Grand Hotel Villa Politi - Syracuse

I have traveled to over 20 countries and 100's of cities, this was definitely a beutiful, romantic hotel, with beutiful grounds and a wonderful pool. Service was fantastic and we could not have been happier! A little far from the main sites but if you have a car its not a problem at all. Fantastic hotel!

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Of everything we did in Sicily, this was by far the best. We worried it would be too far to go to ortigia but we drove and parked thereno problem . Plus parking was a breeze at the hotel. Gorgeous pool but the private rocky beach was awesome!

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

The staff and ambiance of this grand old dame (150 year old) hotel is something to appreciate. Built between deep sunken areas of rock all around provide for a dramatic landscape. The interior is beautiful and a classic view of grander times with marble staircases, grand artwork and gracious staff. The rooms are comfortable. A large swimming pool is […] on the grounds. Everything about the hotel exudes old world majesty - you can imagine the rich and powerful sitting on the grand front porch or their private balconies discussing the economics of the time. The grounds and some minor areas of the hotel behind the better maintained entrance show some neglect, probably due to the recent economic downturn. There is on-site parking and the hotel is close to the shore with ocean views. Restaurants, banks and other merchants are close by with one of the best cappuccinos I had during my two weeks of traveling Sicily at the bar right down the street. My stay was an experience I never expected. The front desk staff even loaned me their office laptop so I could access the internet. Except for the foam pillows and the minor grounds issues, I would have given the hotel five stars all around. (I didn't ask if they had down pillows available). This is a place I would come back to time and again. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Good food and helpful staff Nice loation. I thought the setting was very picturesque. The hotel staff was always available.

Genuine Expedia guest review

This hotel is lovely, comfortable, and clean, but the best part was the personal customer service we received from the front desk. Ivan went above and beyond to make sure that our stay was exceptional and he did all that he could to make us feel welcome and happy. He speaks perfect English and Italian and did everything he could to help us translate […] conversations, locate specific destinations, and provide driving directions. He even helped us find a specialty store to help us replace a lost item. The food was delicious and the location was perfect. The breakfast buffet was larger than most and included a variety of hot and cold items. In the evening, ask for their special orange cocktail and their pistachio dessert. Both were wonderful! I would stay there again. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

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Genuine Hotels.com guest review

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Genuine Hotels.com guest review

One front-desk attendant was welcoming, warm, extremely helpful, resourceful (think her 1st name began with A: on duty upon our arrival afternoon of April 12). Dining room staff unwelcoming, not very friendly, never offered, had to be asked, seemed impatient. Boring b-fast offerings--too sweet or greasy; no freshness. .Grounds in walkways around hotel […] not maintained, wild and unkempt. Isolated for exploring. Taxi to go anywhere. Staying in Ortygia would be a far better option. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

The Grand Hotel Villa Politi is a charming and classic hotel. The property is a little far from the central city restaurants so taxi and/or car is required if you do not enjoy walking approx. 30 min to the central area. The hotel is clean and quiet but could use a little refreshing. Overall would recommend a stay at this location.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

The hotel is more out of town from the historical syracuse than I realized. Other reviews stated is only a 25-20 minute walk, I don't think so, especially is the hot beating sun and the crazy cars and scooter racing by, it's more like a 30 minute walk and then your exhuasted by the time you get to Ortigia and there a ton of walk there to do. This hotel […] is great for one night in order to visit the Greek ruins, which are close by and the actual grounds of the hotel are wonderful to stroll through and really pictureque with the Greek Quarry below. We ended up staying in one nigt and went to a local pizza joint to enjoy a dinner on our balony. The front desk recommended a great place and next door was a pasrty shop that had the best cannoli I have ever had. The pool was a nice perk that we didn't think we'd use, but the blissering sun made the pool that more more inviting. Very clean hotel, amazing facial towels, so soft and soothing to sunbrunt skin. Great beds and linens. The hotel is older and worn, but it's a historical building, of course it's a bit out of date. All in all a great expereince. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

