We were really grateful for the hospitality of everyone at Magione del Re, extremely welcoming and we were given a very thorough introduction to Catania by Piero when we arrived, with a map and some excellent suggestions of where to visit for the best pizza, granita and authentic Sicilian cuisine.
The B&B has a genuine Italian character, but without the sometimes tired appearance that many older hotels have in Italy. Super high ceilings make the room feel spacious and everything is well maintained to a high standard. Breakfast being included was a nice touch and we felt very well looked after each morning always with the offer of more.
The location is situated within a short walk of the main central street of Catania, and the surrounding area felt very safe and comfortable for the few days we were staying. There is also a small car park directly next to the hotel with a slight discount for guests at the B&B. This was perfect for us as we are visiting various cities in Sicily and having a rental car has been invaluable. That said, driving in Catania is borderline chaos, even for my wife who is born and raised in central Italy. Make sure you rent a small car if doing so!
It can sometimes be a little noisy as some reviews suggest, either from breakfast being prepared in the hallway (the doors aren’t massively soundproofed) or from the shared communal courtyard which at times had some rather dramatic Italian shouting, however neither of these things detracted from our visit.
