Maison Landolina

The hotel is in a handy spot by the train station, with shops and snack places close by, an Asian supermarket, a tasty pasta restaurant next door and the fish market nearby. It’s also very close to the beach. We got a big room for a very reasonable price, and the owner was incredibly kind, even providing a baby stroller. Breakfast felt limited, though, and one of the women on staff made us feel a bit uncomfortable.

The location is great, but the rest was a letdown. Our first room had two cockroaches, so we switched, only to find hairs in the bathroom. The shower latch was broken and water was left standing. Breakfast wasn’t fresh, either. The bed was uncomfortable and made a lot of noise whenever we turned over. I wouldn’t recommend it.

The best things about this place are its cleanliness and its location near central Palermo. The room was large, comfortable and air conditioned, and the mini-fridge was handy, though it was empty. A 50cl bottle of water in the vending machine costs €1. Beyond that, we had a long list of problems. The room and bathroom both had poor lighting, with only one of four bulbs and one of two bathroom fixtures working. The toilet seat was missing, the sink was clogged, and the shower head wouldn’t stay up, sliding down violently. There was mold all along the shower door rail, and nowhere to put shampoo or shower gel except the floor. The helpful woman who greeted us wasn’t following the infection control rules in force at the time. The next morning’s breakfast was scant, with frozen, low quality food and no fruit. The cutlery was caked in dirt, and less than half the pieces in the containers were clean. Guests were all gathered in the same room, where staff also had drying racks for towels. There was no apparent respect for COVID-19 regulations. When I asked about the missing toilet seat, I was told foreign guests break it and detach the shower slide. I asked why they didn’t replace it, and was told it was better for hygiene that way. The overall management was the main failing. I won’t return.

We felt at home thanks to Gabriella’s wonderful welcome and helpfulness. The room was spotless, the location convenient, and the value for money excellent. Highly recommend.