Katane Palace Hotel is a quiet, classic mid-range hotel in central Catania. It occupies a historic building whose bones are still visible on the ground floor in the form of high vaulted ceilings, pretty marble flooring, and big wood beams. As soon as guests walk through the heavy front doors, they’re greeted by an old-fashioned front desk with vintage wood mail sorter. A hall running alongside the hotel’s lovely central courtyard has been smartly outfitted with glass walls, letting natural light in to the common areas, which otherwise feel heavy with wood furnishings, brocaded seating and curtain, and medieval-style art. The hotel attracts an international crowd for a night or two, before or after a flight into Catania Fontanarossa Airport.

Katane Palace Hotel is located in Catania’s legal and administrative district (several courthouses are in the area, including Uffici Giudiziari just around the corner). There are also several convenience stores, shops, and restaurants in the area, including the well-acclaimed Trattoria Saltimbocca Da Giancarlo. The hotel is about a 15-minute walk to Museo Storico dello Sbarco in Sicilia 1943, a history museum dedicated to the Allied landings in Sicily during World War II. The walk to Piazza Duomo in the heart of the Catania’s historic center takes about 20 minutes. Budget 25 or 30 minutes to get to Catania Fontanarossa Airport by car or taxi.

Katane’s 58 air-conditioned rooms fall into three categories: Double Single (queen-size bed) and Double Standard and Double Superior (one king-size bed or two twins). Rooms are virtually the same save the bed configuration, and they vary slightly in size, with Superiors offering the most space. All require keys for activating the lights, and are furnished in a traditional style with neutral tones. Small flat-screen TVs are provided, but note that all channels are in Italian. Every room has a safe and a minibar with free items like bottled water, orange San Pellegrino, and cans of Pepsi.

Bathrooms come with either a walk-in shower or a tub (Double Single rooms only have showers), a hairdryer, and a decent amount of counter space around the sink. Bar soap, mini bottles of shampoos, and shower caps are provided. Wi-Fi is free in the rooms.

The hotel’s restaurant, Il Cuciniere, opens daily for a free breakfast that’s included with all bookings. The spread includes scrambled and boiled eggs, almond cake and other cakes, cream-filled and plain croissants, Nutella, toasts, coffee and machine espresso drinks. The fresh blood orange juice is a highlight. Il Cuciniere is also open for dinner, and luncheons for groups are available on advance request. The restaurant offers patio dining, part of the hotel’s attractive courtyard with lemon trees.

For working groups, there are three AV-equipped meeting rooms available: Etna (up to 10 people), Agata (up to 25), and Etna (up to 110). Katane offers free valet parking (cars are parked in a neighboring underground garage) and free Wi-Fi throughout.