Ortea Palace Hotel, Sicily, Autograph Collection

La posizione

We chose the hotel because of its location and it is the perfect place to explore Ortigia and Siracusa
Wonderful ambience with a stunning ground floor area
The buffet breakfast was excellent with literally every taste catered for
Marriott should be extremely proud of the exceptional level of service
Without exception all staff were charming, well skilled and could not do enough to ensure we were well looked after.
Having spent my career in hospitality, I can truly say from reception to housekeeping, porters to wait staff we were thoroughly impressed
Siracusa is a fabulous place to holiday with Ortea Palace the jewel in the crown!

Our stay did not start out well, but it did improve. At check-in we were upgraded due to my Platinum status with Marriott to one of their duplex suites. On paper, they seemed nice, but the layout was very awkward and made it hard to figure out where to put your things. In addition, the shower was filthy. Lastly, we noticed the room was very warm and were told the AC was broken and they were “working on it.” It never came on during our 3 night stay…

Here’s where things improved- I asked Silva at the front desk if there were any other rooms all on one level. She was very kind and gave us an additional upgrade to a larger corner suite with a wraparound balcony with sliding doors on both sides. Honestly, if it weren’t for that room change we might have left early for a place with functioning AC. I imagine the guests in rooms without a balcony were roasting! We ended up loving the breeze with the doors open at night and it actually enabled us to sleep well.

A few other pros: great in-room amenities. They thought of every toiletry you could need and had lovely lotions. Housekeeping also did a great job. Lastly, every staff member we encountered was very friendly and helpful. The hotel is in a great location.

A couple other cons to keep in mind: the bar and dining area is very subdued and a little stuffy. We have stayed at many 5* hotels that manage to be upscale, while still being a comfortable place to relax and have a drink at the end of the day. Ortea didn’t quite manage that, despite the friendly bartender. You also had to make a reservation to use the indoor pool and saunas. We tried it once and didn’t go back because who wants to make an appointment for a 30 minute dip?

Overall a beautiful hotel with a few misses that others may not care about. Ortigia in general is a stunning place and I’m glad we visited.

Everything about the Ortea Palace Hotel is absolutely 5 star world class and extraordinary...location, architecture, service, restaurant, room service, bar and spa. I was particularly struck by the tremendous warmth, knowledge and helpfulness of the concierge service, the overall excellent service.... and by the Michelin level artistry of the chef and his kitchen. Salvatore and his staff are at the top of the culinary ladder, yet the cuisine remains true to its fresh local Sicilian roots. If you don't see it on the menu, talk to the staff or the chef, they will create it for you. As to the structure itself: It is a beautiful Art Nouveau building that was turned from the local post office into a modern sleek marble and glass boutique hotel situated directly on the harbor. If you're looking for a huge resort with four restaurants, and two swimming pools, this is not the place for you. But if you are looking for incredible service and food with huge two story rooms, fabulous service and exquisite food in the heart of the most beautiful and picturesque (not completely overrun by thousands of tourists) island town in Sicily, you have found your home.

I’ve been to a lot of 4, and 5 star hotels in my lifetime. This is the best of them all. It’s personal touch, everywhere. It’s dining so your heart sings. Please, please have their local bio lemonade, and some steak / veal option, local too. It’s absolutely divine - and beats all Michelin restaurants I’ve visited (4). Of course there’s no “experience” attached to it, but it’s the best quality of food, especially the meat, olive oil and lemon oil, I’ve ever had. Italy knows food. Sicily knows how to cook and grow food. Ortigia and the Ortea palace hotel knows how to combine the best from that. Spacious beds, affordable luxury in the suites. Handwritten notes and a balcony. Great coffee, order breakfast to the room for even more awesome tastes of Sicily. And the staff are curious, discreet, nice but not overly attentive. Everything is replenished and clean/ed when you leave the room - quietly, no noise. Amazing beds, surprisingly tasteful interior, comfy and beautiful. Wall to wall cooling marble floors, I just want to stay on the hotel for all of the days here to be honest. I can see Ortigia from the balcony! No, it’s really a place to go to relaxation, quiet rooms, excellent air conditioning -you choose your own temperature hot or cold, and every high quality amenity you can ask for. Delicious fruit welcomes you, tasty little treats waiting in early afternoon, spacious bathtub, and a place you can just unwind when tired or too busy. The best part is that you’re not buggered by butlers and concierges and everything in between. If we relax any more, we’ll melt. Definitely going back for a hot, romantic vacation. For a business trip it’s almost heaven. Do the suite. I beg of you. Best thing you’ll ever grant yourself. So much better than Paris, New York etc. wonderful. Helpful staff for everything you need advice on.

