I wondered where the taxi was taking me on my way from the airport to the hotel. The area seemed to get worse as we went on and I was really surprised when I saw the hotel. The entrance on the website looks very impressive, the reality is very different( see photo).
The location of the hotel wasn’t what I expected, and it seemed to be very run down and seedy, definitely not a tourist area. There were large open rubbish bins in the street, sometimes overflowing and surrounded by rubbish. Filthy pavements, when you could walk on them and they weren’t being used for parked cars. There were a few supermarkets, a bakery and a take away pizza place, but hardly any cafes nearby. There was traffic noise during the morning and evening rush hours.
There was a 10-15 minute walk to what I would term the normal tourist areas with shops, cafes etc. I wished I had booked the Una Palace in Via Etnea, which looked brilliant. It is in the main shopping street with loads of cafes, bars, shops etc. and has a roof terrace which would give brilliant views of the volcano. I thought about moving hotels, but couldn't afford to pay again.
My hotel room was very comfortable and clean with a modern bathroom with the usual toiletries. A reasonable buffet breakfast is included in the price. Room service seemed very restricted – although the bar did toasted sandwiches.
If you are on a tight budget, advance internet booking on Best Western's website gives good value for money for the Hotel Mediterraneo. However, I don’t think this hotel would suit everyone. It certainly wouldn't impress the girlfriend and I wouldn’t want my mother walking round there on her own at night. The streets were almost deserted in the evening once everyone had come home from work.
I think in hindsight I would have been better staying in Taormina as walking round Catania wasn't that pleasant, as it seems to spend most of the day gridlocked with traffic belching out fumes.
