119 Best Hotels in Sicily, Italy

This modern hotel is on a small promontory in Caldura, 2 km (1 mile) east of Cefalù, a few minutes away by taxi or a 30-minute walk, and offers bright and cheerful rooms, many with balconies overlooking the sea. Sports facilities like tennis and basketball courts keep you from getting too sedentary, and the private beach is ideal for swimming or snorkeling (though note that it requires many steps to reach).

For a bit more privacy, space, and a live-like-a-local vibe, try this small collection of houses, villas, and apartments. While each property has its own feel and design—and are scattered across the island—the chic Panarea vibe comes through with the fresh white walls, collection of Sicilian ceramics, and ample outdoor spaces with stunning sea views. Guests can visit partner Hotel Oasi for breakfast (€10).

Set above the tiny port and commanding fabulous views of sea and sky from its flower-filled terrace, this hotel offers small but adequate guest rooms, kept clean and tidy by the family-friendly staff. The cooking, usually focused on the day's catch, is quite good. Arrange ahead of time to be collected at the port.

Stepping into this charming apartment off Piazza della Rivoluzione is like entering a different time zone: a taste of Old Palermo where the elegant furnishings evoke a romantic world you might think only exists today in novels. Crystal chandeliers, rococo mirrors, painted and coffered ceilings, oriental rugs on parquet or majolica floors, and doilies on polished oak tables all create a warm ambience you'll find difficult to leave. It's not all Old World—the owners have stamped their own taste on the decor by adding works of 20th-century art. It's in a lively neighborhood, with plenty of bars and restaurants in the vicinity.

Belonging to the Planeta family of winemakers, La Foresteria is a truly gorgeous contemporary hotel with exceptional food and views from herb-scented terraces over the vineyards to the sea. The 14 rooms are spacious, with glass doors opening onto private terraces, terra-cotta-tiled floors lain with delicate kilims, and traditional Sicilian iron bedsteads with dreamily comfortable mattresses and pillows, superb quality white sheets, and hand-stitched Indian eiderdowns. Bathrooms are made for being lazy, with good showers, oversize bathtubs, and very puffy bathrobes. Along with kettles and coffee machines, there are jars of loose herbal teas and tea bags to enjoy. Wine is, of course, excellent (guided tastings and trips to the main vineyards can be organized) and the food is superb, with an intelligently designed menu where innovative dishes and traditional Planeta family favorites sit happily side by side. There are not only several tasting menus and à la carte dishes, but menus that can be designed to suit individual tastes and appetites, with faultless guidance on wine pairings. Cooking lessons are available most mornings.

Although detached from the town's hubbub, this residence is actually in a central location on Trapani's northern waterfront, with wonderful coastal views. The "studio" rooms are sleek and spacious and come with kitchenettes, and there's a garden, gym, and reading room. Best of all, generous breakfasts are served on a terrific roof terrace with panoramic views over town and the coast. The residence lies at one end of Via Torrearsa, so perfectly sited to participate in Trapani's boisterous evening passeggiata. There is secure parking 2 km (1 mile) away, linked to the residence by a free shuttle bus, or you can find your own parking space closer.

If you plan on visiting Ragusa and Modica but want to stay by the water, you can't do better than this artsy boutique hotel on Sicily's southeastern coast—it's two blocks from the beach and a pleasant half-hour drive from either town. In a historic house completely renovated by the owner, who has kept much of the original antique furniture, each room is unique and has its own charm, plus there is an appealing garden courtyard where you can enjoy breakfast each morning.

Located in the center of Petralia Soprana, a stunning, castle-esque house has been converted into a B&B with comfortable rooms and welcoming hosts.

In a secluded area out in the hills outside of Polizzi Generosa, this is a perfectly peaceful spot to relax and enjoy nature. It is a modest place to stay in a simple farm stay setting that offers complimentary breakfast, a restaurant, and an outdoor pool.

As part of this seaside resort town since the 1960s, La Tartaruga still embodies the best of local hospitality.

There's nothing remote or rough-and-ready about this gorgeous B&B set in the higher part of Marettimo, where tasteful modern design combines with personable hosts to create the perfect island getaway. You'll be hard pressed to tear yourself away from the sun-drenched roof terrace, equipped with sunbeds and shade sails, from which village and sea spread serenely before you—and it's perfect for star-gazing, too. The four air-conditioned rooms are spacious, airy, and immaculately clean, with rain-showers in the en suite bathrooms. Breakfasts include bread straight from the oven, as well as delicious home-baked cakes, tarts, biscuits, and fresh fruit.

