We have just been Catania on Dec. However, we didn't stay in any Hotel in Catania. Intead we stays in this hotel HOTEL GIARDINI DEI GRECI in Taormina. You can check it out from expedia.com. We rode the train early in the morning to Catania. It was a 50 minutes ride. The bus leaves Catania to Mount Etna at 8:15am. The city of Catania is so so. Taormina is more beautiful. The hotel is 5-10 minutes walk from the train station.