Villa Igiea

The shorthand stereotype holds that Sicily is wild and untamed, at least in comparison to locales farther north. But a hotel like the Grand Hotel Villa Igiea is proof that Palermo can do formal like the best of them. Here, a mile or two outside of the city center — arrange a car — this stately villa perches at the bay’s edge, and offers just the right measure of seclusion from the noise of the city to establish an atmosphere of perfect gentility.

Rooms and suites are unmistakably classic in style, whether in the main hotel building or the adjacent Yachting House. The look is Tuscan, in fact, a faithful re-creation of the Liberty style, the Italian counterpart to France’s Art Nouveau. They start out quite plush and spacious, and go from there — the Tower Suite and the Terrace Suite are named for their obvious charms; not a bad way to stay, if you can swing it.

Of course you don’t come to Sicily simply to sleep. The restaurants, quite understandably, are vital to the Grand Hotel Villa Igiea experience, and here there are three: a formal fine-dining option, a slightly more casual terrace restaurant, and the Pool Grill & Bar, whose appeal is fairly self-explanatory.

Please note: Classic and Superior Marina rooms are located in the Marina Yachting House, a five-minute walk from the main building.