Via Nazionale 147, Taormina, Italy
Stately beachfront hotel with a prime spot on the Bay of Mazzaro
Private beach with lifeguard, hotel loungers, and food and drink service
Spacious rooms with stocked minibars, marble bathrooms, and Etro toiletries
Most rooms have enormous sea-facing balconies or terraces, some with plunge pools
Breakfast is fantastic and included in all room rates; half-board rates available
Restaurant open for all meals, with patio seating facing the water
Room service available throughout the day
Sea-facing bar with snacks, cocktails, and live music
Swimming pool with views of the water
Spa with full treatment menu, plus 24-hour fitness center
Conference room for up to 120
Free Wi-Fi throughout
Beach is stony, not sandy (consider bringing water shoes)
Pool is not heated
Jellyfish can be an issue at the beach
One of the top hotels in Taormina, VOI Grand Hotel Mazzaro Sea Palace is an upscale beach hotel on the Bay of Mazzaro. Most of the 82 rooms have private balconies or terraces with incredible views of the sea, and all rooms have perks like flat-screen TVs and minibars. The hotel’s restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with the lavish breakfast spread included in all room rates. There is a beachfront pool but most guests go to the beach itself, where there are loungers and food/drink service. While Mazzaro Sea Palace’s large rooms, pool, and beach are great for families, couples could try VOI Grand Hotel Atlantis Bay, the romantic sister property next door. Note that both hotels are seasonal (open April through mid-November).
What’s the Scene Like at VOI Grand Hotel Mazzaro Sea Palace?
One of Taormina's very best beach hotels, with a pool, spa, room service, and a fantastic free breakfast
VOI Grand Hotel Mazzaro Sea Palace brings to mind a grand old ocean liner, with an interior heavy with woods and marbles and a sloping facade of private terraces and balconies all overlooking the sparkling Bay of Mazzaro. The classic style of the hotel might feel dated to modern tastes, but not in an egregious way, and the hotel has seen some contemporary updates here and there. Besides, travelers shouldn’t expect design-driven hotels in Sicily (they are the exception, not the rule), and Mazzaro Sea Palace’s fantastic beachfront location, comfortable and well-equipped rooms, nice range of hotel features, and service from the hotel staff are the big draws here. The hotel is popular with guests from all over the world, especially Europe, the U.S., and Russia, who want a relaxing three or four nights by the sea, with easy access to Taormina town (the cable car to Taormina is close to the hotel). Altogether, Mazzaro Sea Palace is one of the best all-around hotels in Taormina.
Where is VOI Grand Hotel Mazzaro Sea Palace Located?
On the beach of Taormina, close to the cable car up to the historic town
Mazzaro Sea Palace is located on the Ionian Sea in the Bay of Mazzaro, below the historic Taormina center. The surrounding businesses are mostly hotels and a few restaurants -- good luck trying to get into il Barcaiolo without a reservation. Be cautious on foot around the hotel, as the road it’s off of, Via Nazionale, doesn’t exactly have consistent sidewalks. Mazzaro Sea Palace is a three-minute walk to the cable car that goes up to the Taormina town center and back. Without traffic, the drive to and from Catania Fontanarossa Airport should take 45 minutes.
Rooms
Nearly all of Mazzaro's rooms have balconies/terraces and views of the startlingly blue Bay of Mazzaro
Nearly all of Mazzaro Sea Palace’s rooms have a view of the Mediterranean; in fact, 72 of the hotel’s 82 face pretty Bay of Mazzaro with its teal water, bobbing boats, rocky outcrops, and gorgeous sunrises. East-facing rooms and suites have a private balcony or, in the case of the 2nd-floor Superior rooms, a terrace so deep, it nearly doubles the room’s square footage. Balconies and terraces have tables, chairs, and loungers; the terraces of the six Pool Suites have outdoor plunge pool/hot tubs. The inner rooms face the street, and only have windows, not a balcony or terrace.
Though some units have been redone with more contemporary decor, rooms and suites are largely decorated in a classic style, with large wooden armoires, writing desks, and hardwood floors. Pale walls might be decorated with large prints of blue water or a closeup of red coral. Rooms have stocked minibars with mini bottles of Amaro, limoncello, and other liquors (fee) and flat-screen Samsung TVs with international channels like Euronews, Skynews, CNN International, and Al Jazeera. The spacious bathrooms have shower/tub combos and red marble vanities with double sinks. Etro toiletries (shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, and bar soap) are provided. Suites have perks like Krups coffee machines, bathrobes, slippers, and bath salts. The nightly turndown service provides a glass bottle of water and a traditional Sicilian sweet.
For guests with mobility issues, the hotel does have some dedicated rooms, so request in advance. Cribs and changing tables are available upon request. Use of the safe and in-room Wi-Fi are both free.
What are the Features at VOI Grand Hotel Mazzaro Sea Palace?
A private beach with food and drink service, a beachfront pool, and a restaurant with a superb free breakfast
Unlike many Taormina hotels, Mazzaro Sea Palace’s restaurant, Il Gattopardo, is open for all meals. Access to the breakfast buffet is built into the room rates, and the offerings are impressive. Multiple stations include savory fare (eggs, bacon, sautéed vegetables, bagels with cream cheese and fresh salmon) and sweet (Nutella and cream croissants, cakes, loafs, tarts). A whole table is dedicated to various cheeses, like fresh stracciatella di bufala, mozzarella, and ricotta, and drink options include granita, Prosecco, orange juice, and specialty coffee. A show cooking station for omelets is set up outside when the weather is nice. Guests who have lunch here opt to dine pool- or beachside, with easy options like chicken sandwiches, burgers, and fries. Dinners in the restaurant center around traditional Sicilian wine and dishes -- think pasta alla Norma, local fish, and linguine with clams and parsley. Room service is available throughout the day, with options like beef carpaccio and sea bass. Tancredi Bar is open throughout the day and until late at night; drinks and light food are served throughout the day and a live band (singer, guitarist, pianist) plays in the evening. Both Il Gattopardo and Tancredi Bar offer a beachside terrace with panoramic views of the bay. The hotel’s private beach is supervised by lifeguards and lined with loungers and umbrellas. Seating is equipped with buttons that allow guests to summon beach attendants for sparkling water, a fruit plate, or other food and drink. Note that this is a pebbly beach, not a sandy one, so water shoes might be a good idea.
Other facilities include a good-size, heated swimming pool (nice for when there are jellyfish in the ocean), a free 24-hour fitness center, and the Hyd’Or Spa offering facials, massages, couples’ massage, manis, pedis, waxing, and scrubs. A conference room can accommodate up to 120 meeting attendees. Laundry, ironing, and babysitting are all available for a fee. Note that the hotel closes mid-November through April (same for its sister hotel, Atlantis Bay).