Hotel Za' Maria

We spent some lovely days here. It's a family-run hotel, and the staff were friendly and tried to help all the guests, even though they didn't speak English. I liked that they value their long-serving older employees. The place is old but has its charm. Our room was nice, with a terrace for two and views of both the pool and sea. The restaurant food was amazing, and breakfast was a simple buffet with good food. Free parking was very convenient. I think the travel tax was included in the room rate, since no one asked us to pay it.

The rooms were clean and the staff very friendly. It's a lovely hotel in a great location if you have a car, but getting around is difficult without one. Salvatore and Za Maria, thank you for making the trip so good.

The rooms are spacious, but that was the only real positive for us. The bathroom wasn't clean, the AC didn't work, the fridge wouldn't keep food cold, and the bed creaked. The furniture looked very old, and breakfast was poor. The food was cold and didn't seem freshly made. The pool was extremely dirty, its showers didn't work properly, and the sunbeds were very old. The hotel beach was just sunbeds set out on stones as big as footballs, with no path for getting down to the water. There aren't enough parking spaces in front. Some unlucky guests may end up in a nearby lot, but the hotel staff don't maintain it because it isn't theirs. The building's architecture is so out of place that it stands out for the wrong reasons. The staff didn't seem well trained in how to treat guests. When I asked the manager for help, he was surprisingly drunk and became violent, refusing to speak English. He may have sworn at us, though I can't be sure. Nothing seemed to make him act normally. He also said he wasn't interested in the safe or the other problems we raised. The safe wasn't fixed to the wall, so I could easily have carried it off. I wouldn't risk leaving belongings in it. The hotel was empty, and I felt circumstances had forced me to stay there during my trip around Italy. The owner or staff may dispute what I've said, but I have nothing to gain by criticizing the place. Be careful and stay away.

The food, the views, and the hospitality are among the best I've experienced in any hotel. I've stayed here many times on trips to Sicily, and it's one of the very best places I've ever stayed. I'm already looking forward to coming back to Sicily and staying at Za Maria again.