Ariston Hotel

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Friendly staff, good facilities, frequent entertainment, wonderful food, great location - if these factors appeal to you then you can't go wrong by staying at the Ariston.
The town is easily accessed by the rear exit of the hotel - a slow saunter of around 5-10mins will find you right in the hub. If you prefer more of a challenge - use the front of the hotel. It is very steep and winding - you may well find yourself regretting the idea if you are slightly inebriated after your soiree. Pinballing uphill could induce a heart attack - and there are no sherpas or donkeys to hitch lift!
We stayed on a b&b basis, which gave us the freedom to sample the local food - although we noticed many stayed on half-board. We paid a little extra for the sea-view - this was a superb decision as the bf needed to just completely relax and waking up to a totally un-obscured view was just the ticket. Our private terrace was shared with 3 other rooms, but we hardly ever saw the residents. In the evenings we could enjoy the evening’s entertainment from the privacy of our terrace if we didn’t wish to join in.
Our room was slightly smaller than I had expected and lacking in a bath - but the powerful showers provided a good substitute. Air conditioning was a god-send for those hot sultry evenings - as too was the minibar.
The Ariston had a good mix of many nationalities - English, Irish, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, Scandinavian. A small number of families, but not the noisy types, overall this was mostly a sedate, relaxed atmosphere.
Once a week the hotel puts on a Gala Buffet evening and the regular dining room is closed. The event takes place outdoors and no expense is spared. For seafood lovers like myself - my passion for all that is sumptuous was saited by oysters; smoked swordfish, prawns, crayfish, octopus, poached salmon and more. For the carnivores such as the bf - huge displays of roast beef, roast pork, veal - lots of meat! And the vegetarians are well catered for too - kebabs, cheeses, an array of pasta, risotto, roasted vegetables, salads.....
We watched a plague of locusts eject from their seats to form an orderly queue, snaking the copious abundance of treats. Dessert was no simple affair either - the trompe and pompe of around 8 waiters made their grand entrance when the lights went down. A glittering font of sparklers-endowed, cream infused desserts glided their way across the floor as we stopped in awe of the beautiful spectacle before our eyes. Of course by our second week we decided to abstain!
The pool provides a welcome relief from the intense heat although we did notice that not many people were using the pool due to the fact it was 2m deep all around - which meant that non-swimmers; toddlers etc were overlooked in the enjoyments. However, the pool is a decent size cool enough to be refreshing, warm enough to just jump in.
Afternoon tea is served at 4pm - simple and straight forward self-service tea/coffee and biscuits.
If a change of scenery is needed then take a short cable ride down to the beach. Not accessible for those who may be less mobile - the steps down to the beach are numerous and slippery.
The cabe car runs every 15mins - and there are free beaches available, although if you don’t have your own parasol it may be just as well to use the private beaches. These cost around 9-15 euros for two sunloungers and a parasol - which are definitely worth it in the height of the season when temperatures are high and the beach is shingles and rock. Make sure you take suitable footwear as it is all too easy to cut your feet en route to the sea.
Take a snorkel or two - the sea in Taormina is superb for snorkelling activity. Beware of the weekends - as it can be very crowded at the Iso Bella beach - local life continues hand in hand with the tourists and you will find the restaurants busy on the beach front.
For those seeking a livelier atmosphere take a short bus ride (the bus station is handily situated to the rear of the hotel) to Giardino Naxos. Along the promenade you will find the usual haunts of bars, restaurants, shops and supermarkets. It is a little cheaper to eat here than in Taormina, but so too you will find a larger variety of restaurants to choose from.
I'm sure that anyone who stays at the Ariston will have a wonderful holiday.