Rick Steve's recommended hotels for Sicily

We traveled in Sicily the past May. We were happy with our accommodations at Bed and Breakfast Palermo Art in Palermo. In Ortygia was had a large room with a kitchenette at Bed and Breakfast Itaca. Both are budget options but clean, secure and in great locations. Check out the reviews on Trip Advisor for more input. Vagabonda on Trip Advisor provides lots of great info. Enjoy Sicily!

I wrote a trip report after I took the RS tour - http://tinyurl.com/mktsae I also used Lonely Planet for my hotels before and after the tour, which are also described in the TR.

I stayed at Hotel Mediterraneo in Cefalu last fall. I probably paid off-season rates for a single en-suite. It was 40 E per night. It's a very nice hotel, with elevator, and included a good breakfast. The hotel is close to the train station and walking distance to everything in town. There is a parking lot next door; I didn't drive, so don't know what the charge for parking would be. This is the same hotel I stayed at in the "Sicily and Southern Italy" RS tour a few years back. My favorite website for hotels in Italy is venere.com. Payment is at the hotel, usually at the end of your stay.

Thank you all so much! I will start looking at these hotels to see what is available. It really makes it easier to choose accomodations after hearing from other travelers.

We were happy with Albergo Ariston in Palermo (aristonpalermo.it) and with Acropoli in Ortygia (bbsiracusaortigia.it). Taormina and Cefalu were great, too, but we wouldn't necessarily recommend our accommodations in those places :(. You'll love Sicily.

In Siracusa, I stayed at Hotel Posta in Ortygia. It was lovely, good breakfast included in the rate, very reasonable, and provide internet access for guests. There is a free minibus called the Navetta that makes a circuit around Ortygia and crosses the bridge to the train and bus station; this bus stops right in front of the hotel. Single room with bath was 44 euro. In Cefalu, I stayed at a small B&B (Palazzo Villelmi) on the main square, with a view of the Cathedral. The building has at least one other B&B as well. 60 euro for single with bath. In Taormina, I stayed at Hotel Isola Bella, near the bay. There's a funivia up to the town, and a bus stop right in front of the hotel. 45 euro for single with bath.

Excellent sounding recommendations. I'm still working on the itinerary, but when I get that figured out, the accomodations should fall into place. Thanks again to all! P.S. Cathy, I enjoyed your trip report.

We used the Lonely Planet guidebook, and then verify lodging recomendations on Trip Advisor. We stayed in the Hotel Continental in Taormina, a RS pic, and found it to be really good. Great location with a wonderful view, and good prices. Many times we just used Trip Advisor and just walked down their top recs until we found something that we liked. Don't forget to check out Agritorurisimos!
http://www.agriturismo.it/en/farmhouse/sicily We loved the people at "Limoneto" outside of Syracusa, and stayed at another wonderful one outside of Trani.

Actually, we are starting to look at agristurismos. We'd like it to be an actual working farm, not just a glorified B&B, where we could see vineyards, or mozzarella being made, or some sort of real farm activity. We're looking in the vicininty of Caltagirone/Villa Romana Del Casale, if anyone has any recommendations.

Jennie, we also stayed at the Limonetto outside of Siracusa..there were signs along the road to direct you.
We had a lovely room in the midst of their lemon farm...they also made delicious liimoncello and they also had a buffet dinner on Saturday night with about 20 dishes and the owners' son was playing the keyboard also. I believe he is also the chef. Their food was very good but their Saturday night buffet was soooo delicious.....along with the limoncello..yum!