Grand Palladium Sicilia Resort & Spa

I had an absolutely wonderful stay at Palladium Grand Sicilia. From the moment I arrived, everything felt warm, welcoming and truly special. The hotel itself is beautiful, but what really made my stay unforgettable was the exceptional service. The staff were incredibly attentive, friendly and professional, always making sure that every little detail was taken care of. A very special thank you to Pietro and Giovanni G. from the restaurant — both of them were absolutely amazing. Their kindness, genuine smiles and attention to detail made every meal an even more enjoyable experience. They went above and beyond to make me feel welcome and looked after throughout my stay.

We had a wonderful stay overall and would definitely recommend this resort. The location is absolutely stunning, beautiful surroundings, a lovely beach, and it’s so convenient having the beach bar just a short walk away. It really feels like a five-star setting. The food exceeded our expectations. The omelettes at breakfast and the fresh pasta dishes were outstanding, and the pizzas were excellent throughout the resort. We especially want to mention our dinner at Portofino, the included pizza was fantastic and genuinely restaurant quality. We also tried El Dorado, where we had a delicious T-bone steak, and Extra Time, which also served very good food. If the main buffet feels busy, these restaurants are great alternatives. The staff deserve a lot of praise. The greeters, seaters (especially Sophie D.), food runners, and buzzers were all incredibly friendly, welcoming, and attentive. The bartenders at both the beach bar and the lobby bar were always smiling and made us feel welcome. Housekeeping and maintenance staff always greeted guests with a smile, and both the concierge and front desk gave us a warm welcome on arrival and departure. The chefs at the cooking stations also did an excellent job. One tip for future guests: many people mention waiting for clean pool towels in the morning. We simply exchanged our wet towels for clean ones at the end of each day, so we always had fresh towels ready the next morning. The reason we’re giving 4 rather than 5 stars comes down to a few things. We stayed in a bungalow, and despite the air conditioning running at full power, the room never became properly cool. During the night, especially around 3 a.m., it often felt too warm to sleep comfortably. We also experienced quite a few ants in the bungalow. They weren’t a major issue and mostly gathered underneath our shoes, but it’s something worth mentioning. The biggest area for improvement is the restaurant service. It was often difficult to get a server’s attention for drink refills, and we frequently had to actively look for someone. It sometimes felt as though beverages weren’t being offered proactively, which takes away from what should be a five-star dining experience. A small suggestion would also be to use larger cups at the beach bar, as guests tend to make many trips back and forth for drinks. We understand that table service on the beach isn’t always practical, but larger cups would make a noticeable difference. Overall, this is a resort with a true five-star location, excellent food, and many genuinely wonderful employees. With more consistent service during meals and improved air conditioning in the bungalows, it would easily deserve a full five stars. We’re looking forward to bringing our families next time!

Why I was dissatisfied with the hotel: * The hotel is far below five-star standards. In my opinion, it deserves no more than 3.5 stars. * The furnishings and equipment are very old and worn, and the outdoor tables are rusty. * The cleanliness of the room was acceptable. * The cleanliness of the outdoor areas was appalling. * Rubbish and cigarette butts were everywhere, even on our balcony. * The plates were dirty. * The glasses were dirty, and to make matters worse, you display them in the lobby, where it is clearly visible that they are not being washed properly. * The staff responsible for preparing coffee should be required to undergo proper training. * The selection of food in all the restaurants is extensive, but the quality is appalling. I was served a grilled chicken drumstick with a broken bone, surrounded by black discolouration. The rest of the meat was tough and inedible. The fried seafood mix was terrible, the squid was like chewing gum, and the ingredients used were of second-rate quality. * There are not enough waiters. * During breakfast and dinner in the main restaurant, dirty plates are left everywhere and the staff do not even clear them away. * Every waiter in every bar prepares the cocktails differently. * Used glasses around the pool are collected only every two or three hours. Even the way this is done looks extremely inelegant: a waiter pushes a large tub along with his foot and throws the dirty glasses into it. * There is no table service in any of the bars; guests have to get everything themselves. * Overall, this is by far the worst five-star hotel we have ever visited. The entire place feels like one large canteen. * The water in the pool near the sea is dirty, there is rust and algae on the sides of the pool, and the pool is full of hair. You do not even have a pool-cleaning robot, or you do not use it. In the morning, one of your employees merely vacuums a few spots here and there. * The lawn around the pool is full of rubbish and cigarette butts. * At 9:30 in the morning, there was a JCB excavator operating on the beach. I have never seen anything like this before. * You are doing an injustice to hotels that genuinely deserve five stars and maintain the standards expected of such a rating. * The waiters are very friendly, but it appears that they do not have a competent manager. They run around the restaurant like headless chickens. * I order a bottle of wine and then have to pour it myself for the rest of the meal, as the waiter does not even look at us again. * My wife and I exclusively book five-star hotels. When we go on holiday, we expect to be pampered and to receive excellent food and service, clean and well-maintained surroundings, furnishings that are not worn out, and everything else associated with the luxury of a five-star hotel – not a self-service canteen such as yours. * You do not have any dinner dress code at all. Guests attend dinner dressed in all sorts of inappropriate clothing, including flip-flops and shorts. This is highly unsuitable for a five-star hotel. This is only a brief summary. Overall, we could hardly wait for our stay to come to an end. Thank you for such an unpleasant experience. Kind regards, Boštjan

What an unforgettable stay! From the moment we arrived, everyone at the resort went above and beyond to make us feel welcome. A huge thank you to Chef Dario, Chef Domenico and Chef Claudio for the pasta-making class. I don’t even cook, but I had an amazing time! The chefs were fantastic, and the free-flowing wine was the perfect bonus. Special thanks to Khalil, Maria Giovanna and Daria in Customer Care for making us feel so at home. When I mentioned it was my mum’s birthday and her first trip to Italy, Maria Giovanna kindly arranged a surprise gift in our room, which was such a thoughtful touch. Khalil was always friendly, approachable and genuinely cared about every guest’s experience. Fabrizio, Salvo and Sam at the Beach Bar kept the drinks flowing with a smile, while Carmelo Macaluso, the restaurant manager, brought incredible warmth, energy and charisma everywhere he went. A big thank you as well to Giovanni Geraci, Pietro and Roberto at El Dorado and Portofino, plus Hanin and Viola, who were attentive, kind and always made sure we were having the best time. Thank you to everyone for making my mum’s birthday trip so special. We couldn’t have asked for a better first experience of Italy. Highly recommend!

A 5-star experience we will absolutely be back! We have thoroughly enjoyed every moment of our stay at the hotel and have felt incredibly well looked after from start to finish. The hospitality here is top-tier, but the exceptional staff truly made our trip unforgettable. A special 5-star shout-out goes to the team members who went above and beyond for us including the buffet restaurant & bar staff, Dario in the spa, who provided amazing care and relaxation, and 5 stars to Giancarlo, Carmelo, and Francosco at El Dorado who took such fantastic care of us they are a credit to the hotel, delivering flawless service with genuine warmth, and Giuseppe & Francesco in the main buffet restaurant so attentive & kind, so important to the hotel. A huge thank you to Hanin 🥰, Grazie, Elana & Rosella our wonderful hostesses, for their absolutely wonderful care & attentiveness & hospitality, they are an asset to the hotel. The entire team here is exceptional, and they deserve 5 stars for their care & attention.