Villa Athena has been the top hotel in Agrigento and one of the well-known luxury hotels in Sicily for decades. We could not get a reservation there on our first trip to Sicily, but this spring we were able to stay for 2 nights. The location is as amazing as pictures and website show - you can look our your window or sit in the garden with a full-on view of the Temples. Absolutely stunning. Having said that, location and view are only one part of the hotel experience. Our room (temple view) was extremely small, but very well-maintained; the bathroom was decent-sized and totally modern. Still, it was the smallest room we've had anywhere in Europe in a long time, let alone for a 5-star hotel. Since we were there before summer, breakfast and dinner were served in a totally indoor space without any view and decorated in an ultra-modern style, which left us a little cold. And while the front desk staff were very welcoming, the restaurant staff did not add much to our experience -- on the first morning, we were ignored (for ordering coffee or seeing a menu) until we called someone over and we never got a single smile from anyone. We were so surprised that I mentioned it - quietly - to the front desk person. It actually made us decide to have dinner elsewhere. On the second morning, the breakfast staff was friendlier, but I have to say that it colored our opinion of the hotel. We were happy to have finally stayed at the Villa, but if I were to return to Agrigento, I'd seek out an alternative. If the Villa advertises itself as a 5-star experience and charges accordingly, it needs to deliver. We'd be willing to stay in less luxury but with warmer, more personal service.
9 Ulasan