4 Best Hotels in Palermo and Western Sicily, Sicily

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.

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.