Dolcestate

Some of the people reviewing this hotel are ridiculous. Obviously it isn’t a five star hotel and marking a hotel down on things like there’s not many English people or staff spoke to you in French is stupid. Marking a hotel down for mosquitos is also stupid. I got bit once or twice but I’m sure that could have been prevented by mosquito spray. Pros- the price, I paid £600 half board in June. I always thought it was a bit pointless people saying staff were nice but the staff here are really exceptionally pleasant (not an experience you’ll get everywhere, mainly because British people abroad are so obnoxious I suspect). The staff went out of their way to treat us really nicely and I can’t fault them one bit. Rooms are basic but you get what you pay for. They were very clean with fantastic air con. Towels were changed at least every two days sometimes daily. The pool is lovely and clean. In June we never had an issue with getting a sun bed ever. You can take day trips out by coach (€10 each for a return coach to Cefalu or €8 to Palermo). cons - the food is honestly diabolical. It’s not the staff’s fault, you can tell the ingredients are just incredibly cheap. It’s nigh on impossible to eat healthily, with extremely limited selections of fruit and salad. There wasn’t anything that I could say I liked the taste of for the whole week and for that reason really I’d have to mark the hotel down. I’d have marked it much higher had the food not been so awful. I can’t stress enough how much I disliked the food. I’m quite fussy but my daughter is not and she also thought it was awful. This would be fine if you have a car and can drive to eat out. The “private beach” - it’s nice to look at the scenery when the sun is setting but I didn’t see any sun beds, unlike the hotel next door. It’s not a sandy beach, although there is a sandy bit in front of the next door hotel. The location - if you have hire car the location would be fine but if like me you wouldn’t dare drive in Italy (or your budget doesn’t cover it) it’s not ideal. There isn’t a single shop anywhere nearby. Which is annoying when a 1.4 litre bottle of water is €2.50 (bring a refillable bottle and they will fill I at the pool). The loud music at the pool was not my taste (mainly I think Italian soft rock) played extremely loud to the point it was difficult to relax (which is a shame because the location is so remote I’d imagine some would choose it for that reason). Luckily I brought noise cancelling headphones or it would have been very very annoying listening to that all day long. All in all a very nice holiday made special by the lovely staff and pool. Yes there were French tourists but if you don’t like foreign people, maybe just book Blackpool and sit in the rain.

Avoid Avoid Avoid, Sadly don't fall for the great looking pool and hotel, it doesn't meet the standards expected .. We booked 2 weeks vis Jet2 during August .. The positives first .. Hotel was clean and rooms a good size, some of the staff where friendly (Once you broke the ice) and the pool area was good but that sadly where they stop .... THe hotel is very isolated with nothing within walking distance - no shops , restaurants , bars .. absolutely nothing !!!! (thank god we had a hire car!!!) and to make that worse for the first week we were there we were the only british family before we were joined by one other family .. everyone else (90% other guests were french) and the hotel was setup for them only even the staff spoke french and assumed you were french before you even spoke.. i reminded them how rude it was to guess someone nationality but they continues even afterwards, many spoke little to no english which didn't help .. the hotel refused to give my parents in the 80's a kettle for their room as we were not in the right class of room !! told they had to upgrade at a cost of 120 a week and you only got a kettle extra, had to purchased one fork the supermarket for 18 euros !! the staff regularly left our room open after cleaning making it unsafe to leave thig in the room or allow the kids to go back to on their own and they even block the main fire exit with a large glass table for 3 days due to a small water leak which just needed a sign and bucket put all of us a risk !!! but the worst thing had to be the food, although cooked well , it had to be the worst example of a buffet i've even seen with out 4 options per night (only one would be a meat option the others all fish) and nothing you'd usually see like chips or grilled meets , the salad was only lettuce, tomato and cucumber maybe sweetcorn .. meat option never anything you will have heard of and when i ask the chef he was very very rude and didn't even tell us about the kids menu until the second week !!! to say our kids really really struggled is a understatement. I could go on and on about all the issues but its easier to just say .. don't go here !!! . sadly this experience has made me consider if i would fly and trust JET2 again!!! Sicily itself was very beautiful shame it was spoilt but this hotel

Hotel was fine, but the beach was terrible. There were stones everywhere - on the beach and in the sea. No sand at all. The place is not recommended for kids, elderly people or those with mobility difficulties. Huge disappointment as beach does not look like as promoted (sand).

Hotel Dolcestate is very clean, well represented and staff very helpful and friendly. The hotel set up is lovely, looks like a little Italian village with courtyard and outside/inside space. Rooms are modern, comfortable and the shower was amazing not what I was expecting so pleasant surprise. Food is exceptional. I have been to many all inclusive resorts around the world and this really does top most. Granted there is not extensive amounts of choice, but if that's what makes a great all inclusive for you try a bigger hotel in a tourist trap. There was different pasta dishes each day, fish, meat, potatoes and the desserts to die for. The only downside to this hotel is it is in the middle of nowhere really. No restaurants or shops to walk to, but the hotel run their own shuttle bus service into Palermo, Cefalu and Campofelice at very reasonable prices and very reliable service. I would recommend this hotel if you are looking for relaxation and good food. Sicily itself is a great island we will be returning to and prices cheap too, a cappuccino in Palermo €1.60!!! Bargain.

We paid for All Inclusive. IT'S NOT. If the drink you want is not on the VERY short list then you have to pay for it even though you have already paid "up front". Rooms & hotel all clean. Staff friendly. Unfortunately the shops on site were all now closed either for the season or permanently. Nearest town approx. 3 miles away. Shuttle bus once a week. The beach is a quarry. Take mountaineering boots if you want to walk along it!

Beautiful clean hotel. Excellent and friendly staff who went out of their way to make us feel welcome......my cousin and I were two of only six British couples on arrival. Towels changed and rooms cleaned daily as were the pools. A vast array and choice of delicious food at breakfast and dinner, we were half board. Dining room staff were very competent, hard working and friendly. Every Monday evening was gala night where a four course meal was served plentiful bottles of wine and water replenished on tables. My only criticism, being HB if we wanted water with our evening meal, even a carafe, it was chargeable. The only drawback is that the hotel, whilst gorgeous, is very isolated. Nowhere to walk to i.e shops or attractions. A number of sightseeing trips at additional cost, available Shuttle to Cefalu E10 return, market trip on a Friday - fantastic. Sicilian mountain villages trip no to be missed, though very hilly need good walking shoes E60 including a beautiful lunch. All in all an experience I thoroughly enjoyed