Accommodations in Piazza Armerina and Cefalu

Christine, in 2010 in Piazza Armerina, we stayed at the Villa Cetta B &B, and it was a five star experience. The restored "main house" and grounds were simply gorgeous; but, the real treat was dinner at Villa Cetta. If I remember correctly, five courses were server outdoors (perfect weather in late June). My ONLY regret: not planning on a two night stay in Piazza Armerina!

Hi Christine.

We stayed in an apartment with a small balcony in central Cefalu for 6 nights in mid September this year. Rate was €510 for the 6 nights, and we were quite happy with it. It's quite clean and modern. Excellent wifi connection. Air con worked well in our unit but our friends in the adjacent apartment weren't so fortunate. We found it on booking.com; it's called Palazzo Villelmi. It's right smack in the old town very close to the cathedral square, so easy to use as a base for the day. One caution though; if you're driving, you can only go so far into the old town with a car and only at certain times. There's a free car park maybe 10 minutes walk from the apartment down near the harbour. The same harbour where you can catch a ferry to the Aeolian Islands for the day.

The property is mangaged by a property management outfit on behalf of the owners (who I understand live in California), but they are very good. The fellow in charge -Sergio - is very easy to get along with, is fluent in English, and responds to absolutely every inquiry very efficiently. He's always available if you have a question or need something.

Have fun!
Peter.

In April I stayed at Marchesi Di Roccabianca in Piazza Armerina, at Zoe's recommendation and I was not disappointed. It is in the heart of the old town and budget-priced.

In Cefalu I stayed at Hotel Mediterraneo because it was less expensive that most places, mainly because of the location - it's a 10-minute or so walk to the center. It is only a few meters from the train station, though. It was fine, except for a poorly-designed bathroom, making the toilet awkward/uncomfortable to use.

Of the 5 places I stayed (also Palermo, Ortigia and Castellammare Del Golfo, Cefalu was by far the most expensive for lodging.

I agree with Chani, Cefalu is expensive for Sicily. I stayed at B&B Villelmi in a room, not an apartment, but had a partial view of the cathedral. Breakfast was not good (pre-packaged and instant), but it was a good place to stay.

Roccabianca in Piazza Armerina is small, family-run, and lovely. There is parking nearby. If you can, go to Morgantina (excavations were going on when I was there). Can be done the same day as Villa Romana.

Thanks everyone. I notice some places want a bank transfer to guarantee the room. Any issues with doing that? Or did you book using booking.com (or some other agency)? Roccabianca doesn't have any rooms available for my time frame.

I've already arranged private transport to Villa Romana, Aidone and Morgantina because the villabus doesn't start until May and I'll be there in April.

I booked through booking.com, a wire transfer is ridiculously expensive.

For Piazza Armerina we stayed at Torre di Renda. The setting was wonderful, overlooking the valley. Rooms were dark and a little worn but the view was spectacular. 216 Euros for 3 rooms. But the best thing was dinner. It was one of the best in one month in Italy. Not included in the price but excellent. And a very nice but chilly pool.

In Cefalu, we stayed in Hotel Tourist which is across the street from the beach (some of us went swimming--October was still good). Some rooms better than others. We had the room with the amazing view but still basic. Walking distance to the center of town. Breakfast was hit and miss. About 100 Euros per night.

If you can't book using a credit card, then ask if they'll accept PayPal. The service fee is minimal and the exchange rate is reasonable.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I found out wire transfers are quite expensive after checking my bank's fees. PayPal is a good option, I used it a couple of years ago to book a tour, worked perfectly.

I have stayed at Hotel Mediterraneo in Cefalo twice. The breakfast was excellent. I don't remember anything about the bathroom, so I guess mine was "normal." The rooms are large. There is an elevator connecting the hotel to the street below. It's only a few minutes walk to the beach and the town center. The train station is right there.