I’ve always given honest reviews and this hotel doesn’t have a single fault. We have just returned from a couples trip for 4 nights 5 days.

Room
We had a double room which was very spacious, all the towels you could possibly want, dressing gown, slippers and even flip flops and hat for the pool. Toiletries included mouthwash and hand lotion which was a lovely touch, Chargeable mini bar but was space in the fridge to add water and drink we had bought in the shop. Coffee and tea making facilities in the room, the tea was lovely with 3 different options, however I was disappointed it was Nescafé coffee sachets in the room, I expected a coffee machine or something nicer. The bed was extremely comfy and USB charging ports next to the bed. I did have to get ready in the bathroom as there was a table and chairs in the room but no getting ready station.

Spa
Bella!!!!! The best way to relax after a long day exploring. You do have to wear a cap in the pool but that didn’t matter to us. Massive sauna and steam room. What let it down was there was loose tiles been put on the idea of the pool and there was plasters on the side also that were there for the length of our stay. Other than that is lovely. I did look at a massage but it was 90 euros for 30 mins so didn’t bother with that.

Service
Honestly couldn’t fault the staff. Absolutely incredible, the lovely blonde hair and glasses lady that checked us in and out, the red haired lady that looked after us at breakfast and everyone was just amazing. Nothing too big or small, friendly, helpful and faultless. There was a lovely little arrival every evening of water and homemade sweets delivered to our door.

Breakfast
Yummmmmmmmy!! So much to choose from as well as a separate menu to have. Highly recommend a cappuccino, granita lemon and French toast! The yoghurt pots were my fav I wish I could have brought some home.

Location
Ortigia is amazing to explore and has some lovely food places. Siracusa the national park where the amphitheater is and ear of dionisio is 100% worth a visit but that’s all we found. The coast is beautiful. Direct parking outside the hotel in the blue lines which you book through the easypark app and cost us about 15 euros a day max. The hotel offer a valet service in their underground parking but this is 50 euros a day.

All in all an amazing trip and worth every penny to celebrate our 10th anniversary. Would love to say we will be back every year (price rises depending)

Le spa et le sens du service

Sadly this was a hotel that did not deliver. While our room was big, double aspect and quiet, it smelled badly and the bathrooms were tiny. We were offered an alternative but chose to stay and manage the smell ( via open windows/air con). Despite reporting it nothing was done! The hotel had only one functioning lift and only one of the eating venues was functioning and then only on a part-time basis. A good breakfast (but at a ludicrous 50 euros a person) was served in the main reception room, but it was hardly used for lunch/dinner and the bar (in the same big room) was practically empty most nights. As a consequence the hotel lacked atmosphere as a "place to go" for food, drink etc and traversing this largely empty but staffed room day after day was rather depressing. The so called museum of curiosities was a room trying to recall former post office days but really a waste of time/space, the piano was never played. The front desk was fine but often understaffed with guests waiting considerable time to get served. Staff were pretty good generally but there was no sense of management. All in all it was an expensive disappointment and one not to be repeated.

Chambres en duplex immenses /emplacement sur l’île d’Ortigia à 2 pas du marché animé / la piscine du spa/ les balades à proximité immédiate

Enjoyed a fabulous break at the hotel recently

Beautiful building, with wonderful staff and service

I can’t wait to return

Thank you all

If you are staying in Ortigia, stay here. The hotel is elegant and classy, yet the staff remains friendly and completely unpretentious. The breakfast is truly incredible. If you can, splurge for the 3rd-floor suite rooms with a balcony—it is well worth it!

Tout était parfait de l’accueil, emplacement chambre, petit-déjeuners. Upgrade pour nous et on recommande fortement

Hotel molto raffinato sono stato con la mia compagna menzione speciale x il barman super come sempre grazie x tutto S❤️J

The room was nicest I have stayed in anywhere--two story loft with high ceilings. Tile floors, glass stairways. Spacious, elegant and sumptuous.

Central and very clean

Bath tub and Marble floor

Hotel is pretty good with the exception of steffano at the spa who is very incompetent, rude and miserable

Great property and the food at the hotel was exceptional. We really enjoyed our stay