Itria Palace

The breakfast buffet was great, and the staff were really helpful. A late check-in and leaving our bags after checkout were both easy. Parking was straightforward, with plenty of free spaces nearby. The room did get very hot, though: the air conditioner was under the window and didn’t cool it properly. It also felt as if the floor heating was on, which seemed odd in July.

The rooms were quiet, comfortable, and nicely furnished, and the price felt very fair for what we got. I loved seeing the old palace restored as a hotel, with so many original features made central to the design. It’s in a lovely spot in Ragusa.

Our room looked out onto a wonderful view, and the hotel was perfectly placed for exploring the city. The breakfast was so good that I’m already missing it. Parking is right beside the hotel, with free spaces possible in the white zones. This was our best hotel on the Sicily trip, and the value was excellent.

We made the mistake of booking the New Years Day Brunch here, and it was awful. The food seemed old, probably left over from New Years Eve dinner. The panetone and one eggplant dish were the only good parts. Staying at Itrea Palace spoiled both New Years Eve and my birthday on New Year Day. We spent two nights in this “hotel,” and it was a nightmare. Our room was six minutes from the main building. The street looked unsanitary, which gave us a bad feeling about the room. Its front door opened straight onto a very dirty street full of pigeon droppings. Inside, it was dusty, especially beside the mini refrigerator and under the bed. There was nowhere to put clothes, and the kitchen sink had no running water. Breakfast was below average.