20 Best Hotels in Palermo and Western Sicily, Sicily

In a pedestrianized piazza in Marsala's old town, this former convent has been turned into a stylish and atmospheric lodging. Public rooms are of a stately size, including the extensive lounge bar area that boasts oriental carpets, brick walls, a large old fireplace, and lofty arches. Guest rooms come in varying sizes but are all clean and well-equipped. There's a pleasant cloister garden, and a wide-ranging spread is available in the frescoed breakfast room. Check-in early to bag one of the limited parking spaces right outside the hotel.

This family-run agriturismo is set on a working farm surrounded by gently rolling hills, 4 km (2½ miles) southwest of Corleone. The farmhouse dates from the 19th century and has warm-color guest rooms that brim with character (one has a vaulted ceiling and a four-poster bed) and are equipped with air-conditioning and private bathrooms. There's also a self-catering apartment that can accommodate a family. For many, the best part of staying here is the evening meal, when large portions and numerous courses of rustic fare are served, so half- or full-board is definitely recommended. There's a small swimming pool, and horseriding is available for beginners or experts.

You'll feel indulged at this sequestered B&B located in a quiet lane a 15-minute walk from Mondello's seafront. With gleaming white walls, burnished wooden floors, and sparkling, contemporary bathrooms, the spacious rooms have their own private balconies or terraces, and guests have use of a large outdoor pool set in a garden planted with bougainvillea and frangipani. Breakfast is a feast, and the hosts will recommend and book you into restaurants and hook you up with reliable guides and drivers. Bicycles are also available. There's a four-night minimum stay in summer. Winter bookings are only taken by email or phone.

Cleverly converted from three historic buildings—a bank, a palazzo, and a monastery—this hotel with modern, unadorned rooms is ideally located just off the central axis of Via Vittorio Emanuele. It's an elegant complex, featuring vaulted ceilings and an expansive, airy courtyard lobby with a retractable roof awning that's open in warm weather, plus a beautifully designed restaurant. 

This attractive midrange hotel in the center of Favignana town is in an old palazzo but has modern furnishings and fittings. Most of the guest rooms are spacious; some even have balconies, but all are impeccably clean with comfortable beds, including those located in a nearby annex (which may be a better choice for those who prefer more privacy). There's a good restaurant in an internal courtyard garden, where breakfast is also served. Stays in summer must be for a minimum of four or five nights.

Spread along one side of the wide expanse of Largo Petrolo, this smart, two-story hotel has warm colors and a welcoming, intimate atmosphere. The reception area has polished parquet floors, modern art on the walls, and a solidly old-fashioned tone. Pay a little extra for one of the best rooms, which are spacious and have balconies overlooking the square. Buffet breakfasts are varied, and you can choose to sit at one of the tables on the piazza. It's an easy walk to restaurants (the harborfront is a 10-minute walk), and guests can make use of a free hotel buggy to a nearby beach.

On the edge of town, overlooking a small beach at the western end of the harbor, this small and chic hotel stands a little apart from the quayside activity, and is all the better for it. The harborfront bars and restaurants are seconds away, yet peace and quiet reign here. The three rooms with balconies at the front are the best choices as other rooms on the side have balconies and partial sea views but face hilly scenery frontwards. The waterfront terrace is a great spot for breakfast, for whiling away an afternoon, or for an evening aperitivo. In summer, a free shuttle service to a nearby beach is available.

Like the town of Erice itself, the Hotel Elimo is old-fashioned and yet full of charm; eccentric knickknacks and artwork fill the lobby, and the homey guest rooms are all different, many boasting terraces with views of either the cobblestone streets or the valleys below (when they're not shrouded by clouds). The hotel is ideally located on Erice's main street, convenient to shopping and restaurants, though you may very well opt to dine at the hotel's own eatery, which uses fresh local ingredients and offers superb views. The friendly staff can help recommend which local attractions are worth your while.

