Name: Excelsior Palace Taormina
Address: Taormina, IT
Price range: From $335

Excelsior Palace Taormina, TaorminaExcelsior Palace Taormina in Taormina, Italy has a corrected score of 3.2 ± 0.6 (thin evidence, no platform scores), ranked 22 of 28 hotels we score in Taormina. Its platform ratings, normalised to 0-5, average 4.2 before correction. Rooms from about $335 a night (cached, not a live quote).The Excelsior Palace Taormina is a 4-star historic hotel in Moorish style, set on a promontory in central Taormina, about ten minutes on foot from the Greek Amphitheatre. It has 85 rooms, extensive gardens, a cliff-edge outdoor pool with a poolside bar, a rooftop terrace, and a restaurant serving international cuisine with terrace drinks. Many rooms look out over the sea and Mount Etna. Free WiFi runs throughout, and parking, valet service and room service are available. Children are welcome, pets are allowed, and the hotel regularly hosts weddings and events. Guests praise the cleanliness and old-world character. Note that the train station is 2.5 km away and the airport 60 km, so transfers need planning.What stands out

Charming old-world decor throughout

Helpful, welcoming staff

Panoramic cliff-edge pool with bar

Sea and Mount Etna views

Watch out for

Occasional noise from neighbouring rooms

Train station 2.5 km away

Better-scored in Taormina

Hotel Mazzarò Sea Palace, Taormina: 4.2 ± 0.3 (fair evidence, 2 of 4 platforms), from $1,187 a night. Hotel Mazzarò Sea Palace is a five-star seasonal hotel situated on the Baia di Mazzarò seafront near Isola Bella.

Atlantis Bay, Taormina: 4.1 ± 0.2 (fair evidence, 2 of 4 platforms). Atlantis Bay is a 71-room luxury hotel set into the cliffs above Taormina's Baia delle Sirene, with terraces stepping down to the Ionian Sea.

Hotel Villa Carlotta, Taormina: 4.1 ± 0.3 (fair evidence, 2 of 4 platforms). Hotel Villa Carlotta is a boutique hotel set within a stone-clad villa from the late 19th century.