Otto Geleng Restaurant

🌟 Otto Geleng – A Night to Remember in Taormina Otto Geleng is more than deserving of its Michelin star—every detail reflects excellence. With only a few tables served each evening, the experience feels intimate and exclusive. The staff were genuinely warm and welcoming, and the executive chef’s personal visits to each table added an unforgettable touch. Dinner lasted just over two hours, paced beautifully. Though portions appeared modest, they were deeply satisfying. I skipped the wine pairing but tried two cocktails: the vodka-based Otto Geleng and a whiskey cocktail that defied all expectations—both were phenomenal. The view over Taormina was breathtaking, and the locally made dessert wine was a delicious finale. By the end, I was blissfully full and completely enchanted. Needless to say Reserve ahead of time!

5/5 – This restaurant deserves 3 Michelin stars. The service, the food, the experience, the view — everything about this place is extraordinary. I've dined at many restaurants around the world, including a number of Michelin-starred ones, but this restaurant in particular has completely blown me away. It’s changed my entire perspective on what true service and hospitality can be. The staff were gentle, friendly, warm, and truly enchanting. People often feel intimidated by Michelin-starred establishments, and honestly, the luxurious setting initially gave us that impression — but our servers and the sommelier instantly dissolved that feeling. They made us feel completely at home from the moment we sat down. Photos simply don’t do this place justice. We also visited another Michelin-starred restaurant just outside of Taormina — also a 1-star — and quite frankly, that place severely lacked what this restaurant did so effortlessly. If that one deserves 1 star, this one deserves 3, without question. I’m from New York City, home to some of the best restaurants in the world — and yet, even those don’t compare to what we experienced here.

I surprised my (now) fiancé with a reservation at Otto Geleng at the stunning Hotel Timeo the evening before we checked in for our first trip to Taormina. We arrived a little early and enjoyed cocktails and aperitivo in the outdoor bar, surrounded by beautiful gardens with breathtaking views of the Ionian Sea and Mount Etna. At our reservation time, we were seated right away and began an exquisite eight-course surprise tasting menu. Each dish was memorable, and we felt genuinely cared for throughout the evening. Our waiter and sommelier were especially outstanding. If there’s one area for improvement, it would be the pacing of the courses — a few arrived back-to-back, along with extra surprise dishes, when a slightly slower flow would have allowed more time to savor and digest. That said, the experience was still exceptional, worthy of five stars, and one we would happily repeat.

Simply spectacular. Having dined at some of the most coveted restaurants in Italy I can say without a doubt, Otto operates at higher-heights. Bravo to the staff and culinary team in this gorgeous restaurant in the humble town of Taoromina.

An unforgettable culinary experience. We chose the Il mare intorno all’isola menu and the Le tre valli siciliane menu, and every course was exceptional - refined, creative, and perfectly executed. Each dish was a work of art in both flavor and presentation, and the desserts were exquisite, a perfect finale. The atmosphere is intimate and romantic, with breathtaking views over Taormina that create the ideal setting for a special evening. Service was impeccable - warm, attentive, and discreet. Special thanks to all the staff, and especially to Veronica, for making the evening truly unforgettable.

An experience like no other, the location is just incredible as you would expect but the service really cements and validates the location. We were so well looked after! The food is an absolute journey and explosion of flavour and textures, a once in a lifetime experience that is so worth it!

What an evening. This was possibly the most incredible experience we have had. And I say experience because it’s not just the food, the service and the atmosphere were simply incredible. My partner and I were lucky to get a last minute reservation and we didn’t quite know what to expect however upon arrival and from start to finish, this was a beautiful evening. Highly recommend visiting and book in advance if you can.

Magisterial al fresco dining experience in Taormina. Aperitivo’s were top notch. The view (including Etna) was simply stunning. We chose the 8 course chef’s choice tasting menu and each course was better than the one before. Service was befitting a Michelin star restaurant of this caliber. Only thing we would change was the length of the meal which clocked in at 4 hours. You will be full by the end, very full.

There is not a star rating high enough to express how wonderful this hotel is! We were fortunate to stay here for 3 nights on our honeymoon in October of 2022. The building and the setting are absolutely beautiful. We had a room with a balcony that offered incredible views of Mt Etna, the sea, and the amphitheater. The rooms are exceptionally appointed. Ours had a large walk-in closet, a sitting room area equipped with TV and mini bar (plus Nespresso machine), a beautiful bedroom and a very large bathroom. I think the biggest highlight of this room was the balcony, where we took our breakfast every morning. The staff at Timeo seem to be highly committed to creating an experience of excellence for guests. Every morning for breakfast, a butler or two would come to our room, set up a beautiful table on the patio for us and provide all the food we ordered (which, by the way, was included in our room rate and did NOT cost extra! It almost seemed too good to be true.) You want scrambled eggs for breakfast? Done. A plate of prosciutto? No problem. A basket of pastries and a big glass of lemon granita? Done and done. I don't think any breakfast will ever top the ones we had here. We originally had reserved a table at Otto Geleng, but decided upon arrival that we'd rather have a more relaxed (and admittedly, cheaper) meal at Timeo's other restaurant. I would love to experience Otto Geleng in the future, but we have no regrets about the choice we made at the time. The restaurant is beautifully situated on a patio overlooking the town, the volcano, and the sea. You could not have a more romantic setting! The food and service was exceptional. I recall having a lobster pasta that was prepared tableside for me, and some very excellent Sicilian wine. A few additional touches that really put this place over the top for me: slippers and robes included in the rooms; turndown service; the Acqua di Parma bath products; the comfortable lounge chairs on our patio; the beautiful gardens; the beautiful, historic architecture; did I mention the breakfast???