It's a revelation to find this smart boutique hotel, a former convent, buried within Trapani's rather neglected former Jewish neighborhood close to the port. Once within its doors, though, you'll find everything clean, calm, and orderly, with soothing colors, contemporary furnishings, and bathrooms with spacious walk-in showers. Breakfast, which is an optional extra, is served in the courtyard and includes fresh fruit and croissants with honey. The reception staff is quick to recommend and book a spot for your evening meal, and can arrange to have your vehicle parked in a secure garage and delivered when needed.

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 owner has stamped her own taste on the decor by adding striking works of 20th-century art. It's in a lively neighborhood, with plenty of bars and restaurants in the vicinity. Extensive breakfasts cost €12–15 extra per person. A self-catering option is also possible for longer stays.

There's nothing remote or rough-and-ready about this gorgeous bed-and-breakfast in the higher part of Marettimo, where tasteful modern design combines with personable hosts to create the perfect island getaway. You may find it difficult 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.

Located not far from the port, Lisola Residence offers complete tranquility 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 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 operas by Verdi (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.

Although detached from the town's hubbub, this hotel 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. It lies at one end of Via Torrearsa, so perfectly sited to participate in Trapani's boisterous evening passeggiata. There is secure parking, albeit 2 km (1 mile) away, linked to the residence by a free shuttle bus, or you can find your own parking space closer.

In a prime position overlooking the port, this residence is the best option for spending a few days on Ustica. Each of the one- or two-room apartments comes with kitchenettes, and front-facing rooms have large windows for soaking up the harbor views. But the best features are the two large terraces with sunloungers arranged around a small pool and the irresistible vistas out to sea. Breakfast is also served on the panoramic terrace. The residence is just a few minutes' walking distance from Ustica's main square, and there's a shuttle bus to a private lido at the island's western tip. Guests must book a minimum of two nights.

Just steps away from the beach, this small, family-run lodging has a warm, friendly character, with public areas and guest rooms enlivened by colorful, Middle Eastern--style ceramic tiles. The side-street location means it's not subject to the bustle that can overwhelm the seafront, yet the town center is still close. Rooms are spacious and well-equipped (air-conditioning and fridges are welcome comforts), and breakfasts include homemade jams and pastries from San Vito's best pasticceria. Guests have access to a private beach, but spaces there are limited, so it's worth reserving when you make your booking. The hotel's location in the traffic-restricted part of town means that drivers can only stop for unloading, then park in the nearby facility (valet parking is available). Like most of San Vito's lodgings, there are minimum-night stays.

A 19th-century palazzo opposite a public garden in central Trapani has been converted to a comfortable hotel that provides pampering accommodation in swish surroundings. The imposing arched entrance opens onto a peaceful courtyard where breakfast and other meals are served, while, inside the building, antiques, chandeliers, and decorated ceilings emphasize its historic character. Guest rooms vary in size, and are either modern or antique—or a tasteful blend of both—and there's a small rooftop pool, best for a cooling dip or just soaking up the sun. The location is convenient: in the new town but within an easy walk of the old quarter, close to the train station, and steps away from Via Garibaldi, one of Trapani's main passeggiata routes. There's no hotel parking, but a capacious and inexpensive public car park is adjacent.

Lying 5 km (3 miles) outside the hustle and bustle of San Vito in the Castelluzzo neighborhood, this hotel has gardens planted with olive trees and is surrounded by wonderful scenery. There's no pool, but it's within easy distance of some superb beaches. Guest rooms are large and tastefully furnished, and bikes are available for exploring the environs. There's a four- to five-night minimum stay in summer, and, unusually for this area, the hotel remains open in winter.

Some 2 km (1 mile) from downtown Marsala, this luxurious retreat with extensive semitropical gardens was built as a baglio, or wine estate, and it retains strong echoes of its 19th-century origins. Public areas are positively grandiose: the cool courtyard, tall white walls, and pointed arches evocative of a Moorish palace. The accommodations come in two forms: classic rooms and, scattered around the grounds, very basic igloo-shaped bungalows that are large enough for a family. The large swimming pool is also great for families. Quality meals and pizzas are served in the evenings, and the English-speaking staff are discreet and attentive.