Hotel San Max

Really nice hotel, at a reasonable price

Poor hygiene with bugs led to a disappointing experience. We arrived at 11pm after a 5-hour journey from Cefalù, which I communicated in advance so they had plenty of time to prepare the room. We found dead bugs, ants running around the room, every single towel stained with brown and yellow marks (see photos), and the bed duvet also had visible white/yellow blotches. Not only did the overall cleanliness of the room not meet the standard advertised, but the staff were also cold and defensive about our concerns. At times it felt as though our claims and evidence were being dismissed rather than taken seriously. My partner is in the early stages of pregnancy, so hygiene and proper rest were especially important during this trip. The receptionist who checked us in informed us they would close reception shortly afterwards as it was nearly midnight, so we raised our concerns the following morning. When we did, the attitude was very disappointing. At one stage it was suggested that we may have brought ants into the room ourselves, which we found unreasonable. I have also attached part of the WhatsApp conversation. By that point we had lost confidence in the property overall and chose to move to another hotel nearby for the remainder of our stay in Catania. We remained calm and respectful throughout, documented everything with photographs and timestamps, and attempted to resolve the matter amicably. Unfortunately, no refund or compensation was offered for the unused nights and we were very shocked by how the situation was ultimately handled. Based on our experience, we cannot recommend this hotel to travellers who value cleanliness, comfort and a peaceful stay.

Excellent location, clean rooms, very kind, good breakfast

The reception staff were very friendly

Right on Via Etnea, in the heart of Catania. Excellent for exploring the city, even on foot. Plenty of places to eat and drink nearby. Cozy room.

Good hotel, clean rooms, slightly dated fixtures. I didn't get to try the breakfast, which is a shame. Close to the center

The girls at reception were very helpful. The location is excellent. The rooms were only partially cleaned: the beds were changed, the towels were changed, the floors were mopped, but the bathroom wasn't cleaned even once. The breakfast was okay, but repetitive.