Via Silemi Alta SNC, Letojanni, Italy
Apartment-style units with separate bedrooms, living rooms, and kitchenettes
Free shuttle to private beach
Outdoor pool area with children's pool and whirlpool
Free Wi-Fi near reception
Mini-club for kids, and other activities and entertainment throughout day
Buffet restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Option for half-board or pay-by-meal
Rooms are poorly designed and cheaply furnished
Buffet restaurant is mediocre
Residence Letojanni is a collection of 80 studio and one-bedroom apartments with kitchenettes. The units at the Letojanni are timeshares, part of the RCI vacation exchange, though spaces don't have much home-like character. Rooms are plain, cheaply furnished, and often strange in layout, with kitchenettes serving as pass-through spaces. High on a hillside overlooking Taormina and the Mediterranean, Residence Letojanni frequently runs shuttles to its private beach, which is equipped with sun beds and umbrellas. There's a simple, moderately priced buffet restaurant on-site, and a half-board option is available as well. A main pool area with a children's pool and whirlpool is found at the center of the complex.
Scene
Not chic or luxurious, but offers a simple place to disconnect
Residence Letojanni is a basic, family-focused hotel. With a daily list of activities that includes aerobics, karaoke, and performances at its rooftop amphitheater, guests of all ages will be entertained. The hotel also runs a mini-club specifically for kids. Still, the Letojanni is a bit remote, on a hillside about two miles above Taormina, and requires a car to get around. Wi-Fi is available only around the reception area and, beyond the shuttle that takes guests to the beach, there's little access to outside food or entertainment in the immediate area. The property is best for guests looking to disconnect and relax.
Furnishings are essential and modest: There are no plush couches for reclining in the lobby and, save for the red tablecloths, the restaurant lacks decoration -- but there are glorious views all around.
Location
On a beautiful hillside above Taormina
Residence Letojanni sits about two miles above the town of Taormina on a hillside overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. While the hotel runs shuttles several times a day to its in-town beach, guests will need a car for anything else. The Letojanni is not within walking distance of other restaurants and shops. Located on the eastern coast, the hotel is about a 45-minute drive to the cities of Messina or Catania each way, and a roughly three-hour drive to Palermo.
Rooms
Large, plain, and poorly laid out
The apartment-style suites at the Letojanni are large and plain, with blue patterned bedding and cushions and boxy wood furniture that remind one of a preschool. Designed for groups (a one-bedroom unit can easily sleep at least four people), living spaces are easily converted into more sleeping spaces, as the rooms are furnished with daybeds instead of couches. Sometimes, an apartment’s largest bed rests in the living room, next to the dining table. This, along with the fact that each kitchenette is typically a pass-through space between a bed and living room, makes the overall design awkward. Still, all kitchens come with large fridges, four-burner electric stoves, and microwaves. Groceries can be purchased on-site. Bathrooms are a bit cramped and plain. Some may have soap stains, but they're generally well-maintained and mold-free.
Features
Frequent shuttles to the activity-filled beach trump the mediocre restaurant and pool
Lined with plastic chaise lounges, the main pool is not massive, though it is flanked by a children's pool and whirlpool. Guests may instead opt to take the Letojanni's shuttle down to a private beach where there are sunbeds and umbrellas and nearby opportunities to rent pedal boats, windsurfers, and canoes. During the high season, the hotel organizes games and entertainment and there's a beachside pizzeria and bar. At the Letojanni itself, there’s a rooftop amphitheater with a gorgeous view of the water and hillside. A few stories below, guests can access the designated fitness area -- a flat garden space where aerobic and exercise classes are held. The buffet restaurant is visually boring and gets mixed reviews overall, but it is an alternative for those who don't want to cook or drive to town.