The Ashbee Hotel

The Ashbee Hotel, a five-star hotel in Taormina

The Ashbee Hotel is a five-star establishment located in Taormina, on the Sicilian coast. It occupies Villa San Giorgio, a building from 1907 designed by the English architect Charles Robert Ashbee, and opened as a hotel in April 2011. The property presents itself as a timeless luxury space that combines English historical references with Sicilian traditions, and has been part of The Leading Hotels of the World collection since 2014.

The hotel describes itself as a microworld where time stands still, with a personalised hospitality approach in which, according to its own presentation, the guest is the protagonist and not a room number.

Rooms and suites

The accommodation offering is organised into several categories. Rooms include Classic, Superior, Deluxe and Deluxe Sea View. The suite category comprises the Junior Suite, the SPA Suite and The Ashbee Suite. The hotel's catalogue listed nightly rates from €415 for the Classic Room, €590 for the Superior, €700 for the Deluxe, €870 for the Deluxe Sea View, €1,300 for the suites and €2,700 for The Ashbee Suite.

The rooms and suites are described as a benchmark of contemporary style within a luxury hotel, with a design that seeks discreet luxury and a pleasant, relaxing atmosphere, suitable for couples as well as friends or family trips.

St. George by Heinz Beck restaurant

The St. George by Heinz Beck restaurant, awarded a Michelin star in 2019, is one of the hotel's gastronomic pillars. Its opening was announced in 2017 as Heinz Beck's first restaurant in Sicily, the result of a collaboration between the chef — whose career spans more than twenty-five years and includes heading La Pergola in Rome, with three Michelin stars — and the hotel. The offering is presented as a leisurely and glamorous culinary experience.

In addition to the restaurant, the hotel has a rooftop terrace and several bars with views over the Gulf of Taormina, where meals and drinks are served for different occasions.

Facilities and spaces

Facilities include the infinity pool, a gym with a view, the garden known as The A Garden and a panoramic terrace. The hotel also has spaces for weddings, meetings and parties, and offers catering and event organisation services.

Surroundings and location

Situated near Corso Umberto, the hotel presents itself as a base for discovering Taormina, described on its website as "the pearl of Sicily". Within a short distance are luxury boutiques, restaurants ranging from traditional Sicilian trattorias to fine dining, and cultural landmarks such as the Teatro Antico, Piazza IX Aprile and the Cathedral of San Nicola. The property is described as a quiet and private setting.

History and awards

The hotel's history as a hospitality establishment begins in 2011. In 2012 it officially obtained the five-star luxury hotel rating. In 2014 it joined The Leading Hotels of the World, a collection founded in 1928 that brings together more than 400 independent hotels in over 80 countries. In 2018 it received the "Best Service" award at the Condé Nast Johansens UK, Europe & Mediterranean Awards for Excellence. In 2019, its St. George by Heinz Beck restaurant obtained a Michelin star.

The hotel is part of the Luxury Private Properties Group and has a sister property, the Grand Hotel des Etrangers in Ortigia.

Location and contact

Viale San Pancrazio 46, 98039 Taormina (ME), Italy · Phone: +39 0942 23537 · Email: info@theashbeehotel.com