A "grand hotel" in the old tradition. Comfortable rooms, lovely pool, fine dining room, impressive entrance, good and friendly desk service. Old building, but renovated and modernized. Located among its own Greek/Roman ruins, some of which were just outside our room window/balcony (although they were not open for exploration at the time we were there). […] Very traditional, nice and classy decor. Ample (outdoor) parking. Easy to find when driving. Located a couple of miles from the center of town in a pleasant, non-congested neighborhood. Easy to find and reach by car. WiFi currently (May, 2010) only works in some of the public rooms (and not in the guest rooms); they're planning to run the signal through the entire hotel eventually. Good food in the dining room, but un-changing menu. Conference facilities. Solidly rated 4-star. If I were driving, I would definitely stay here again. If I were using public transport, I'd probably stay in the center of town instead, since the hotel is rather far from the sights. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

Hotel Villa Polite was great. Elegant, beautfiul and just right. Our room was a tad small but lovely...all up to date with a lovely view of the front garden. Truely ol' time elegance.

Genuine Expedia guest review

We only stayed 2 nights so it was ok but would not recommend for longer stay. Rooms are very small, damp and old. We spent most of the time out of the room. Would have suffered in bad weather. Restaurant is not well maintained, walls are in bad condition, tableware poor, food is average, buffet breakfast is very poor for Italy. Due to the old building […] you can hear everything from the neightbours room, incl the cleaner doing her job in the morning. Staff is kind and helpful, the lobby has a nice atmoshpere. Pool is very basic, water was extremely cold in June. 15-20min walk from nice places, got a very nice view to the sea. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

This is a wonderful hotel built in "Fin de Ciecle" style. The rooms are spacious and very comfortable and well equipped. The staff are very friendly and courteous. The evening meals were excellent value - a three course set menu for 25 Euro for guests was very good quality in pleasant surroundings. The breakfast was very extensive with a very choice […] to suit all tastes. The grounds are beautifully looked after and there is a large swimming pool with sun terrace laid out with sun loungers Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

The room are very spacious and elegant, we were fortunate to have our own balcony with table and chairs. Clean towels each day, the breakfast buffet is very good, espresso or cappuccino if you want it. Good car parking, easy access to drive to. Walking distance to all the archeological and historic sites. The staff are very helpful. We really enjoyed […] our 6 nights at this hotel. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Beautiful old hotel and beautiful grounds but the location has little to offer - no where to eat that we found within walking distance. We ended up eating at the hotel both nights. It was OK but would have liked a little more selection.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

A lovely hotel, our room was very comfortable and we had 2 balconies, with sea views from both. Staff were very friendly and restaurant was lovely. We also visited the hotel bar on the waterfront, however we didn't have a swim in the ocean. The pool and surrounding area was lovely. We would recommend the hotel.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

We had a room with a "porthole" view of the sea. The beds were comfortable and the bathroom clean and well appointed. On most days the breakfast was good. The pool was large and attractive - that was why we chose the hotel in the first place. Swimming towels were provided on request. Although the area outside the hotel was unprepossessing we found […] it possible to walk out or drive the car to Ortygia or further afield. Car parking was good. No directory of services was available but the staff responded readily to inquiries about the facilities. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

