The villa is beautifully situated. The host from the agency welcomed us with lots of suggestions and a useful map. We really liked the view, the heritage of the building and potential. The bathrooms were clean and bed linens were changed after 4 days.
The villa is antique, has beautiful architecture, setup, high ceiling rooms, but unfortunately has not been given enough love. The property could have been a five star experience, it has a potential for it, however now it is just OK in terms of comfort. Garden is there, maybe it requires more work? Please note that despite the fact the gardener was there 5 times (sic!) during our 8 days stay, slightly limiting comfort with his presence, he has never cleaned the terrace, alleys etc. The garden looked just OK.
Air inside the house was cold and humid beginning of May, and yellow stains on the ceiling might suggest that the roof is not sealed - so some mold might be not only on the walls, but also in the air. We were afraid to use the aircon, as it did not show any signs of anti virus or anti fungal maintenance (I did not ask, this was my guess judging on how the rest of the house was maintained). The kitchen is nice and usable, but please note for example among some 7 pans, you will not find one without scratches on teflon and or rust - this may give you idea of how other appliances and facilities in the house are. The outside BBQ is for very brave people, willing to eat from a completely rusty griddle. Beds were not that fantastic, mattresses rather on a less comfortable side.
It is a beautiful place, walking distance everywhere. Not the best for elderly or parents with newborns - lots of hiking up and down. Probably in Taormina you do not have to do much, to earn a lot, nor invest too much in quality. Nevertheless visitors should be aware, that despite quite a premium price, the comfort in this property is mostly a "potential", and should expect a late grandmother house, which has not really been given enough love or investment for long. Still probably a good option for a short stay. The host was fantastic, a very nice and helpful gentleman!