Via Calcide Eubea 55, Giardini Naxos, Italy
Quiet, quirky beach hotel in Sicily's Giardini Naxos
Dramatic beachfront location with a lovely, well-manicured lawn
Spacious rooms with large balconies, many overlooking the water
In-room amenities include mini-fridges (empty) and flat-screen TVs
Beachfront saltwater pool with towel service
Water-view restaurant serving breakfast (included in rates), lunch, and dinner
Free on-site parking and Wi-Fi
Dated decor throughout rooms and common areas
No coffee/tea facilities in rooms
Off of Giardini Naxos’ main drag, with no shuttle service
No wellness services
Slow Wi-Fi
Arathena Rocks Hotel is a very quiet, low-key property at the southern tip of the Giardini Naxos beach resort. The decor found throughout its common areas and 51 rooms will strike some guests as dark, heavy, and outdated, and others as lovely, charming, and unique. All rooms feature air-conditioning, mini-fridges, and flat-screen TVs, though this is a great place to splurge for a beach-facing room, as they overlook the dramatic sea and feature balconies, while rear rooms have no view and only French balconies. Hotel features include a restaurant serving all meals (a daily breakfast buffet is included in the rates), a saltwater pool, and a well-groomed lawn with seating, all facing the ocean. For a more modern property closer to the action of Taormina, consider VOI Grand Hotel Atlantis Bay.
What Are the Design and Scene Like at Arathena Rocks Hotel?
A funky beach retreat filled with Sicilian folk art, with a pool and free breakfast
Arathena Rocks Hotel is a property dating to the 1960s, a fact that will surprise no one as the hotel has changed very little over the decades. In every which way, the eye is treated to traditional Sicilian folk art and furniture in a rainbow of colors: think hand-carved benches and tiled floors and walls, and in the rooms, hand-painted wooden headboards, doors, and medicine cabinets. The heavy antique furnishings and bold colors can make the common spaces feel dark, but most guests are charmed by the retro, folksy vibe. The hotel opens up to a wide, well-manicured lawn with plastic seating and potted flowers, and a rugged shore where waves crash dramatically against the rugged black rocks. The roaring waves, sea mist, quiet location away from the Giadini Naxos nightlife, and homey, distinctive decor tends to appeal to Arathena Rocks guests, who are typically European couples staying for a week in the summertime.
Where is Arathena Rocks Hotel Located in Sicily?
At the quiet southern tip of Sicily's lively Giardini Naxos beach resort
Arathena Rocks Hotel is located at the southern tip of Giardini Naxos, a beach resort near Taormina in Sicily. Giardini Naxos is known for its nightlife, but at this end of the resort, things stay quiet and peaceful. Expect a 15-minute walk from the hotel to the beginning of Giardini Naxos’ main drag; alternatively the Interbus bus line running to Taormina and the rest of Giardini Naxos line starts about 300 meters from the hotel. The entrance to the Museum and Archaeological Area of Naxos is about a nine-minute walk from the hotel. The trip to and from Catania Fontanarossa Airport by car takes about 50 minutes.
What are the Rooms Like at Arathena Rocks Hotel?
Old-fashioned rooms with mini-fridges and air-conditioning -- the upgrade to a sea-facing room with a balcony is well worth it
The main thing you need to know about the rooms is that they’re available facing the sea and facing the back of the hotel. The sea-view ones are certainly worth the higher price, as they feature spacious balconies and lovely views of the waves crashing against the rocks, while rooms along the hotel’s backside face the road and have French balconies that you can’t actually step out onto. Like the rest of the hotel, rooms are a time capsule of the hotel’s 1960s era, with quaintly painted headboards, old-fashioned blue-and-yellow bedspreads, and heavy wooden furnishings. All rooms have empty mini-fridges, air-conditioning, and small flat-screen TVs, but there are no coffee or tea facilities. Most bathrooms have bathtubs, and the only toiletries provided are individual shampoo and shower gel packets and shower caps. Some rooms sleep three or four guests; one triple room has a huge terrace with views of Giardini Naxos and Mt. Etna (but not the sea). Wi-Fi is free in the rooms, but it’s slow.
What are the Features at Arathena Rocks Hotel?
A sea-facing pool and free breakfast are offered here
Arathena Rocks’ main perk is its quiet beachfront location with impressive views of the dramatic waves. The beach itself is too rocky for swimming, but there are loungers set up for sunbathing and relaxing to the sound of the surf. The incredible sea views are on full display from the hotel’s restaurant/bar, which serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, plus drinks, such as Aperol Spritzes, throughout the day. Breakfast is included with all bookings; the buffet includes eggs, bacon, and a variety of toasts, plus ham, salami, sliced cheese, and fresh OJ. Guests with a sweet tooth can indulge in pastries, waffles, and yogurt with honey. Lunch is served a la carte and dinner features a salad buffet and two courses served at the table. Most guests opt for the standard board (breakfast only) or half board with dinner. Just past the restaurant is Arathena Rocks’ good-sized pool, which is filled with filtered water from the sea. Pool towel service is available. Wi-Fi and parking are both free at Arathena Rocks, though note that the Wi-Fi can be slow and the parking is unguarded. Pets are not allowed at Arathena Rocks.