|
B&B Terrazze di Montelusa, Agrigento - hotel reviewExcellent bed and breakfast accommodation in Agrigento
> More information/make a booking Arriving at the B&BWe arrived in Agrigento by bus, and travelled on foot to the B&B. Finding the way was reasonably straightforward, but we discovered that the town map in our Rough Guide to Sicily was to wildly inaccurate scale, and the walk was a long one (read more below on the directions). When we arrived at the B&B, we were welcomed by Francesco, the owner, who helped carry our luggage upstairs (there was no lift). There are reception opening hours at the Terrazze di Montelusa; it's a good idea to call or email ahead with your approximate arrival time. The B&B occupies the upper floors of a historic building; reception is on the second floor. There is a hotel downstairs which is not connected to the B&B. Public spaces, customer service and breakast
Next to Francesco's reception office was an attractive, very Mediterranean, lounge area with a pretty majolica tiled floor. There was a selection of useful books for guests' use, including a very handy guidebook I borrowed for our trip to the Valley of the Temples. In this lounge there was also a piano piled high with sheet music, and later that day, despite his initial modest reluctance, Francesco was happy to sit and play for us: a lovely and memorable experience. Before we set off on our sightseeing excursion, Francesco gave us a very good historical introduction to his town and its temples, providing us with a photocopied map annotated with the highlights we should see. He gave us practical as well as archaeological information, telling us where to catch the bus and even supplying us with some spare bus tickets left by previous guests. As well as excellent English, I also heard Francesco speaking French. Breakfast the following morning was a buffet served in the upper apartment, and we ate at a table on the lovely outdoors terrace. It was a good quality, typically Italian breakfast, which unfortunately I don't remember much of, apart from some very good local jams. BedroomsA proprietor with a lot of character can sometimes mean eccentric decor. Not in this case, though. The B&B's bedrooms were lovely and luxurious, with extremely high professional standards. I would say that the rooms at the Terrazze di Montelusa are among the most comfortable I've seen - admittedly, I only stayed for one night, but I really couldn't find any criticism. Both double rooms were a good size, airy and stylish. The tasteful decor and furnishings were all new, good-quality and clean. My room was smaller than my parents' front-facing bedroom, but still a good size for a double. It had fresh white walls, good furniture and a tiled floor. Furnishings included a TV, a desk, a mirror, bedside tables, a suitcase stand, wardrobe and fridge. It was equipped with both a radiator and air-conditioning. The towels and sheets were good quality, and the double bed was comfortable. Both our rooms had full-length windows opening onto little balconies where flowers bloomed in window boxes. My room, at the back of the building, was very quiet, though my parents' room was noisier in the morning. I also had a smaller second window in my bedroom, which thanks to mosquito netting I was able to leave open. I had a good-sized bathroom, with a shower, supplied with a hairdrier and basic sachet toiletries. More about the location
The hotel is in the historic town centre of Agrigento, where narrow historic lanes and stairways weave up a steep slope towards the hilltop cathedral. From the railway station or bus stop, ask the way to Via Atenea, the town's high street. This leads up from a park on Piazzale Aldo Moro (see my Google map of Agrigento, showing the B&B). Via Atenea is an attractive street, lined with shops, but it is narrow with inadequate pavements, and wheeling a suitcase along is quite frustrating. We visited on a public holiday, and didn't see any buses in this old part of town, but I've subsequently found that there is an hourly bus service circling the few negotiable streets of the town centre (see bus timetables link, or ask Francesco). After following Via Atenea for around ten minutes' walk, a short steep lane, Via Bac Bac, leads uphill on the right; the B&B is on a little square, Piazza Lena, at the top of this lane. The approach to the hotel didn't seem especially pretty to tired travellers- the steep narrow road, having to drag our cases in the street, negotiating parked vehicles, a man up a ladder, and a dog rooting through rubbish from an overflowing skip; and the distance from the station and bus station was off-putting. But this is actually a picturesque, historical and central spot, and most of the town's B&Bs are in the neighbourhood. It was convenient for fitting in a quick exploration of Agrigento as well as our bus trip to the Valley of the Temples, and one of the town's most interesting sights, the church-built-on-a-Greek-temple, Santa Maria dei Greci, is just a short walk uphill from the B&B. Next door to the hotel is a very convenient restaurant, with a simple interior and good-value decent food - a cheap and easy option at the end of a tiring day. RecommendationThe archaeological sights of Agrigento are marvellous to visit, but it is a tiring and dusty business on a hot day, dealing with the sightseeing and the minor issues of Sicilian towns and transport. B&B Terrazze di Montelusa was a wonderful haven to return to, with bedrooms which were the most comfortable of any B&B or hotel during our tour of Sicily; pretty much luxury standard. Francesco's welcome, helpfulness and charm added hugely to the comfort of our stay, and both my parents were bowled over by the whole set-up, especially the piano-playing and being introduced to the haughty cat. The only drawback was the long walk up Via Atenea from the town's main transport connections - but this location did enable us to experience the historic heart of town and was more appealing than staying on a major modern road. I found that staying one night in Agrigento wasn't really enough to delve into the town's fascinating ancient past, and hope to return for a longer stay - and I would certainly, more than happily, return to the Terrazze di Montelusa. For accommodation which is both comfortable and characterful, you couldn't do better. It's a good idea to book well ahead though, as word of the B&B's charms is spreading. > More information/make a booking > Agrigento tourist information - a brief introduction with travel and accommodation advice |
|
|
Advertising |
Terrazze di Montelusa is a B&B in 
The Terrazze di Montelusa B&B occupies two floors of a building which has belonged for generations to the Francesco's mother's family. He has restored and decorated the building beatifully, turning it into elegant bed and breakfast accommodation. There are some nostalgic, aristocratic family photos on display, including one lovely photo of ladies in front of a Greek temple in their period motor-car, and Francesco is happy to recount the history of his family and the building. On arrival, after showing us our bedrooms, he escorted us to the top floor, served us fruit juice on the lovely upstairs terraces with distant views of temples, and introduced us to his precious half-Siamese cat, a very queenly creature.