This friendly, family-run hotel is old fashioned by today's standards, with dated decor and furnishings, but those shortcomings are more than compensated by its excellent service, warm staff, cleanliness and outstanding location.

Not for families though as the pool was empty in August and looked like being permanently dry. Bedrooms are air conditioned but public rooms are not. However, even in August the dining room was pleasant with breezes off the terrace and ceiling fans.

The view is stunning - ask for a room with a view and balcony. It's quiet, which is unusual for Sicily, and has lots of free parking. Erice is a few steps away and the cable car, passing silently nearby, takes you down to Trapani - or can be just a quick round trip to admire the view.

The food varied in quality but was not expensive, and with Erice on the doorstep I would recommend eating there, unless you want a quick pasta and glass of excellent local wine. Breakfast was typically Italian - fruit, bread, pastries, juice and coffee - although there were also a couple of cereal choices. The automatic coffee in the breakfast room is awful, if you like proper espresso. You can ask a member of staff and they'll make you a fresh coffee from the main bar.

This is definitely a first-rate experience for those tired of anonymous international hotels or too-trendy boutiques. Just kind, helpful people in a somewhat faded, but rather endearing, family hotel.

Erice was a beautiful city. Sicily was an amazing island. BUT, Ermione was the blight on an otherwise great trip. The hotel looked like it hadn't been touched in 20 years. Paint gone, carpets musty, windows that don't open, yuck. And to think we paid over €120 per night. It was the worst ratio of hotel to cost I have ever had. I would have expected this quality from a hostel, but not from a €120 hotel.

We stayed at Ermione for one night at could hardly wait to get away. The building may have looked nice and modern 40 years ago, but now it's just a dilapidated and ugly concrete box. The interior and the rooms are very basic, dirty, and smelly. The bathrooms are a scandal. Mine had a choked drainage; another bathroom featured a stool covering over a broken bidet. The picture of the swimming-pool pretty much reflects how the rest of the hotel looks. The staff are friendly, but neither this, nor the moderately interesting seashore view compensate for the ugly experience. We paid a 3-star hotel price for something that looks like a badly run hostel. There are other places to stay in Erice, and they can hardly be worth than this one.

Erice is a medieval gem frozen in time and, apart from the summer, is somewhat of a ghost town although even out of season there are some excellent restaurants ( La Pentolaccia being particularly good with excellent cuisine, ambience and hospitality).

Erice sits high on a mountain looking down on Trapani and the Egadi Islands which is why we chose to stay at Hotel Ermione as it provides absolutely the best views possible. If you want high luxury and great cuisine then maybe Ermione is not for you.

We were staying out of season so the hotel did seem rather tired but the room was adequate and clean. Anna Maria on the desk was most helpful. The hotel was full on one night having been chosen by a regional organisation for its annual meeting.

If you enjoy views from a balcony then be sure to request a room on the top floor overlooking the Egadi Islands, a continuous balcony runs around 3 sides of the hotel.

Erice is an easy uphill stroll from the hotel but out of season there was adequate parking at the town gates, as indeed there is at the hotel.

The cable car to/from Trapani passes close to the hotel and it was then easy to get a bus into Trapani centre, be sure to buy bus tickets at any Tabbachi before boarding any bus in Italy or face E52 penalty!

Conclusion: We chose Ermione for it's fantastic views and proximity to Erice - it's not at all easy to park near the smaller central hotels.