Palermo, ItalyPoliteama
Grand Hotel et Des Palmes
Operatic Belle Époque palazzo
Politeama Palermo, Italy
Renovated
2021
Price
$$$
Rated for
Heritage Design ClassicOutside the door
The house
Mangia'sOperatic Belle Époque palazzo
Built as a merchant townhouse and expanded for Victorian high society, it runs with genuine nineteenth-century theatricality.
“Centrally situated, with dramatic off-season discounts, the Grand Hotel et Des Palmes is a spacious structure, built in 1856 in the neoclassical style.”
What it’s good at
Remarkable
Where Richard Wagner completed Parsifal in 1881 within a grand patrician residence.
Notable
Ernesto Basile's restored Stile Liberty interiors frame velvet seating in the mirrored ballroom.
What they say
Michelin Selected
Michelin
Also in Condé Nast Traveler.
Possibly the grandest urban hotel in all of southern Italy, the Grand Hotel et Des Palmes is certainly Palermo’s most classically elegant lodging.
Right in the middle
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Via Roma cuts right through the Politeama district, placing the Teatro Massimo opera house just a five-minute walk away.
The rooms
Rooms are finished in understated grays and browns, with bathrooms lined in contrasting black and white stone.
Restaurant
Ouverture Terrace
The fifth-floor terrace looks out over Palermo's domes and mountains, serving seasonal Sicilian dishes and sunset aperitivi.
At the table
Sensus Mixology Bar serves craft cocktails from a geometric gold counter set beneath the salon's gilded friezes and skylights.
How it began
An Anglo-Sicilian wine dynasty built the residence in 1856, complete with a private passage to the neighbouring Anglican church.
Palermo
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The app
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.