Hotel Villa Athena

The newly restyled Villa Athena is as divine as the ancient Greek temples that this uniquely located property overlooks.  There is simply no better location from which to get a true sense of what Agrigento and the Valley of the Temples (a UNESCO marked monument) is all about.  Set right within the archaeological park, the 17th-century villa was transformed into a hotel forty years ago by the D’Alessandro family, and today, son Stefano along with his sisters carry on the family’s tradition of hospitality with great finesse and pride. Twenty-seven luxury suites and rooms, almost all facing directly on the majestic temple Concordia, offer every possible amenity and comfort, appointed with a fresh, contemporary look in whites and beiges or with contrasting dark brown wood. Sicilian marble adorns all bathrooms. The majority of the rooms have either a balcony or terrace; the fabulous Villa Suite has an enormous balustraded terrace, hydrojet pool and extensive views over three of the ancient temples.  This is one place you must splurge: request one of the rooms overlooking the ruins. Refined Sicilian cuisine is served in the hotel’s new Giardino di Ibla restaurant or out in the lush surrounding gardens under the palms and orange trees. Within this manicured oasis at the edge of the archaeological park is the swimming pool where you can lounge without once taking your eyes off the mesmerizing views.  It is also fascinating to take a walk through the historic center of the city and its maze of small alleyways—best seen with a local guide.