Hotel Kalura

Well-suited for families and couples, Hotel Kalura delivers a good value with its on-site features and gorgeous sea views. Interiors have a disjointed, often dated, design: The lobby has a mosaic-mirrored column against traditional tile and white wicker furniture, while the bar has green wicker chairs topped with orange and white cushions. The grounds, however, have lovely shaded paths, ample greenery and a well-maintained pool. Views from the beach, room balconies, and restaurant terrace are also second-to-none: Eyes are met with gardens, the ocean, or the famous Rocca di Cefalu. Note that the hotel is open from March until mid-November. 

Located on a rocky outcrop of land just outside the small, gorgeous town of Cefalu, Hotel Kalura is adjacent to the sea and just off a small road. The area it's in is very quiet -- for other restaurants, it's worth the seven-minute taxi ride or roughly 30-minute walk into town (which is a gorgeous one). Parking can be difficult to find during the high season in Cefalu's old town, as well as quite narrow and coin-metered, so it might be a bit of a toss whether to take a taxi (better if staying the whole day), or returning to the meter every so often to top up. 

Allow plenty of time for getting to and from Palermo Airport: Traffic can be a nightmare crossing the city, and although a navigation system may estimate an hour and 20 minutes, allot a little more than two hours when driving back for a flight. There's also a train that takes visitors from Palermo to Cefalu's old town in about 45 minutes; from the town's station, it's easy to grab a taxi to the hotel. 

Each room is individually decorated in a typically Sicilian fashion, and they're generally clean and adequately sized. However, rooms vary in style: One has neutral tones with attractive touches like a triangular mirror above the bed; another has purple-and-orange striped walls with modern black wooden furniture; yet another is nautically themed in red, white, and blue. There are balconies for each room -- size depends on room type, but all are furnished -- and given the peninsular location, a sea-view one is worth the upgrade. Quality amenities include a flat-screen satellite TV, a free safe, air-conditioning and heating, a minibar, and hairdryer. Bathrooms are on the small side, as is common in Sicily, and have showers (no tubs). Extra touches include slippers and pool towels.

The hotel bills itself as having a private beach, but it's not so much sandy bliss as it is a concrete platform -- although, given that beaches are on the rocky side, having the platform is immensely preferably to stepping on sharp rocks. Guests with mobility difficulties, however, might find it hard to manage the steps down. Ladders provide access to the sea for swimmers, and loungers are available to rent for a nominal fee (chairs and umbrellas are free). Guests can also order drinks and have them charged to the room. 

Especially given its size, the hotel does a great job catering toward kids: Besides the Family Rooms that are available, there's a children's pool alongside their large main one, as well as a playground. There are also a sports court with tennis, basketball, and soccer setups and a giant chess board outside, plus pool and ping-pong tables inside. Yoga studios are available and a small exercise room has a couple pieces of equipment. A lovely paved solarium offers gorgeous views of the ocean. 

For the grown-ups, there are a piano bar (where the game tables are) that's pleasantly old-fashioned, a poolside bar, and the restaurant offers more than 80 kinds of Sicilian red and white wines. The cuisine, not surprisingly, is also local and very good. The free, well-reviewed breakfast is standard continental fare (with hot dishes like eggs and bacon) with a wide range of options for kids and parents.

Wi-Fi is free and available throughout the hotel, including at the swimming pool and the beach. Parking at the hotel is also free.