We decided to stay at this hotel for two reasons: first, because it was about as far up the flank of Mount Etna as one can get, and secondly, because it was well rated. Boy, were we ever wrong on the second point!
The front desk was manned by an unkempt man who barely looked up and offered no information whatsoever (e.g., we didn't find out there was an elevator until we were leaving). The halls and stairs were unlit, with switches on timers that had to be turned back on every five meters to avoid stumbling around in the dark. Our room was a singular cross between a Gulag, a sad summer camp and solitary confinement in a medium-security prison. Uncomfortable bed, questionable cleanliness, scuffed, worn floors, lightbulb burned out...
We were tired and there aren't exactly dozens of food options on the side of a volcano, so we decided to try the on-site restaurant... which is where the "full Gulag" experience came into focus. It was genuinely appalling: Surly, indifferent waiters; ghastly, inedible prison food (I was unable to finish even a quarter of my plate); and the only truly undrinkable wine I've ever had in Italy. Nauseated and grumpy, we returned to our room as soon as possible and tried to fall asleep. The breakfast the next morning was somewhat better, though we still left as fast as we could. All in all, quite possibly the worst hotel I have ever had the misfortune of staying in. Avoid it at all costs!