We did not stay here but we had dinner here. It was absolutely everything you expect from a Belmond property. Excellent service, live music, great wine list, and fresh food. The view was exceptional with no detail spared.

Had dinner there last night....food, service, atmosphere not as good as a coffee shop!! Waiter spilled & broke glass filled with alcoholic drink (accidentally) all over my girlfriend--her hair , clothes, shoes & handbag all soaked! WHAT did they do??? Brought her a glass of champagne The food was cold, took forever, not delicious AT all....shocking for what it took to get there! & even more SHOCKING they didn't bring a bottle of champagne or desert!!? ALL of her stuff will need to be taken somewhere to be de-wined! VERY expensive outfit, shoes , bag & hair! WHEN we left ...no one showed us how to get out-- Took lifetime to get taxi! SAVE your time & !!!!!

I couldn't give this place for 5 stars. I recently came here on a family vacation and I felt like I was in a movie. The view will actually take your breathe away. I would get married here, be buried here. Truly would do anything in life there. Do not go to Sicily without stopping at this hotel, even if it is for a drink. Also food wise, eggplant parm, gnocchi and chicken Caesar are delicious.

Just arrived here yesterday and honestly feel that I've died and gone to heaven. This hotel just moved into 1st place (of all hotels I've ever stayed in). Perfect in every way - the staff, the room, the view, the food. Breakfast on the terrace is amazing. We will be back...

The Grand Hotel Timeo - They say once you go to Taormina you're destined to return - it's so special. I waited 7 years to get back this time and won't wait that long again. We stayed for 5 nights in June 2016 and plan to return again soon. The hotel sits right outside the Teatro Antico and has views you'll remember forever. Had the best Negronis every night in the bar - right up there with the Hotel Russie in Rome on my Negroni chart. We had a deluxe junior suite with views on two sides (#314). (Note - The Jr suites are one very large room - not a suite with a separated bedroom). The restaurants in Taormina are so good and so much fun that we went out to dine most nights but enjoyed the hotel's restaurant one evening and it did not disappoint! Loved having breakfast brought into our suite each morning and the beautiful way they set that up for the guests and loved chilling at the pool. If driving in, note that the highway drive between Palermo/ Agrigento to Taormina isn't especially difficult but once exiting the drive right into Taormina proper can be so have your maps as you can not rely on satellite navigation. (Once in Taormina you won't be driving - it's a walking place, but getting to your hotel can be tricky).

This review is for the Grand Hotel Timeo restaurant. This is obviously and undoubtedly a stunning hotel. The setting is dramatic with stunning views of Taormina and the water. A dreamy dining location indeed. The service was excellent; very friendly and professional. Whoever has had a bad experience at this restaurant was probably not dressed appropriately to dine here and thus probably got the shaft. Once a table close to the edge overlooking the vistas cleared up, they moved us there at once which was really nice. The prices were not as astronomical as we thought compared to other higher end restaurants in Taormina. The food was actually outstanding. For a hotel restaurant, I didn't know what to expect. We had the beef carpaccio and fiori di zucca (delicious!) as antipastos and for my main, I had an amazing tuna steak. The desserts were more edgy than the other traditional menu items. What threw us off and why I'm ultimately giving this review a 4 stars, is the fact that they charged us over 40 euros for 2 aperol spritzes, which should usually cost between 10-15 at most. Alas, the Grand Timeo.

I Stopped by the Belmond sister property for some drinks. This exquisite luxurious Hotel is located on top of part of Taormina and has the most spectacular view of the entire city as well as mount etna. Service was top notch and flawless. Will be back for dinner tomorrow night.

This place is like a dream! Hotel is beautiful and luxury, but the most beautiful thing about this place is garden with warm pool and the spectacular view - coast and Etna! Must visit this hotel!!!!

Most beautiful place I've been in Italy. Everywhere we look a great view. The service excellent and luxurious. Food impeccable. We visited the sister hotel on the water and it was great too. Breakfast buffet was full of healthy and elegant foods of Italy and America. Everyone spoke English and it was easy to converse. Location, location, location. You walk right out the door to Taoromina and all the find scenery, history and shopping. You have to get here. It's too much to describe.

MOST INCREDIBLE VIEW, We only stopped for a glass of wine because we were hot and tired and needed a rest. The outdoor bar/ restaurant is a patio..overlooking Mt. Etna. Indescribably beautiful and romantic. We were the only "tourists" there. Actually, we practically had the place to ourselves anyway. Seeing the hotel and the surroundings, we figured our rest stop might be a bit expensive but, hey it's vacation...once in a lifetime view etc. Each had two glasses of local wine... But they did come with olives, cashews, crackers and chips, delivered by a handsome young, tuxedoed waiter..€95 or $125.00. Surpassed our previously most expensive drink overlooking St. Peter's and Spanish Steps. I must stress, once in a lifetime, incredible view, loss of concern because the money didn't look like dollars. Wouldn't have missed it for the world. And, cost of a room is less than several close to home hotels in Newport so it's a bargain....almost

tip: the restaurant's food wasn't anything special, so I'd recommend venturing into the city for dinner, but first get a drink on the balcony, it has excellent views of the city.