Discover Grand Hotel Timeo, A Belmond Hotel

Table of Contents

• Hotel Location
• Design and Atmosphere
• Rooms & Suites
• Food, Beverages & Dining
• Wellness Activities and Facilities
• Hotel Highlights

Where is Grand Hotel Timeo, A Belmond Hotel, Located?

 

Perched high on the hills that overlook one of Sicily’s most stunning towns since 1873, Grand Hotel Timeo, A Belmond Hotel, has played host to a number of important personalities throughout the years, while being a constant in the ever-unfolding history of Taormina, in Sicily.

The hotel is a stone’s throw away from the town’s rustic streets and from iconic landmarks such as the Greek Amphitheatre, with views over the coastline and the magnificent Mount Etna in the distance. The hotel immediately immerses its guests into the scenery and the specific lifestyle that comes with such a unique location.

 

Design and Atmosphere

While the hotel originally started as nothing more than a five-room guest house, operated by Francesco La Floresta, a local from Taormina, it wasn’t long before travellers flocked to it. Thanks to its stunning location, with its impregnable views of the coast, the hotel quickly became a favourite. Especially as a resting spot for those who partook in the Grand Tour – a fashionable trip across Europe that was a popular practice at the time. However, its peaceful atmosphere and relatively isolated position drew many artists and personalities that found a sanctuary within its walls.

One such notable artist was Otto Geleng, a Prussian painter whose watercolours served to grow the hotel’s popularity far beyond its own borders.

Today, the modest home serves as the main building of the hotel. With its terracotta exteriors, punctuated by the verdant shrubs and trees of its surrounding gardens, the hotel almost blends into the natural scenery of the cascading hills.

When the Belmond Group acquired the hotel well over a century later, it was Studio Simonetti who undertook the monumental task of not only bringing the establishment to its previous glory but also giving it a much-appreciated contemporary uplift.

A perfect marriage of Old-World grandeur and modern-day comfort, the interiors of the Grand Hotel Timeo allow guests to sit back and take in its beauty. The use of stone for the exteriors, period furniture and décor, as well as a number of century-old artworks and antiques, allows the hotel to retain much of its charm. Meanwhile, the six-acre gardens, extend the hotel’s laid-back atmosphere and offer the perfect spot for lazy afternoon strolls and relaxation.

Grand Hotel Timeo, Rooms and Suites

The 70 rooms and suites of the Grand Hotel Timeo (split between the main building and the adjacent Villa Flora) carry forth the design language of the establishment. Spacious, bright, and open to the fantastic views of the coast and town, the rooms are abodes of utmost tranquillity.

From the entry-level double rooms and junior suites to the Signature Suites, each room displays a stunning pastel palette that fits the coastal location. Dark wood and lush material populate the rooms, while the bathroom’s sandy-coloured tiles and vintage sinks harkens back to the hotel’s old days.

The ocean breeze flows in gently from the terraces and balconies right into the bedrooms, with their king-sized beds, period furniture, and terracotta floors. Ancient paintings and vintage mirrors adorn the walls, emanating the kind of ambiance that has doubtless been the reason why so many authors such as Oscar Wilde and D.H. Lawrence found inspiration at the Grand Hotel Timeo.

The Presidential Floor, with a 180-degree view of the Taormina Bay is particularly stunning, with a 300-square-meter private terrace, fully furnished with wicker furniture, a gazebo tent, and an outdoor hydro-massage pool.

Food, Beverages, and Dining Experiences

When it comes to its culinary offering, Grand Hotel Timeo offers a stunning setting and menu of no less than 4 restaurants and bars, including the Michelin-starred Otto Geleng.

Named after the Prussian artist that helped spread the Grand Hotel Timeo’s name through his watercolour paintings, Otto Geleng restaurant boasts the sensational Executive Chef Roberto Toro. A master of Mediterranean cuisine who infuses his menu with his love of tradition and his thirst for innovation, Executive Chef Toro treats only 16 guests every evening to his fantastical recipes inspired by the paintings of Geleng. Guests may also opt for a unique Krug Dinner at Otto Geleng, where they will be treated to a special menu accompanied by Krug Champagne.

Elsewhere, Ristorante Timeo delights with a regional menu and stunning views of Taormina, while Bar Timeo, the Pool Bar and Pool Grill each invite guests to experience a different atmosphere of Grand Hotel Timeo. With either a cocktail in hand – The Signature Petite Fleur was a favourite – or a cup of gelato, sit back and enjoy the breathtaking views of Taormina or Naxos Bay.

Wellness Activities and Facilities

A staple of any Belmond address is a stunning spa, and the Grand Hotel Timeo is no exception. Featuring a stunning Sicilian-inspired spa, with products from Davines and Comfort Zones that are made from all-natural ingredients such as healing herbs and Neroli oil, the Wellness Center offers one more way of enjoying Taormina.

With 3 treatments rooms for individual guests and one for couple’s massages, the spa invites the guests to relax in the soothing atmosphere of the Sicilian gardens, all the while enjoying an extensive menu of massages and signature treatments that uses seasonal produce such as red wine, almond, olive oil, and oranges.

The result is a deeply cleansing and relaxing massage that’s ideal after a day out exploring the environs, or even after a training session at the gym.

What we love about the hotel:

• The hotel emanates this timeless atmosphere that makes it easy for guests to feel like they are in another time altogether.
• The staff is remarkably gentle and generous, especially the members who have been working at the hotel for a long time.
• The extraordinary view of Mount Etna