Very well positioned hotel in a quiet but interesting position,about 20 minute walk to old town of Ortigia.,though return walk is uphill. Good sized and secure car park.Rooms and all common areas very clean and tastefully decorated and mostly maintained to a good standard.Breakfast was good but a little limited in choice and coffee only warm most days. […] Dined one evening in restaurant and good choice of menu in elegant surroundings but food was fair/good not very good/excellent.Taking coffee/drinks on front verandah a lovely way to enjoy warm nights overlooking the gardens/fountains. Pool area excellent and very relaxed with good provision of recliners. For next stay would probably pay more for larger room as ours was great but a little on small size and noticed the size and added comfort of superior would be worth considering.Air con in room the best ever experienced in Europe.All in all excellent experience and will hopefully return soon to use as base for discovering more of south eastern corner of the island or even just the one base for relaxing holiday. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Good points: Classically designed hotel in stunning grounds, with ample free off-street parking and a lift from the car park to main lobby; own Lido a short walk away on the seafront. Very impressive and relaxing lobby, dining-room and bar area. Good-sized swimming pool to the rear of the hotel, easily accessible from within the hotel. Beautiful view […] from room balcony over gardens and to the Ionian Sea.Good food at both breakfast and dinner. Attentive and friendly staff. Not-so-good points: Aircon in rooms a bit hit and miss, with the auto system defaulting to a colder temp than selected; shower enclosure definitely needed mould removal treatment and re-grouting. No english-speaking channels on room TV (despite it being digital). Breakfast could have been better, if proper boiling water had been available for the tea bags provided - noone wants weak, lukewarm tea! Carpets on the stairs and along corridors were threadbare and did no favours to the lovely interior decor. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

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Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Room was comfy, though couldn't get TV to work at all. Air-Con very good. Shower good. Good breakfast, just don't have tea as the water from the pot was never hot! No wifi in rooms, but free access in lobby/bar areas. 30 mins walk into centre of Ortigia. Ample free parking, close to Archealogical park. Swimming pool pleasant as are the grounds.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Initial impression was what we had expected - faded grandeur and a good location but out of the centre. Rooms seemed reasonable and comfortable. Swimming pool looked great and was pleasant to relax around and in at the end of a day's sightseeing.. Wifi worked but only in public areas. On closer acquaintance, the decor was in need of refurbishment and […] the cleanliness of the bathroom facilities was not all it could and should be. Our evening meal on our first night in the hotel was poor - undercooked fish and a lack of choice but breakfast was fine. We ate out in the evenings from then on. The staff at reception were reasonably helpful but less so in the restaurant. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

Great hotel, but 30 min walk from Ortigia. Lovely surroundings.

Genuine Expedia guest review

Villa Politi has the potential to be a beautiful hotel. I laid by the pool and imagined the walls re-rendered & painted white & the rusting windows replaced. I pictured the dry trees being watered, all plush-green and lots more flowers. The building from the front is glorious with a grand staircase. The pool was lovely, well needed, only down-side was […] that the steps were loose & squeaky, there was a grubby tide mark around the edge and gazebos are needed for shade. Inside, the rooms were kept spotless. The air on was a well-needed bonus. The safe was a plus too, which you set your own code to on arrival. The bathroom was very clean, all marble but the bath was meant to be a jacuzzi but didn't work, and the shower was a dollop of water rather that a spray. We were lucky enough to have a balcony and sea view and although it was slightly obscured by a block of flats and a crane, if you looked beyond that you could see pretty much all of Ortygia including the fortified walls and the Basillica. The lobby was grand, cool & calm. There is free wifi in the lobby so I was so happy that I decided to take my iPad after all! Breakfast was really lovely. The staff are very polite and helpful. I'd stay at the Villa Politi again but only out of season when it's cooler, when you can walk to places. There isn't very much outside the hotel at all. We stayed in August & temp was 98 so we ended up spending €10 each way on a taxi each time we wanted to go into Ortygia. Overall, very relaxing :) Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

Overall a great hotel. However, do not stay in the bargain top level rooms for more than one night ! They are tiny and have no fresh air to talk of! Having said this the Management were incredibly helpful and upgraded me to a real (delux) double room - when I explained I couldnt stay there in the attic, and couldn't have been more helpful. Excellent […] location and staff an absolute pleasure. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

Nice pool and handy for the town. Hotel a bit tired on the outside but classy interior

Genuine Expedia guest review

A very good place to come back to after a day exploring for relaxing poolside & bed & breakfast. Comfortable rooms. Great beds & linen. Reasonable rates in a package deal. Easy to park. Great swimming pool. And a very pleasant, charming and helpful staff. Good lifts for disabled access. Recommended improvements. 1. Better quality fresh coffee for breakfast. 2. […] Cushions on sun beds. Grand but tired said a guide book about Villa Politi. It's perfect if you aren't grand but if you're tired. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

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Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Staff could not have been more pleasant and helpful. Restaurant served a good evening meal and breakfast had a good choice of food. Too cold to try the pool but it looked clean and pleasant.

