Ortea Palace Hotel, Sicily, Autograph Collection

“Ortea Palace, the gem of Ortigia!”

I still dream of our beautiful, well-appointed suite with huge balcony overlooking the sea, boats and stunning Ortigia. The hotel is top-notch---5 star quality, fabulous staff, lovely amenities, plus a scrumptious and extensive breakfast in the grand lobby. We loved every minute of our five nights.… more

I still dream of our beautiful, well-appointed suite with huge balcony overlooking the sea, boats and stunning Ortigia. The hotel is top-notch---5 star quality, fabulous staff, lovely amenities, plus a scrumptious and extensive breakfast in the grand lobby. We loved every minute of our five nights. It's in a great location, steps away from the market, the bridges to Siracusa mainland, and so many amazing restaurants. Counting the days until we return!

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“Stunning hotel with FABULOUS staff!”

We chose the hotel because of its location and it is the perfect place to explore Ortigia and Siracusa Wonderful ambience with a stunning ground floor area The buffet breakfast was excellent with literally every taste catered for Marriott should be extremely proud of the exceptional level of servic… more

We chose the hotel because of its location and it is the perfect place to explore Ortigia and Siracusa Wonderful ambience with a stunning ground floor area The buffet breakfast was excellent with literally every taste catered for Marriott should be extremely proud of the exceptional level of service Without exception all staff were charming, well skilled and could not do enough to ensure we were well looked after. Having spent my career in hospitality, I can truly say from reception to housekeeping, porters to wait staff we were thoroughly impressed Siracusa is a fabulous place to holiday with Ortea Palace the jewel in the crown!

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“Fabulous Boutique Hotel”

Everything about the Ortea Palace Hotel is absolutely 5 star world class and extraordinary...location, architecture, service, restaurant, room service, bar and spa. I was particularly struck by the tremendous warmth, knowledge and helpfulness of the concierge service, the overall excellent service… more

Everything about the Ortea Palace Hotel is absolutely 5 star world class and extraordinary...location, architecture, service, restaurant, room service, bar and spa. I was particularly struck by the tremendous warmth, knowledge and helpfulness of the concierge service, the overall excellent service.... and by the Michelin level artistry of the chef and his kitchen. Salvatore and his staff are at the top of the culinary ladder, yet the cuisine remains true to its fresh local Sicilian roots. If you don't see it on the menu, talk to the staff or the chef, they will create it for you. As to the structure itself: It is a beautiful Art Nouveau building that was turned from the local post office into a modern sleek marble and glass boutique hotel situated directly on the harbor. If you're looking for a huge resort with four restaurants, and two swimming pools, this is not the place for you. But if you are looking for incredible service and food with huge two story rooms, fabulous service and exquisite food in the heart of the most beautiful and picturesque (not completely overrun by thousands of tourists) island town in Sicily, you have found your home.

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“Beautiful hotel some issues”

Our stay did not start out well, but it did improve. At check-in we were upgraded due to my Platinum status with Marriott to one of their duplex suites. On paper, they seemed nice, but the layout was very awkward and made it hard to figure out where to put your things. In addition, the shower was f… more

Our stay did not start out well, but it did improve. At check-in we were upgraded due to my Platinum status with Marriott to one of their duplex suites. On paper, they seemed nice, but the layout was very awkward and made it hard to figure out where to put your things. In addition, the shower was filthy. Lastly, we noticed the room was very warm and were told the AC was broken and they were “working on it.” It never came on during our 3 night stay… Here’s where things improved- I asked Silva at the front desk if there were any other rooms all on one level. She was very kind and gave us an additional upgrade to a larger corner suite with a wraparound balcony with sliding doors on both sides. Honestly, if it weren’t for that room change we might have left early for a place with functioning AC. I imagine the guests in rooms without a balcony were roasting! We ended up loving the breeze with the doors open at night and it actually enabled us to sleep well. A few other pros: great in-room amenities. They thought of every toiletry you could need and had lovely lotions. Housekeeping also did a great job. Lastly, every staff member we encountered was very friendly and helpful. The hotel is in a great location. A couple other cons to keep in mind: the bar and dining area is very subdued and a little stuffy. We have stayed at many 5* hotels that manage to be upscale, while still being a comfortable place to relax and have a drink at the end of the day. Ortea didn’t quite manage that, despite the friendly bartender. You also had to make a reservation to use the indoor pool and saunas. We tried it once and didn’t go back because who wants to make an appointment for a 30 minute dip? Overall a beautiful hotel with a few misses that others may not care about. Ortigia in general is a stunning place and I’m glad we visited.

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