Relais San Giuliano

What an incredible lush and cool oasis this is in the otherwise dry heat of eastern Sicily at this time of year. Just half an hour from Catania airport, 30 mins to the Funivia dell'Etna (Etna cable car) and 45 mins to Taormina, Relais San Giuliano is the perfect place from which to explore the main sights of eastern Sicily without being surrounded by the crowds. The entire property is beautifully appointed and I absolutely loved the stately yet "lived in" feel this place gave. There are so many wonderful books and beautiful art to explore throughout the property. There's also a saltwater pool to cool off in, a decent gym and a lovely spa with sauna. Food was excellent - as cliched as these dishes are (and this sounds), the arancini, pasta a la norma, tiramisu were the best we had on our visit to Sicily. Service was top notch - no request was too small or large for the team Relais San Giuliano.

We stayed at Relais San Giuliano in Viagrande with our group of friends, and it was an absolutely wonderful experience. Our three-person deluxe room was beautiful, and we even received an amazing upgrade upon arrival. The hotel is extremely well maintained, with very friendly staff and an excellent breakfast each morning. There’s a lovely pool to enjoy, free and easy street parking, and a Coop supermarket just a one-minute walk away, which was very convenient. We also had dinner one evening at the hotel’s fine-dining restaurant, and it was truly an unforgettable experience – both the food and the service were outstanding. Another great advantage is the location: Mount Etna is only a 30-minute drive away, and the charming town of Taormina is absolutely worth a visit. The hotel staff also gave us fantastic recommendations for places to eat and for visiting a local bar. It was so nice to have such helpful and thoughtful personnel. We highly recommend this hotel 100%. You really get great value for your money. All in all, a fantastic hotel and a perfect stay!

A wonderfully restored house with the outbuilding a serving as the restaurant and bar. The pool area is relaxing, breakfast excellent and restaurant worthy of its mention in the Michelin guide. One improvement would have been a better way of obtaining service around the pool. However that is an easy fix for an otherwise excellent stay.

We picked the hotel as the base for our family holiday in the East part of Sicily and around Mt Etna area The front desk staff and in particular Ireina was very helpful and made all the daily tours to Taormina/ Syracuse/ Mt Etna / etc much more easier. Every night we had dinner either at the hotel or we visited high quality restaurants in the area and max 30 min drive. A fantastic hotel experience where the long serving staff makes a difference and the daily morning coffee was served with a smile and cleaning staff took good care of our rooms. A 5 star experience and recommendable.

We had a great time at Relais San Giuliano. The breakfast was 10/10, the food in the hotel restaurant was some of the tastiest we ate in Sicily (and we spent the whole week trying incredible food!) and the staff went above and beyond for everyone. Small hotel, relaxed but luxurious feel, and the perfect place to explore Sicily from.

We recently stayed at Relais San Giuliano as a family of six, and it was truly one of the highlights of our trip to Sicily. This charming boutique hotel exceeded every expectation. The rooms are spacious, bright, impeccably clean, and each one has its own unique character. It felt like we were staying in a beautifully restored private estate with all the comforts of a luxury hotel. Every meal we had—from breakfast to dinner—was outstanding. The food was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented, and the atmosphere throughout the property was warm and welcoming. A very special thank you to Enrico, the guest relations manager, who went above and beyond to take care of every detail. His attentiveness and kindness made our stay even more special. Relais San Giuliano is a true gem! We cannot wait to return!