Genuine Expedia guest review

we really liked this place.a lovely slightly faded eccentric beautiful place.ok to buisness 1/ rooms extremely comfortable,clean and well appointed good blckout facilities and good aircon 2/ staff the hotel staff were lovely,friendly and very helpful 3/ breakfast is good and but order coffee fresh as its great and the buffet coffee isnt! 4/ pool the […] pool is lovely and we often had it all to ourselves.Dont expect a bar at the pool 5/ hotel bar the bar is very small and quite expensive and is about the only part of the hotel we felt was not up to the right standard 6/ location the hotel is a good 30-40 min walk from ortiga which we found fine but a bit boring everyday .there is a bus stop right by the capuchino monestry at the hotel entrance which gives you buses 1-4 into the old town.bus 3 takes the scenic route back to the hotel from ortiga (tickets from the magazine shop opposite. 1.20 euros for 120 mins) they run around every 30 mins or so till around 2000 at night a taxi is 12euros from ortiga. there is also bus 5 that runs from the main bus station to the side of the hotel but its quite infrequent we think?? 7/ hotel grounds these are spectacular and a lovely place to sit and relax to sum up . we had a great time and found the hotel very relaxing and comfortable and the hotel staff friendly and helpful. we would stay there again and the only downside if you do not have your own transport is its location if you are not able walkers? Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

This extraordinary hotel is a curious mix of past elegance ( .. linger on the terrace in the evening and let your imagination wander! ) - and a somewhat unimaginatively run hotel. Everything is here that you need, but with a little more thought this could be very more special. Some of the fittings (threadbare carpets and loose stair rods), gloomy lighting […] in the lounge area etc. give the place a certain air of neglect. And why play Johnny Mathis at breakfast when you could play Vivaldi? As the hotel seems used mainly by business clients or tour groups who stay just one night or two, the hotel can feel abandoned at times, and staff during the day seem scarce. We stayed for a whole week and it seemed a little too long - but I would certainly recommend the hotel for two or three nights so that you can enjoy the hotel and its grounds (including quarries that you can explore!); the city and surrounding sites. An excellent (although unsupervised) pool. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

My boyfriend and I spent 10 nights in this hotel, it was perfect for couples or families looking for a quiet and relaxing holiday. The hotel staff were lovely and very helpful, especially Attila who works at reception. It was a bit far from the centre but you could walk there in about 25 minutes which was fine, although it got a bit tedious in the end. […] Breakfast had everything you needed but was not amazing. The pool was great and rarely crowded. Although I probably wouldn't have rated this quite as a 4 star hotel it was very pleasant and we would stay there again if we were to go back to siracuse Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

When choosing this hotel, from the pictures we did not expect it to be so glamorous! But it was more than that! Deeply set into a breath-taking scenery and being part of a gigantic rock, yet a hundred meters from the sea, this proved to be our highlight of our travel trough Italy. Starting from the warm welcome and brief introduction to the hotel and […] its amenities we felt as being given a royal treatment in evey sense. The rooms are spacious, neat and extremely well kept. The breakfast was excellent and the offer fantastic! There was something for everybody's taste. The hotel's feel of the '20s with just a touch of modern makes your stay here a truly one of a kind experience!! We can't wait to go there again! Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

