San Domenico Palace,, A Four Seasons Hotel

Important to note we were not staying at San Domenico but visited for drinks and dinner at Anciovi. Our evening was plagued from start to finish with bad services and food. I of course understand the hotel has to prioritise their in house guests and they are in high demand from outside visitors given white lotus, but this doesn’t mean they should treat those visiting with a reservation as second class citizens. We arrived one hour early for our dinner reservation thinking we could enjoy a nice drink at the bar ahead of time. We were told by an exasperated front of house that we were way to early and they had no room for us at the bar so please come back in 30 minutes. Fine if you don’t have room, but at least be apologetic and then when we come back in 30 minutes try to remember us not ask for our details again and act like never seen us before. Drinks in the courtyard in lovely setting and ok service. Negroni with a bunch of tiny ice cubes so melts quickly in the drink. Any bar worth their salts would have one big ice cube. Drink left to sit melting while they slowly get my wife’s champagne. One drink took 45 minutes so now 15 minutes late for our dinner. I guess we should have arrived an hour early to fit one drink in… No connectivity between having a drink and restaurant. Just shooed off to restaurant. Host and waiter perfectly ok at restaurant. Food beyond average. Worst meal we had four days in Taormina. Very plain tuna tartar and seafood salad. The ‘special’ pasta dish of ravioli with white fish in it tasted like fish came from a tin. The lobster pasta very fishy with zero presentation. The sommelier was terrible. Took forever to come. Have really enjoyed discovering Sicilian wines at other restaurants. Asked for ‘Chardonnay/burgundy like options. Was given two choices. One for 180 that said very good then on pressing was suggested a 120 bottle that he described as very ‘ordinary/basic’. I get that prices will be elevated at such an in demand hotel but don’t describe to a guest a EUR 120 option as very basic. Doesn’t make them fell great about what they are getting. We stayed at Mazzarò sea palace and had an amazing experience for half the price. And you are on the beach at Mazzaro. Had dinner at Belmond Grand Timeo and got impeccable food and service. Choose either over San Domenico. You’ll only be able to live off the white lotus name for so long with service and food like this. From an otherwise loyal Four Seasons customer.

Thank you for nothing.
Tried to make a regular reservation at the Bar, the reception wanted to Connect me with the bar chef, who never picked up so they told me to just « show up ». We came for a digestivo at a hotel bar, were already stopped at the gate, told we have to minimum spend 50€ per guest, happy to! But after numerous important calls to the bar, were told we have to come back on another day. We are aware this is a popular bar due to Netflix bit there was no line and I believe 2 guests are very easy to fit after telling the team that we tried to make a reservation but it was impossible. Very snobby, very overrated, Hospitality should be rated higher than fame.

Tripadvisor can’t let me give it a no star rating. Can’t understand the 5star reviews. Awful in so many ways. Went to check restaurant booking on day before and just about chucked out by concierge. So embarrassing. I see a previous reviewer had same experience. Food bland and tasteless, salad with no perceptible kitchen effort, bread dry and tasteless, water order never produced, resto overlooks a “motorway”, hugely overpriced, order incorrect, wine overpriced in every way, Nice greeting/reception at Anciovi but that is no compensation. Noisy spat between a guest and member of staff was disconcerting. . So happy to leave. Previous night’s visit to Vineria Modi (one star Michelin) was bit more expensive but a million times better and chef, staff and wines superb. Do not waste time or money on Anciovi. Such a disappointment.