Grand Hotel et des Palmes

Location: Decent but not great. It’s in the newer part of town. There’s a shopping district in the back with decent cafes and restaurants. But to reach the historic center, it still takes a 15-20 minute walk. Then there is the problem with the front entrance. The sidewalk is too small and is mostly taken up by parked vehicles. There’s no grand entrance, something one expects of a 5-star hotel. In fact, pedestrians have to essentially walk in the street in front of the hotel with cars and buses zipping by. Physical plant: The room and the building are excellent. My room was spacious, with high ceiling and a very comfortable bed. Everything works well. The building is also superb, looks and feels new with an elegant and luxurious design. The whole place does feel very high class. Service: Decent but spotty. Three instances of failure. One morning at breakfast I asked for tea. The first server completely forgot it. The second brought hot water but no tea. I had to ask a third one. The teabags finally arrived but there was no words of apology. There is turndown service but on my last evening, there was none. But later in the evening, someone knocked at the door and asked if the room was OK. Very strange. Finally, when I checked out, the bill was wrong because I was charged for some drinks that I did not consume. These service failures were minor, but for a 5-star hotel, they are unexpected. Food: The breakfast buffet food was nothing spectacular but decent. The restaurant on the 5th floor is actually very good. I had some of my best meals in Palermo there. So overall, it’s a good hotel but there is some work to be done if they really want to operate at the 5-star level.

The Grand Hotel et Des Palmes is an oasis of calm, warmth and elegance in Palermo. A recent renovation has preserved the best features of the beautiful, historic interior while seamlessly adding updated touches. Our room was spacious, pristine and decorated very tastefully, with a refreshing and elegant simplicity. We chose an interior room, which was very quiet at night. Our bed was comfortable, and our bathroom was large, stylish and well-equipped (although I would recommend asking for a rubber mat for the tub — supplied immediately when I requested it). The location is great, within walking distance of the historic center and two blocks away from a pedestrian street with a number of dining options. The breakfasts were outstanding, with many fresh and delicious options. On three of our four nights at the hotel, we had cocktails at the hotel bar, and I can’t say enough about how great that was — a drinks menu that (among many other choices) had four pages of gin selections, including an entire page of gins from Italy; a friendly and knowledgeable staff who made great recommendations and remembered our drink preferences; a lovely selection of amuse-bouches delivered to our table; and excellent cocktails. Most of all, what made our stay truly special was the warmth, cheerfulness and helpfulness of all the staff. This is an extraordinarily good hotel.