VOI Grand Hotel Atlantis Bay

Set on a private bay below the historic town of Taormina, the beautiful and upscale VOI Grand Hotel Atlantis Bay is easily one of the top properties in this part of Sicily. The hotel has a terraced design built into the rocky hill; its balconied floors resemble a traditional fishing village tumbling down towards the sparkling water. At the sea level, there’s a long grassy lawn and a stone-and-wood deck lined with soft white loungers over the water. Above, a wooden pool deck features a bar and more padded loungers, where guests recline under white umbrellas, napping, reading books, drinking peach Bellinis, or watching fishing boats bob in the bay. Guests happily spend the day by the hotel’s private bay; otherwise, excursions to Mount Etna and Megaliti dell’Argimusco, the “Stonehenge of Sicily” (both can be arranged through the concierge) or afternoons up in Taormina (the funicular up to the town is a short walk from Atlantis Bay) are popular pastimes. With its beautiful and quiet location, sincere service, upscale everything (atmosphere, facilities, and guest rooms), and private access to a gorgeous bay in the Ionian Sea, the resort is exceedingly popular with young couples. In fact, Atlantis Bay hosts about 40 to 50 weddings a year. The hotel will happily accommodate families, as well.

VOI Grand Hotel Atlantis Bay has a beautiful and quiet waterfront spot on the Ionian Coast, below the historic Taormina center. There are mostly hotels and some restaurants nearby, including the popular il Barcaiolo. Note that Via Nazionale can be stressful to walk on due to lack of consistent sidewalks. The hotel is a five-minute walk to the cable car that goes up to the historic town center and back. Without traffic, the drive to and from Catania Fontanarossa Airport should take 45 minutes.

VOI Hotel Atlantis Bay’s 83 upscale rooms and suites fall into six categories, ranging from the entry-level Superiors to the Suite Atlantide, the top-of-the-line suite with a bar, living room, dining area, and large terrace. Despite the category, all rooms have a furnished, stone-pillared balcony with potted Mediterranean cacti and flowers, overlooking the blue bay. Additionally, all rooms have flat-screen TVs, espresso machines, and free Wi-Fi. Minibars are stocked with glass-bottle San Pellegrino, Nastro Azzurro lager, sodas, and several types of liquor in miniature bottles. Marble bathrooms feature (many with double sinks), bathtubs, robes, magnifying mirrors, hairdryers, and a full set of free Etro bath products. Some suites feature walk-in rainfall showers in addition to the freestanding tub. Decor varies, but it mostly consists of white-washed furnishings with neutral tones and aquatic touches, like coral and seahorses.

VOI Grand Hotel Atlantis Bay has a full range of features, but the best may be its private waterside area where a stone-and-wood platform is lined with soft, cushioned loungers facing the sparkling Siren Bay. Food and drink service is available, and there’s a bar for snacks and cocktails by the adjacent pool. More loungers and umbrellas frame the pool, which have incredible views of the water and small island across the bay. 

Seating for Atlantis Bay’s main restaurant is set on an all-season terrace above the pool, with more glorious views all around. Breakfast is included in the rates, and the buffet is superlative (“outstanding,” “amazing,” “divine,” and “one of the best in Italy,” according to enthusiastic TripAdvisor reviewers). The multi-station spread includes live cooking for omelets, bacon, grilled vegetables, meat, cheese, yogurt, fresh fruits, cereal, and granitas. The restaurant is also open for a la carte lunch and dinner service; many past guests have commented on the dinner menu being quite expensive, but worth it nonetheless. There’s a small bar in the lobby for cocktails and wine and views of the sea. 

Adjacent to the restaurant is Atlantis Bay’s small fitness center, which is set in a glass-walled room on the sea-facing terrace. The small gym has a few treadmills, an elliptical, and a bike, plus a rack of free weights. The spa, HY’DOR Wellness Centre, is open daily and offers a full menu of facial and body treatments. The hotel’s two conference rooms can accommodate up to 180 and 120, respectively. The hotel hosts dozens of weddings a year, with a maximum guest count of 250. There is on-site valet parking for a fee. Wi-Fi is free throughout VOI Grand Hotel Atlantis Bay.