Sangiuliano 114

We chose a hotel with free parking, as listed in the hotels.com site, when arrived we realized that the hotel has no parking at all, we where forced to find parking in Catania's center streets (not an easy task) and risk that our car will be towed. When talking with the hotel owner about it,showing him that the voucher mentioned explicitly free parking he said "this is the website problem, not my problem " - extremely disappointing! Besides that the hotel was fine and staff were nice.

The room was very clean and comfortable. Parking was difficult because it’s only street parking and it’s the downtown area, so it was a bit stressful. The hotel is on the 3rd floor with no elevator so it’s a bit of a rough climb with large luggage. Staff was nice and there is the convenience of luggage storage. You are right in downtown so just a couple of minutes away from all the sights.

Very confused about what to think of this place. Check-in: there is not a check in desk, so they will email you the day before check in to find out what time to expect you. Then we had to call the # listed on Orbitz, a man answered and said someone would be there in a few minutes. Shortly after that we were checked in by a very nice woman. She was great and helpful. The location is strange. The bed & breakfast is actually located in a large apartment building, The main hallways were dark and dirty, definitely a turn off. I believe they own the whole 2nd floor. The rest is occupied by other businesses/residences. We arrived around 6pm at night, the street seemed a little sketchy but not terrible. BE AWARE THERE IS NO FREE PARKING. Orbitz needs to fix this on their site. One of the major reasons we booked this B&B is because the listing said free parking and we had a rental car. Instead, my husband had to park on the street and pay at a local parking post. Not too expensive- 5euro for overnight parking. But just a big inconvenience that we weren't anticipating. Overall the room was clean, people were nice. I wouldn't stay here again, I think there are better quality hotels for the price in Catania.

They went out of their way to accommodate our early arrival and early morning departure, making sure there was something for early breakfast. Great location. Would stay here again.

The location is a short walk into the city or to the ferry or train stations. The staff were very friendly and helpful although there was a little delay in meeting to check me in. I loved my room and the ensuite bathroom and nice little internal balcony for fresh air. Light buffet breakfast was great too. I couldn’t fault the internal of the hotel it’s just a pity the exterior looks a little poorly but that’s true of most of Catania. The building could definitely do with a lift - and I mean an internal one to avoid the stairs to the 3rd floor!

Very central to old part of the city. Best not to have a car. Near the station but very quiet. Great value for money.

I, like most other reviewers agree that from the outside the building is somewhat run down, as is the stairway up to the floor which the room are situated on (3rd floor). However, the rooms are clean, crisp and spacious and were cleaned daily - much to my surprise! Breakfast is continental style but plentiful and with a good variety of cereals, pastries, cakes and drinks. Staff were helpful - we were a large party leaving early one morning (an hour before breakfast began) but we asked if we could get a light breakfast before we went; in the morning we were delighted as we had been provided with a full breakfast choice. The B & B is incredibly close to all the main attractions of the city, good eateries and shopping! The train and bus station are both close by so great for excursions or use when arriving/departing (taxis in Catania are quite expensive!). The only one drawback is that staff are not usually on the premises so in order to check in when arriving you may have to wait on the street a little while. We couldn't get in touch with the owners via telephone but 'whatsapp' worked great and we were in our rooms ten minutes after arriving. I wouldn't let this put you off as this truly is a little gem!

Most attractions are within 10 minutes walking distance. The train and 2 bus stations are also about 10 minutes (3/4 mile) walk. Alibus will get you to the the airport within 1/2 hour. It costs 4 euros. The bus to Etna leaves daily at 8:15 am and departs Etna volcano at 4: 30 pm. round trip costs Euro 8:30. The bus is an express and it is much better option than most organized tours to Etna. The Opera and its beautiful plaza is only 3 blocks away. There are # of of good restaurants around and most rather inexpensive. Past the Opera house, towards the Duomo, there is a very lively night life, mostly for young people in their 20's. It is about 5minutes walking distance from the B&B. The hotel rooms are spacious, but floor is tiled without carpeting. When returning from walks, I like to take my shoes off. However, the tiles in the room, were not as clean as I would have liked. The place is not for business travelers or families.

The B&B is located on one of the main streets through the city. It's part of a larger apartment complex and so you need to call to be let in and then up a few flights of stairs to reach the main entrance. There is no lift. The staff were pleasant; a lady who spoke no English but was nice and tried to explain things as best she could, and a man who was also very nice and helpful. The room was nice and a good size. The bed was comfortable, soft and large. The bathroom was very nice. The shower was good, although be aware if you are travelling solo as you may need a lot of effort to get out! (There was no inside handle so my partner had to push the door from the outside!) There was a notice saying don't flush 'paper' down the toilet. We couldn't clarify if this included toilet paper however we decided to go with it and the toilet paper did flush- if after two flushes or so. The WiFi was free and signal was ok, varying at times from being good to being a bit slow but nothing to cry over. Air con worked fine. The breakfast was good with lots of choice between pastries, cakes, fruit, cereal and yoghurt's. There was also a very large selection of beverages from tea/coffee to milkshake. We were allowed to leave our bags in the reception/corridor area and given a key to the apartment and the door to the B&B to get back in and were trusted with leaving it upon on exit. There was no communal toilet which was a bit inconvenient.

A bit questionable neighborhood, especially at first visit, if you arrive late at night. Announce your arrival time. Building getting upgraded. Stairs to second floor. Comfortable, spacious room. Nice design. Friendly and discreet staff. Basic breakfast, delicious home made pies. Walking distance from city center, train and bus stations.