Il Gattopardo House

The building is stunning, a historic place with a distinctive style that's been beautifully renovated. It's right in the city center, but surprisingly peaceful, and most major sights are an easy walk away. The room was clean, the bed comfortable, and the little elevator was a big help. I also loved the bedside sockets and AC. The breakfast room is beautiful, with a variety of food. Thanks to the lovely staff for making us feel so welcome.

The location is perfect, right in the center, and the parking arrangement worked really well. We had a wonderful time here as a family. The rooms are beautiful and historic, and the service was 10/10. I highly recommend it!

Gattopardo House was a lucky find for us. We travel for about eight months of the year, and I'm usually organised enough to book well ahead. Somehow I hadn't arranged a night in Catania for our arrival in Sicily. Since we were getting in at 8pm on a dark, rainy evening, we wanted a 24-hour reception, not a coded key box down some dark alley. We got a great deal on a two-bedroom suite with a bathroom and breakfast. The booking email was answered very quickly, even though we were due in less than 24 hours. We gladly took up their offer of a taxi. I checked whether arranging our own on arrival would be cheaper, and it wasn't. The Gattopardo offer was better. The driver left us right at the door. We buzzed into a small courtyard, then took the very small lift to the second floor. Be careful not to block the sensors on both sides inside it. Gaitano met us there, helped with our suitcase, and gave us a warm welcome in reasonable English before showing us the dining room. What a treat: the walls and ceiling are painted, dating from the 1800s. I hadn't noticed the decor in the B.com photos, though it is there. This really is an Italian Palazzo. The building is very old, and it creaks and squeaks, but it's extremely clean. The room was warm and the bed comfortable. The Italian-style pillows were firm; we bring our own down travel pillows, as I'm a bit of a princess, sorry. The bathroom is dated, but everything works. The wifi was good. Breakfast is typically Italian, with coffee, cake, some cheese, and bread. It's Italy, so that's what to expect. There's no late checkout, and that was clear when we booked. We left our bags for the day and explored the city. Gattopardo is right in the old town center, in a perfect location. A two-kilometer walk covered all the main sights, and there are some nice shops nearby. To be clear, we know what a five-star property is. I'm giving this five stars because, while it's not "5*" as a hotel rating, it far exceeded its own description and our expectations. If you're staying overnight in Catania and want a Palazzo in the old city, book here. My one preference would be unscented laundry powder or fabric conditioner. I'm sensitive to smells, though Himself didn't notice anything. I'll post photos on our Instagram account as thehamiltonadventure. Hope you found this review helpful.

We had a wonderful stay in Catania with my 10-year-old son. The Palazzo is a genuinely authentic building, with lovely rooms and a very friendly, kind gentleman as the owner. Breakfast was very good, and the price was really good too. Strongly recommend!