Central location to everything, room spacious, a bit noisy, front desk staff adequate. We were only spending two nights so it worked just fine to walk to the things in Palermo we wanted to see and drive out to Segesta. The museum is in the block behind the hotel, not to be missed if you are into ancient stuff.

We arrived in Palermo with no reservations (how we like to travel). Hoped to get into the Post Hotel but it was full. Walked some more and found this one. More than we wanted to spend (200 euros) but woth it. Large very well decorated room with view of the Teathre Messimo and plaza. B'fast served in your room. Desk staff very helful. Found out bus info to our next stop and booked a room of a place I had read about. We shopped in nearby open markets and picniced in our room with table and chairs. Palermo a fascinating city. As jumbled as one reads about but great pockets of rennovation and innovation. Restaurant tip: Da Toto; small place with in/out seating right off of the fish market piazza (Mercato della Vacciria).

We stayed in the Massimo Plaza hotel for the first 4 nights of our 2 week self-drive Sicily tour.

It is in a brilliant location - opposite the Teatro Massimo, and 5 minutes walk from the Politeama, where the airport bus arrives (6 euro each - better than a taxi at 50 euro). Also most of the restaurants in the evening are around the Politeama, plus all the shops, so again it is a great location. And when you want history, the Cathedral is around 10 minutes walk the other way, and the Archeological Museum is just behind the hotel.

The front desk are friendly and helpful, though when we asked for more hangers (the room had 5, between 2 people on a 2 week trip!) there weren't any!

I think this housekeping is what lets the hotel down. Our room was nice and big, the bed was firm and excellent, and the bathroom (shower only) was modern and good.

But there is no breakfast room (I assume the hotel is small, and uses every room as a bedroom). The breakfast (no choice, and full of sugary custard brioches) was brought to our room every morning and put onto the small table there. But there were no plates for you to butter your rolls on (we had to use the saucers from the tea cups), so we left crumbs etc on the small damask tablecloth which was on the table. This was never changed!! Every day I would roll it up, to keep the crumbs, sugar etc inside, and put it out with the used tray, and every day we'd come back to find it unfolded, and put back on the table, filthy. That meant we could never use the table for anything else, because the sugar would have covered everything.

That was the only real problem. When we got our hire car the front desk explained that they have an agreement with the Garage round the corner, which worked very well.

Just back from Sicily and stayed for two nights at Massimo Plaza. Distinctly unimpressed. It is basically a business hotel, plain rooms and massively over priced. Staff are amateurs and not particularly helpful-our safe wasnt working and the lady who we asked about it was rather upset at having to get up off her chair. Noisy as well as is right on the street and stairway up to it is very run down. I cant believe they call it a 'independent luxury hotel'. All in all, do not go there.