Set in a pretty stone-built masseria (Sicilian farmstead), you'll find La Vecchia in a beautiful, secluded location that feels as if it is miles from anywhere yet is within easy driving distance of most of central Sicily’s points of interest, including Caltagirone, Piazza Armerina, and Enna. Inexpensive, welcoming, and unpretentious, it is hard to think of a better place to base yourself in the region. The 33 rooms are simple but comfortable, and there is a hot tub and a large swimming pool. The Masseria’s produce, including olive oil, jams, and pestos, is available to buy in a small shop and forms the basis for the evening meal, a fixed menu that changes every day. Breakfast is a triumph, with lots of fresh fruit, nuts, artisan compotes, yogurt, and homemade cakes. A small children’s playground and the general feeling of friendliness make this a good choice for families too, and there are lots of trails to follow on foot or bike in the surrounding woodlands.

An instantly beguiling and intimate country resort with just four sensitively restored dammusi, Le Ballute is set among the utter peace and quiet of the village of Mueggen. The glory of this spot is that its owners Matilde and Giancarlo are completely in tune with the land and landscape, and they would be happy to invite people to stay simply for the joy of sharing what they have created with like-minded people. Everything they grow on their land is preserved and served to guests during the months they are open, as witnessed by the storehouse of homemade pestos, jams, sott’olio, juices, and olive oils. They even make their own ricotta from their four goats using the traditional island method of adding seawater to help the curds form and collect eggs every morning from their lovingly tended chickens. Grounds include a small woodland area (with a treehouse for massages) and a pavilion where breakfast and aperitif are served. Dinner is served on request. In summer Giancarlo can take guests on trips in his own boat and can lead guests on country walks.

Although just steps from the bustling Cattedrale area, complete calm envelops this small, beautifully restored B&B, named for its five lush roof terraces, all with sublime views. When you're not on the roof taking in the vistas and admiring the owner's green thumb, you can pore over the collection of books about Sicily in the sitting area. Guest rooms, furnished in period style, are a major draw. The hotel offers a discount for stays of four nights or more.

Named for the black sands of the beach it sits in front of, this luxury hotel is superbly sited on the beautiful Porto di Ponente and its cool modern furnishings and inviting pool and spa induce a sybaritic mood. The white-walled guest rooms near the pool are tasteful and spacious, and larger apartment-style rooms with terraces are also available, some with sea views. Though there is no on-site restaurant, the lounge bar serves bountiful breakfasts and light lunches.

Located not far from the port, Lisola Residence offers complete tranquillity in the form of charming, adults-only apartments that accommodate either two or four people, each retaining a degree of privacy from its neighbor. The apartments come equipped with air-conditioning, a kitchen with a coffee machine, and a barbecue and garden furniture for cooking and sitting outside. Public areas are scrupulously maintained, especially the lovely, partly paved garden from which views extend over the landscape, and within which nestles a decently sized swimming pool. If you don't want to cover the distance to or from the port, which takes less than 10 minutes on foot, the owners offer a free jeep service. There's a minimum-stay period, from two nights in low season to a week in peak season.

This small boutique hotel offers contemporary rooms and excellent service inside a historic manor house in the heart of Ragusa Ibla—one of the rooms has a bathroom inside a natural cave. A highly regarded restaurant by the same name is a short distance from the hotel and serves creative Italian cuisine inside a beautiful dining room built into a rocky cave; be sure to request a tour of the exceptional wine cellar at the end of the meal.

This functional and reliable hotel is set around two courtyards, with uniform rooms opening off long corridors with no surprises in decor or character. Twenty of the rooms have sea views. Despite the impression given by the unimpressive juice, jam, and yogurt dispensers, breakfast is quite good with homemade cakes, fresh ricotta, seasonal fruit, and a fabulous array of seeds and nuts while coffee is made to order by a friendly and engaging staff. Service elsewhere in the hotel is adequate but can be perfunctory.

Set amid a vast olive grove, this tranquil rural retreat feels as if it's in the middle of nowhere yet is just a 20-minute drive from the UNESCO-listed temples of Agrigento. Rooms combine contemporary minimalism with original details (exposed sandstone walls, tiled floors, wooden beams) while the reception rooms in the main house—warmed by open fires in winter—have the feel of a refined aristocratic home, with old photographs, original stone floors, original paintings, intriguing sculptures, and a collection of rural curios. There is a gorgeous pool as well, and the owner, Silvia, hosts cooking lessons and olive oil tastings. In autumn you can take part in the olive harvest. Breakfast consists of lots of homemade cakes and seasonal fruits, and there are simple lunches of home-baked bread, salads, and local cheeses. A four-course dinner (whose menu changes every day) is served in the evenings. In good weather you can eat outside on the romantically lit cobbled terrace.

