Hotel Arcangelo - Salina

The view and pool were just amazing! We loved having our own terrace equipped with a hammock, chairs and a little salon table. This gave us some extra privacy when we wanted to have a glass of wine at our room.

The Hotel Arcangelo was a peaceful haven after spending a month on hot, busy Sicily. The hotel is between Via Roma and Via Sanità overlooking the sea from above. If you have rolling suitcases, use Via Sanità to avoid the steps on Via Roma. We had booked a Superior Double Room with Terrace and Sea View. Room 205 was spacious, air-conditioned, and even had a ceiling fan which seems rare in Europe. It was the most private room at the hotel with its own entrance from Via Sanità and a wonderful covered terrace with a hammock, outdoor furniture, and a great sea view. The front desk and breakfast area were accessible from within the hotel grounds. A typical Italian breakfast was included with the additions of cereal and hard-boiled eggs on most mornings. The shopping street and port of Santa Marina were not far but the hotel is above both, so some climbing is required. We considered this to be good exercise. Maybe the best feature of the hotel is its friendly, helpful personnel. Francesca at the front desk spoke excellent English and probably a few other languages. The ladies serving breakfast and cleaning the rooms were friendly, cheerful, and accommodating. When we checked out after a wonderful week, I left in the room safe a pouch containing all of my important documents, credit cards, and cash. I didn't discover this until we arrived in Taormina later the same day. I called Francesca who found my pouch and took it to the Post Office to be sent to me by registered mail. She paid the 15€ postage herself! Via PayPal, I arranged to reimburse her and pay a bit more for her wonderful hospitality which was beyond what I expected or might have experienced at other lodgings. We would certainly stay at the Hotel Arcangelo if we visited Santa Marina Salina again and recommend that you consider this hotel as well.

The welcoming setting and partial view of the bay, the spotless pool are deceiving. These are simply the worst beds we’ve ever slept in. A double bed is composed of two old squeaky mattresses pushed together which throughout the night become increasingly lumpier and every move will make you wish to not be laying down. Good breakfast, good pool if you like pools. We travel as visitors, pools are a feature that is rather pretentious in an island with beautiful coves to swim from. Unfortunately I do not recommend this place even though the decor is nice, because its main function as providing a room to sleep in, is dysfunctional due to the extremely uncomfortable mattresses. Matters were made worse by the overwhelming majority of a group that acted like they owned the place and allowed their children to run around screaming and demanding of every friendly guest’s attention, due to their parent and grandparents being unavailable to them. The Sicilians managed to not allow Napoleon to rule them back in time, but his ghost is back now with a vengeance in the shape of Euros. Shameful for the proud people of Salina. They scoffed at the ownership of the hotel when we shared our experience. Do yourself a favor and pick an airbnb. As a value, I would give it 0 points.