The hotel’s Italian restaurant, Il Gatopardo, occupies the corner at street-level with its red-and-white-checked tablecloths and charming wall murals of the Italian coastline. Taormina stems from Sicily’s historic seaside town of the same name. Formerly the Mona Lisa Hotel & Casino, the property underwent renovations and was renamed in 2015 after change of ownership. Barrio Amon was once an exclusive residential area and home to the likes of former Costa Rican president, Otilio Ulate, but the area has now taken a more commercial tone, with hotels, restaurants, bars, and a variety of local businesses. Taormina is in a Victorian-inspired, multi-gable corner building, surrounded by Old World cast iron street lamps. The hotel pays homage to the area’s historic persona, where some beautiful, late 19th and early 20th century mansion homes reside. While it’s not endorsed by the hotel, working girls do find their way in here, though it should hardly cause alarm given the nature of downtown San Jose. A lively, contemporary tone dominates the sports bar, where multiple TVs broadcast sports (lots of local soccer) to guests and locals alike. This space evolves directly into the casino - which is modestly sized, casual, and moodier with dimmer lighting, a few card tables, roulette, and rows of beeping neon slot machines. The lobby is subdued, blending a soft neutral palette with beige marble floors and sparse modern lounge furniture.

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