Katane Palace Hotel in Catania

Even though this hotel was built in 2001, it looks as if it was built in the 1950s and kept like a museum. Very old style, with rust and wear everywhere – definitely not worth the price. Rooms are spacious and clean, but the whole place feels like an old man: slow, outdated, with habits from another time.

Parking is tricky – you can leave the car for free on the street between 10 pm and 8 am, but the hotel tries to lure you into their garage for €15 per night. Free parking should be an advantage for a hotel, not an extra cost.

Breakfast is very minimalist: lots of low-quality pastries, salami, prosciutto cotto, pressed cheese, some fruits, omelette, boiled eggs. The best part is the coffee, which is good (Nespresso).

Another big minus: even if the inner courtyard is charming, they don’t actually clean it. For the money, this hotel really isn’t worth it. I would give it 2 stars at best, certainly not the 4 stars it claims. On top of that, there is also a €5 city tax per night.