Sixty-seven rooms in an 1830 villa on Mazzarò Bay below Taormina — Taormina's beachfront luxury, with the cable-car connection up to the historic centre and the Greek Theatre.
"67 rooms in an 1830 villa on Mazzarò Bay below Taormina. Taormina's beachfront luxury, with cable-car connection to the historic centre."
Villa Sant'Andrea opened originally in 1830 as a private villa on Mazzarò Bay — the Ionian Sea cove directly below Taormina, accessed from the historic centre by cable car (or by switchback road) — and has been operated as a luxury hotel for most of its 195 years. Belmond (LVMH's heritage-hotel collection) has owned the property since 2014 alongside Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo (the historic property up the hill). The two Belmond Sicily properties together — Villa Sant'Andrea on the beach, Timeo at the Greek Theatre — give Belmond an unusual integrated Taormina luxury proposition with seamless property-to-property service.
The 67 rooms split between the original 1830 villa main building (with restored period architecture, beachfront views, and the most coveted Mazzarò Bay frontage) and the additions on the property's seafront grounds. The Beachfront Suites with direct sea views are the most-requested category. The Sant'Andrea Suite — the property's flagship, in the original villa with the largest seafront terrace — is the most coveted single accommodation.
The grounds — the property's private Mazzarò Bay beach allocation (one of the few private beaches in Taormina), the heated outdoor pool, and the gardens descending to the beach — are the property's defining advantage. Mazzarò Bay's calm, swimmable waters are a particular attraction in summer; the cable car connection up to Taormina centre runs directly from a station near the property and gives guests access to the historic-centre Taormina experience without the road-and-traffic complexity.
Dining is at two main restaurants. Oliviero is the headline modern Sicilian fine-dining on the seafront terrace. The Beach Club is the casual all-day. The wine programme is heavily Sicilian focused. Service is the consistent Belmond standard, and the cross-property programme with Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo means guests can dine at either property and move between the two with seamless service. Villa Sant'Andrea is the beachfront-Taormina answer paired with Belmond's hilltop Timeo for guests who want both Taormina experiences integrated.
The Sicily honeymoon for couples who want the beachfront-Taormina setting alongside the historic-Taormina experience. The cross-property programme with Timeo means guests can have one dinner at the beach and one at the Greek Theatre. Book a Beachfront Suite at Sant'Andrea. The combination of the calm Mazzarò Bay swimming and the cable-car access to historic Taormina produces a versatile Sicily honeymoon.
Villa Sant'Andrea's swimmable-bay beach, the multi-bedroom suites, and the family-friendly atmosphere make it more suitable for families with children than the clifftop Timeo. The cable car to historic Taormina is itself a family adventure. The Beach Club with kids-friendly menu and the calm-water swimming work for family stays.
For anniversaries the Sant'Andrea Suite or two adjacent Beachfront Suites are the right scale. The cross-property Belmond programme gives the anniversary stay particular dimensionality — dinner at Otto Geleng on Timeo's Etna terrace one night, dinner at Oliviero on Sant'Andrea's beachfront terrace another night, all coordinated by Belmond's integrated service team.
Via Nazionale 137
98039 Taormina (Mazzarò), Messina, Sicily
Mazzarò Bay, below Taormina (cable car connection); 60 min from Catania (CTA)
67 rooms in 1830 villa + extensions
Sea View Room from €700/night
Junior Suite from €1,200
Beachfront Suite from €2,200
Sant'Andrea Suite from €5,500
Check-in: 3:00 PM
Check-out: 12:00 PM
Minimum stay: 2 nights
Private Mazzarò Bay beach
Cable car to historic Taormina
Cross-property programme with Timeo
Open: April – early November
Belmond restoration
Open: April – early November
Peak: June–September (book 3 months ahead)
Best value: April, October
High-speed WiFi throughout
Reliable signal in all rooms
In-suite office setups on request
From €700/night. Beachfront Suites book 3 months ahead in peak. The combined-stays-with-Timeo programme is bookable through Belmond.
Book This Hotel →Open since 1873 next to the Greek Theatre. Sister Belmond property up the hill — combined-stays available.
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