parquet on the floor, thick glasses in the door of the small balcony, sky on demand, bathroom in good state. On the whole the room was clean. The view of Mount Etna from the terrace where we had breakfast was spectacular. We were lucky there were no clouds for all the length of our stay. Breakfast included various juices, almond milk, slices of bread (rye bread too) and toaster, yoghurts, coffee, tea bags, green tea, croissants, cappuccinos, honey in little jars, jams, cakes (which unlike croissants weren't covered), ham, slices of cheeses...you should be able to pick something satisying your tastes. The little garden it's worth a visit. People at the reception were affable. Location of the hotel: bear in mind that if you want to go around in Sicily the best way is hiring a car (or a moped or bike). Public transports outside the main cities are poor. The hotel is situated in an area which is part of the hinterland of Catania, but urban bus lines don't get there. If you have a car, the hotel is ideal for excursions to Mount Etna, but also Taormina, the ceramic capital of Caltagirone, and Siracusa and all the other baroque towns like Noto, Ragusa and Modica. Catania town centre and Acireale are worth a visit.

Disappointing for the price and 4 star rating. Hotel is miles from anywhere, so car is essential.Hotel tired looking and outside cleaned just for evening local events. Pool did not seem cleanest, although a machine was used to clean. Depressing ambience, esp. in dining room. Food expensive for the quality.

We stayed for 7 nights and were very comfortable. The staff are friendly and helpful and couldn't do enough for us. The garden and pool area is lovely - very relaxing and the pool clean and well kept. We had a wonderful view of Etna from our room and I would recommend asking for a room with an Etna view. The food in the restaurant was excellent and the service good. Internet access is good in the lounge area and a computer is provided for guests to use. For us the only down side to the location of the hotel is that there is nowhere to walk from the hotel if you want to have an evening stroll. We did however, find a nice pizzaria within walking distance of the hotel which enabled us to sample the local wines without having to drive.

We loved the hotel. The atmosphere in the hotel is warm and comfortable, and the staff are charming, so it feels homely - country house hotel homely. The restaurant serves a four course set meal but it is possible to have only a part of it and pay accordingly. The wine was good and not expensive. We had a good view of Etna from our room.

This was quite the hotel in 1920....but a little tired now. The rooms are really cute and the sheets are top quality. The hotel restaurant was very good and the staff was excellent. The main problem is that the hotel is near nothing and very hard to find. Even with our GPS we drove around an extra 10 min. The street names are repetitive and the roads are difficult to navigate as they are in many parts of Italy.

Very pleasant stay. Staff friendly, hotel typically sicillian. Gardens and grounds tranquil.

The hotel was charming and very well maintained. We loved the hand-painted murals in the rooms. Hotel management was extremely friendly and helpful.

The Villa Paradiso can be difficult to find if arriving by rental car, but it is well worth the serach. The Hotel is in the grand style, in pleasant gardens, plenty of off-street parking, and well-furnished, comfortable rooms - ensure yours has a balcony and view of Etna. The facilities - there is a pool and fitness centre - are good, and the hotel is well placed for touring around Etna and the North-East of Sicily. The food is first-class, the wine list comprehensive. Breakfast is served on the roof terrace, and all other meals can be eaten out of doors under clear summer skies. All this makes for an excelent break.