We would not recommend using Hotel Airone in future because the restaurant and bar service was very poor and the standard of food was abysmal. The food was often cold or nearly cold. The plates were always cold. The portions were small The menu was unimaginative and very limited The service in the restaurant was slow. There was no choice of wine, just one type of red or white. The breakfast buffet was adequate but no staff around to help. All the used breakfast dishes were left on the tables as others came in to eat. For a three star hotel we find it unacceptable that we were given plastic beakers for breakfast. On a number of occasions the meat was not cooked through The bar service was frustrating in the extreme. Each time we would have to go to reception, ask for service and eventually a glum looking individual would appear at the bar and unsmilingly stare at you. This happened every one of the seven nights we were there. Because the food at the hotel was so poor we actually ate out on three occasions in mid afternoon. This obviously increased our expenditure considerably.

I read the previous reviews of the Hotel Airone at Zafferana Etnea, near Catania, Sicily and didn't know what to expect. One review was glowing and the other did not like it at all. As I had chosen it for my honeymoon, I didn't want it to be a disaster. In the end, I would say that the Hotel Airone is average, with some good elements and some bad. Bay far the best thing about the hotel is the view, which on a clear day is absolutely stunning (make sure you get a room on the seaward side, preferably on the second floor). You can see all the way to mainland Italy and Taormina, and at night it is just as magical overlooking the local town. It is also very handy for Mount Etna, which is a short drive away (you can smell the steam and fumes from the hotel!). The rooms are fairly good and large, but we had a problem that the air conditioning didn't work. We just had a fan moving the warm air around, and even that was after I had to ask reception to turn it on. The breakfasts were not very good, the coffee tasted burnt, the eggs had gone off and there were flies landing on the uncovered food (I tried covering it with napkins but the waiter kept removing them!). A wedding was held in the hotel on the Saturday night and they let off fireworks right outside our room at 12.45am! The swimming pool is very good indeed and there are other facilites like a gym, which we didin't get time to use. The staff seemed a little 'cold' and there was quite a strange atmosphere in the hotel, certainly not exactly warm and welcoming. This was possibly because it was mostly empty when we stayed. The hotel is high up on the hillside overlooking Zafferana Etnea. If you are reasonably fit it is about a 20 minute walk into the town at night (worth it) and a steep 30 minute walk back. Basically, I think the hotel Airone was average and OK as a base for touring the east of Sicily. However, don't expect much luxury or personal attention.

I read the previous reviews of the Hotel Airone at Zafferana Etnea, near Catania, Sicily and didn't know what to expect. One review was glowing and the other did not like it at all. As I had chosen it for my honeymoon, I didn't want it to be a disaster. In the end, I would say that the Hotel Airone is average, with some good elements and some bad. Bay far the best thing about the hotel is the view, which on a clear day is absolutely stunning (make sure you get a room on the seaward side, preferably on the second floor). You can see all the way to mainland Italy and Taormina, and at night it is just as magical overlooking the local town. It is also very handy for Mount Etna, which is a short drive away (you can smell the steam and fumes from the hotel!). The rooms are fairly good and large, but we had a problem that the air conditioning didn't work. We just had a fan moving the warm air around, and even that was after I had to ask reception to turn it on. The breakfasts were not very good, the coffee tasted burnt, the eggs had gone off and there were flies landing on the uncovered food (I tried covering it with napkins but the waiter kept removing them!). A wedding was held in the hotel on the Saturday night and they let off fireworks right outside our room at 12.45am! The swimming pool is very good indeed and there are other facilites like a gym, which we didin't get time to use. The staff seemed a little 'cold' and there was quite a strange atmosphere in the hotel, certainly not exactly warm and welcoming. This was possibly because it was mostly empty when we stayed. The hotel is high up on the hillside overlooking Zafferana Etnea. If you are reasonably fit it is about a 20 minute walk into the town at night (worth it) and a steep 30 minute walk back. Basically, I think the hotel Airone was average and OK as a base for touring the east of Sicily. However, don't expect much luxury or personal attention.

This hotel was recommended by a guide book, and also by an enthusiastic trip advisor member. The location is good if you want to hike on the Etna (yet it is still a 20 km drive to reach La Sapienza, at Etna’s foothill). The view is also very nice (on the seaside, because the rooms looking towards the Etna are above a road). But the hotel is more like a tour hotel, not really charming. One of its drawbacks is the soundproofing of the doors: you hear everything that happens on the corridors and that may be noisy as it is difficult to close rooms’ doors silently. We paid 120 euros for one night in a double room. A bit overpriced, especially since we stayed there in the first weeks of April when it was too cold for the swimming pool.

This hotel was recommended by a guide book, and also by an enthusiastic trip advisor member. The location is good if you want to hike on the Etna (yet it is still a 20 km drive to reach La Sapienza, at Etna’s foothill). The view is also very nice (on the seaside, because the rooms looking towards the Etna are above a road). But the hotel is more like a tour hotel, not really charming. One of its drawbacks is the soundproofing of the doors: you hear everything that happens on the corridors and that may be noisy as it is difficult to close rooms’ doors silently. We paid 120 euros for one night in a double room. A bit overpriced, especially since we stayed there in the first weeks of April when it was too cold for the swimming pool.