Up on the Hyblean plateau, a good 15-minute drive north of Noto, this rural masseria (farm) is surrounded by tastefully designed two-story lodging and immersed in olive groves. Though it's close to Noto Antica and some fabulous hiking, you could be forgiven for spending your day drifting between the pool, bar, and restaurant.

Small and select, this hotel enjoys one of Palermo's best locations—opposite the Teatro Massimo, on the border of the old and new towns—and has guest rooms that are spacious, comfortably furnished, and well insulated from the noise on pedestrianized Via Maqueda. The service is personal and polite, with breakfast served in your room or in the lounge, which has limited capacity. Book in advance for one of the seven rooms that have theater views.

This spot occupies a glass-fronted building along the busy Viale Teracati and, like most other hotels in the same chain, it's a slick operation with first-rate amenities. Interior common areas are light and airy, and guest rooms are immaculately kept, though not particularly Mediterranean in style or color.

This delightful hotel has a creaky old feel to it, but that's part of the charm—the lobby area, scattered with books, magazines, and tchotchkes, calls to mind an elderly relative's living room; but the rooms themselves are simple, light, and comfortable. There's a lovely roof terrace with panoramic views—a great place to start the day with breakfast or relax in the evening with cocktails—and a well-known restaurant serving seafood pasta, couscous, and homemade desserts.

This smart and central B&B offers a calm alternative to staying in Palermo whether or not you're primarily here to visit Monreale. It's clean, modern, and tastefully designed and furnished, with spacious rooms that are named after Italian operas (the hosts are both former professional musicians). Extras include underfloor heating for the cold winter months and saunas to replenish body and spirit after sightseeing fatigue. Breakfasts are generous and evening meals are available on a small terrace. Guests can also benefit from a pick-up service for the airport.

Baroque architecture punctuates the city, and one of the best ways to see it up close is with a stay at Palazzo Marletta, a private palace turned plush hotel. Three of the property’s seven rooms have that Baroque nobility vibe (crystal chandeliers, sweeping balconies with views of the Duomo, and bas-relief ceilings), while the rest incorporate the modern Italian propensity for clean lines and singular pops of color. 

This is an exceptional B&B with five rooms, occupying an Art Nouveau town house overlooking the main drag, Via Roma. The Sicilian-American owners have created an atmosphere that is more like staying in an elegant home than in a B&B—touches like bar in the frescoed living room where guests can help themselves to a Campari spritz or glass of wine (for free) do much to set the generous tone, as does the fact that guests are welcome to have pizza or other food delivered to eat in the comfort of home (though there are plans afoot for a home-restaurant). Rooms—with original parquet and majolica-tiled floors—are furnished with period antiques and have comfy beds, luxury bed-linens and sumptuous marble bathrooms. Breakfast is abundant, with fresh fruits, freshly squeezed juice, local cheeses and ricottas and bacon and eggs cooked to order.

Accessed from a quiet courtyard situated between Palermo's two great theaters, with large, airy rooms and a charming host, this top-floor apartment is part of a beautifully renovated palazzo dating from the mid-19th century. Everything is clean and tidy, the bright, high-ceilinged guest rooms are well-equipped (including mini-refrigerators), and the bathrooms are spacious. Generous buffet breakfasts of pastries, cannoli, hams and cheeses, and fresh orange juice are served in a conservatory area. There's an elevator, too.

Home to several individual, purpose-built dammusi, Pantelleria Dream is set in its own grounds above Cala Levante and the Arco dell’Elefante. This is a really good mid-range option, and prices in low season are incredible value for money, especially if you book well in advance. There is a big pool, well-tended gardens, a restaurant, and a bar. Rooms are simple but tasteful, with black tiled floors and white walls and bedlinens, and each has its own terrace, traditionally roofed with canes.

Awash in white with vibrant pops of color, this family-run boutique property that hugs the Malfa hillside defines barefoot chic. A stay here—with its panoramic sea views, infinity pool, stylishly curated furnishings and artwork, and hospitality as warm as the Mediterranean sun—feels like a visit to a friend's impeccably appointed seaside villa. At night, guests are invited to gather at a long communal table for a three-course prix-fixe dinner cooked by mamma (€35).

This updated historic palazzo maintains elements of its early 1900s grandeur: parquet floors, 13-foot ceilings, and porcelain stoneware tiles. Almost every room has its own balcony, and the hotel is full of art by Giancarlo Mustich. It's a very clean and enchanting little place to lay your head. The owner, Massimo Costantino, has relationships with everyone in the neighborhood and can arrange to have lunch or dinner brought into the hotel if you're a bit road weary and simply don't want to go out.