Villa Igiea, a Rocco Forte Hotel

An unforgettable birthday at Villa Igiea My husband surprised me with a birthday trip to Villa Igiea, and from the moment we arrived, everything felt truly special. The hotel itself is absolutely beautiful — the villa, the gardens, the pool overlooking the sea, the atmosphere, and those wonderful breakfasts. There is something very elegant about Villa Igiea, but at the same time it feels warm and full of soul. We were travelling with our baby, and we felt completely relaxed and looked after throughout our stay. What made this trip unforgettable, however, was the team. Daniele, the General Manager, leads the hotel like an orchestra — you can feel his presence and attention to detail everywhere, and he was absolutely fantastic with us. A very special thank you to Delilah from Guest Relations, who helped my husband plan the surprise and made sure that every detail of my birthday was perfect. Her kindness, warmth and attention made the experience so personal. Francesca, in the Restaurant , was also wonderful and made our dining experiences so special. Giovanni looked after us beautifully during my birthday dinner with the manager there too. The entire restaurant team gave us such warm and attentive service. Philippe at the Concierge was fantastic as well — always helpful, thoughtful and ready with the best advice. Villa Igiea is undoubtedly a magnificent hotel, but what we will remember most is the people. Every member of the team made us feel genuinely welcome and cared for. My birthday surprise could not have been more beautiful, and this stay will remain a very special family memory for us. Thank you to Daniele and his wonderful team for making it unforgettable. We cannot wait to return.

We stayed at Villa Igiea with very high expectations given its reputation and the nearly €2,000-per-night room rate. Unfortunately, the experience fell well short of what that price should deliver. The biggest disappointment was the service. While some staff members were pleasant, the overall level of attentiveness and hospitality simply did not match a hotel in this price category. Small issues that should have been handled effortlessly often required pushing or follow-up. The location is another major drawback. Although Palermo is an extraordinary city rich in history, culture, and architecture, Villa Igiea feels disconnected from it. We walked to the historic center on our first evening expecting a beautiful stroll, but instead found stretches of neglected streets and overflowing garbage. The hotel removes you from the magic and energy of Palermo rather than immersing you in it. The food is also dramatically overpriced. Paying approximately €40+ for a basic plate of spaghetti is difficult to justify, especially considering the abundance of outstanding restaurants in Palermo offering far better food at a fraction of the cost. There were a few bright spots. The gym and spa are excellent, although they require about a third-of-a-mile walk from the main hotel, which is inconvenient. The property itself is beautiful and well maintained, with lovely gardens and impressive public spaces. Ultimately, however, the value proposition simply isn’t there. Palermo deserves to be experienced from the heart of the city, not from an isolated luxury hotel charging world-class prices while delivering a fairly ordinary guest experience. I would not stay here again, nor would I recommend it to friends. For the price, there are many better ways to experience one of Italy’s most fascinating cities.

Great hotel in outskirts of Palermo- a refuge from the bustling city. Top notch service and beautiful grounds. Would love to return!

We had an outstanding visit at Villa Igiea. The service was excellent, from reception to the bell staff to the restaurant staff, special thanks to Fransceso the concierge for his attention to detail and friendliness. The rooms were large and beautiful. We stayed two nights, we had to move rooms due to the illness of another guest, and were given the Presidential Suite for the second night as a courtesy for moving. The location near the water is gorgeous. The breakfast buffet was bountiful and delicious. Highly recommended.

We celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary with a trip to Sicily. One of the greatest highlights was stay 4 nights at Villa Igiea in Palermo. We booked a beautiful suite with a terrace overlooking the marina. Simply stunning views and extremely relaxing! We chose the IN LOVE WITH PALERMO package and we highly recommend this! The hotel concierge team deserves praise (special mention to Davide and Allessia), because they were the BEST out of any 5-star hotel we stayed at during 15 days in Sicily (including San Domenico Palace). They helped us arrange tours and guides, plus dinner reservations many weeks before we arrived, so everything was PERFECT upon arrival. Breakfast buffet had outstanding variety and more authentic pastries than any other hotel we stayed at in Sicily. Dinner was so wonderful at Florio that we dined there on 2 nights and loved everything (fresh market fish, tender pasta, lovely gelato). We were so thrilled with our stay at Villa Igiea, that we hope to return to Sicily to stay there again. Plus, we are now looking at other Rocco Forte hotels for our next trip!