Villa Sant'Andrea, A Belmond Hotel, Taormina Mare
Skirting the edge of a pretty bay and shingle beach, Villa Sant’ Andrea is one of Taormina’s only hotels to retain an old money feel – courtesy perhaps of its history as a Cornish family villa and home. It’s elegantly dressed, nothing flashy about it – expect a delicious blend of mahogany, modern art and cane, tasteful upholstery, and bookshelves filled with seaside trinkets and hefty Assouline classics. Belmond was clever to not gloss up the exterior of the long, turreted white villa and its adjoining buildings – positioning it in its rightful era. Similarly, the sea-facing terrace (for sunny breakfasts and drawn out lunches) recalls the Mediterranean villa of a tasteful friend – scattered in tile-topped tables and English garden furniture. A picturesque pool is elevated above over the rockpools below (Amalfi style), while the shingle-sand beach is lined with candy blue parasols and loungers for peak summer. Low-key, classy types stay here – understated in linen by day, donning their finery by night for 7pm drinks with a jazz singer.
All rooms offer balconies with seaviews, though it's worth stretching for the Signature Suites’ terraces.