The only negative comment is that it is 20 minutes from Ortigia but then again it is very close to some historical sites, Churches and Catecombs. It is a lovely and quaint hotel and we had a terrific 7 days there. Excellent value for B & B. THe staff were friendly and helpfull particularily Atillia at the desk. Breakfast was the best we had in the 4 […] no. Hotels we stayed with in Sicily in July. Lovely swimming pool. Rooms spotless every day. Any other guests we talked to on the veranda shared our view and could not understand some inaccurate previous reviews. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

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Genuine Hotels.com guest review

A ver imposing and comfortable hotel with a large car park. Staff were very helpful and gave us good advice on restaurants for dinner in Ortigia - the old town. The city area nearest to our hotel was unremarkable and on Monday the main archaeological sites were closed.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Modernt och perfekt läge en bit från centrum. Också en fläkt av en tid som gått. Här bodde Winston C. under kriget.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

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Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Otroligt italienskt i dess bästa mening. Otroligt vackert beläget en bit från centrum. Classic!!

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Jag kan verkligen rekommendera detta hotell. Bra rum, trevlig personal, bra frukost. Ligger dock lite långt från händelsernas centrum, men det gick bra med bil som vi hyrt.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

La estancia ha sido cómoda, solo tuvimos un pequeño problema que al comentarlo en recepción espero lo hayan solucionado, el agua caliente de la ducha estaba templada mas bien tirando a fría.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Das Hotel war in Ordnung, war alles vorhanden. Das Bad wäre wirklich mal auf den neusten Stand zu bringen. Verkalkte kaputte Duschbrausen und die Wasserhäne durchgerostet. Man darf nicht zuviel erwarten, das Hotel hat schon einige Jahre hintersich gebracht. Der Service ist aufmerksam und das Angebot und Zubereitung der Speisen sind sehr gut.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Personnel très accueillant, parlant le français. Petit déjeuner complet et très copieux. Vue magnifique sur une petite falaise. Un voyage dans le temps (boiseries, grand escalier, déco de la chambre...)

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Personale "storico" molto cortese, ma alcuni recenti acquisti risultano meno cortesi ed esperti: c'è stato molto caos per l'assegnazione della spesa delle cene e per il rilascio della ricevuta. E' la prima volta che accade una cosa del genere e spero che si tratti solo di un episodio: tornerò di nuovo nell'albergo...

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Dette hotellet, som er fra 1862, minner om et kursted av den typen man leser om i romaner. Rommene er store, og takhøyden er minst 4 meter. Spisesalen er enorm. Rundt hotellet er det en hage med skulpturer. Mange av dem er skitne og delvis ødelagt, men de bidrar til å gi hotellet sin sjarm. Svømmebassenget var stort nok, men ikke oppvarmet. Det var […] helt stille på hotellet (vi var der utenfor sesongen), det eneste vi hørte var måkeskrik og fuglesang. Vi hadde en liten balkong og utsikt mot havet. Kort sagt, dette hotellet kan anbefales. Her får man veldig mye for pengene. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

E' stata una esperienza gradevole. Nonostante la vetustà l'albergp conserva lo stile, lo charme e l'eleganza di oltre un secolo di storia. Camere eleganti, pulizia e cambi biancheria giornalieri, set bagni sufficienti. Vista sul parco posizione leggiadra e silenziosa. Ristorante adeguato, servizio buono. Carta dei vini regionali.Menu del giorno limitato […] e fisso. la carte poca attraente. Piccola colazione a Buffet. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

Ottima posizione dell'hotel, parcheggio spazioso, personale cortese e simpatico, bravi chef,... Molto soddisfatta. Da visitare in estate, meglio se per vacanza.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Hotel e ristorante molto eleganti, personale cortese, posizione strategica per raggiungere il centro, ma anche per lasciare Siracusa velocemente.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Hotel curato in una zona comoda da raggiungere venendo da Catania. Parcheggio spazioso. Camera comoda ed accogliente. Personale cortese e simpatico: è stato un piacere trascorrere le serate a cena nell'hotel. Da riprovare, magari per un viaggio di piacere...

Genuine Hotels.com guest review