We booked this hotel purely because of its proximity to our daughter who is living in the same street in Palermo. The entrance to the hotel from the street is, admittedly, a little odd (it looks as if you are heading into a private apartment block and the entrance hallway can feel a bit gloomy at dusk) and the lift is small (but then the hotel itself is only on the first floor so it's an easy walk-up). However, once we got beyond that, we were delighted at what a spacious, clean and well-appointed room we had for such a budget price. The bed was huge and comfier than any other we had in our time on the island, there was ample storage in the room, and still plenty of space to move around without whacking our shins on the furniture! Perhaps best of all for Palermo (which keeps going 24 hours a day) the double-glazed windows and the shutters did a great job of shutting out the street noise. The air-conditioning was highly efficient too! We could highlight a few minor faults (a handle missing from the wardrobe, some minor cracking to the plasterwork etc) but you really would have to be a perfectionist for these to bother you. Breakfast was good, with a range of pastries and rolls, ham, cheese, yoghurt, cereals etc. and the staff were friendly. We will definitely be staying here again on our next visit to the city.

Booked the quad room through venere.com and prepaid the bill for a discounted price. The quad is four single beds all in a row. Beds were fairly comfortable. The breakfast is more than we were given for most of our trip: fruit, yogurt, boiled eggs, cereal, and cornetti (pastries). The reception area was staffed 24 hours a day by friendly people (1 girl spoke very good English). The hotel is easy to walk to from the bus stop at Piazza Politeama. Our room faced the street. It was noisy during the day but quiet at night. Located in an area of the city where locals live and eat but is still within walking distance of the tourist area. Parking is available for 15 euros per night but street parking is free after 8 pm if you can find a spot. We found a spot right outside the front door.

Hotel Armacord is in a great location. It is quite central to all the main attractions. The rooms are on the modern side and comfortable. The breakfast included - pastries, bread, fruit, yoghurt and juice, which we thought was substantial for starting the day. The only problem we encountered with this hotel, was when we wanted to check out. No-one was at the desk. We all had to wait an hour. We needed to drive to Taormina, hence we were delayed. We particularly felt sorry for the couple who missed their train because nobody was at the reception. So, if you do decide to stay at this hotel make sure that you inform reception of your exact departure time, as you wouldn't want to miss that plane now, would you? There is a great bar opposite called Tribeca-quite trendy with great cocktails. Japanese influence.