We had a great 2-week driving trip through Sicily and picked the Splendid La Torre because it was closer to the airport than being in the center of Palermo (and we didn't want to deal with Palermo's horrendous traffic) ! We also thought that sitting on a great terrace facing the sea would be a nice way to end our trip.

We drove from Cefalu, and took the 1st exit for Mondello (big mistake - took us forever to get down to the bay) - We later found out that you should take the 2nd exit (our fault - we didn't know). Nevertheless - when we finally reached the hotel we were exhausted.I asked if we had a sea-view ("Oh no - Madame - we are very full"). We were given a room all the way at the end of a long corridor. Awful - a view over the rooftop of another part of the hotel, NO terrace, small and claustrophobic. I went downstairs and nicely but emphatically told the rather haughty young lady at the desk that there was no way we were staying in that room - at which point my boyfriend came down - he had noticed mold all over the ceiling of the bathroom !!! We were shown another room, quite a bit larger and brighter, with a terrace looking out to the huge rock behind the hotel - lots of pine trees - not the sea, but really quite beautiful. The location of the hotel IS dramatic, on a point at the far end of Mondello. But I would only stay in Mondello because of its secure parking and its convenience to the airport. If you DO stay at the hotel DO NOT stay in Room 333. Also - there was a delightful bartender in the lounge, who made up for all our earlier discontent !!!

This Hotel was very run down. It had beautiful view from Pool and Breakfast Room, but that was all. I don't know how it received 4 stars. The room was clean, the rugs through out the hotel were stained. The furniture in the lobby looked like a college lounge, dirty and worn. The pool furniture was stained, umbrellas tied to the railing. The pool ladder was not attached properly and wobbled, I was afraid to use them. There were rust stains around the pool drains. The air conditioner in the room was not working correctly, it felt more like a fan. We traveled around Italy for 2 weeks stayed at a number of hotels, this was the only one with so many problems. This room was the only one that smelled like smoke, I had to open the windows to air it out. Do Not stay at this Hotel.

The 4 stars are all in the location and the fantastic views of the bay. The interior of the room was fine, being spacious and well furnished; the bathroom was also well sized and comfortable enough (although the contemporary toilet and bidet were quite small), however this hotel lacks the attention to detail which you would expect from a 4 star accommodation at that price.
The interior of the lifts needs some improvements, walls and carpet in the corridor were a bit dirty, our window was old and didn't close properly, and the ceiling of our bathroom was more appropriate for a warehouse, including the ugly white neon. Also, ours was a "standard" room, and the view on the neglected flat roof of the reception was not pleasant.
If one is not put off by these details, then I would recommend this hotel, as the outside space and the unique views are pure luxury.