Cleopatra

We were forced to leave after just one night, but the lady kept the full price and offered no apology. The whole stay was horrible. She changed our room when we complained, but the replacement was even worse and hard to describe. She seemed to mistake being old for being charmingly old, when the building was actually run-down and dirty. The first room had broken doors, crumbling plaster, dust everywhere, and a dirty, mold-smelling queen bed for a couple. The restrooms were filthy and dilapidated too. The photos don’t match reality at all: the building was unhygienic and had no amenities or services. At check-in, a rude, money-minded lady demanded cash upfront because she had no card terminal, despite our having already paid the agency. She wouldn’t give us the room otherwise. Strongly not recommended.

We won’t be coming back. The room was tiny, barely big enough for two people to move around, and the bed was uncomfortable. The sheets and towels were clean, at least. There was no air conditioning in our room. The owner said we didn’t need it and could open the window. She was right about that, but the screen was full of holes, so we had to choose between sweating and getting eaten by mosquitoes. The refrigerator didn’t work, and everything inside was filthy. Street noise, music, and the smell of fried food kept coming into the room. Breakfast was awful, all packaged items and blurry coffee. The owner herself was very kind, and the B&B is in a beautiful, distinctive area near Palermo’s historic center. Even so, this was the worst B&B stay I’ve ever had, and a really bad experience.

The rooms are ancient but well kept, and staying in this historic fortress on the Gulf of Palermo feels like stepping into another era. The owner was very kind and helpful, with excellent suggestions for places to eat and things to see. Highly recommended.