Grand Hotel Wagner

Grand Hotel Wagner occupies a stately old palazzo built in the early 1900s. Named after the 19th-century German composer Richard Wagner (a loving visitor of Palermo and other parts of Sicily), the hotel is like a time-capsule of Old World style; picture lots of heavy woods (including the carved front desk), wrought iron (an intricate gate blocks off the lobby bar while closed), gold paint, colorful frescos, veined marble, and a grand staircase with Art Nouveau-style stained glass windows at the landings. The hotel’s wine cellars served an air raid shelter in World War II, while its ballroom was used to film the dance scene for the 1963 film “The Leopard.” Visitors tend to fall into two camps: those who ahh in appreciation of the grande old dame’s emphatically Neoclassical style, and those who find it stuffy and museum-like.

Grand Hotel Wagner is located in central Palermo, near several of the city’s sights and landmarks. The imposing Teatro Politeama Garibaldi is a three-minute walk around the corner, while getting to the Teatro Massimo is a slightly longer walk, about six minutes. The atmospheric alleys of Castellammare are a 10-minute walk down Via Roma. Piazza Pretoria, near the famous Quattro Canti (the precise city center of historic Palermo), is a 15-minute walk south from the hotel, Cattedrale di Palermo about 20. The city’s main airport is about 40 minutes away by taxi or car, depending on traffic.

Each of Grand Hotel Wagner’s 61 rooms feels like a time capsule from when the hotel originally opened; they’re heavily ornate spaces with hand-painted ceilings, prominent gold wall paneling, thick green curtains, and solid wood antique furnishings, including armoires and writing desks. The only obviously modern add-in is the interactive satellite LCD TV. The bulk of the rooms (52) fall into the Superior category, and the rest are suites: the Six Junior Suites have parlors with sofas and chairs, and three Senior Suites -- the top category -- have separate living rooms plus large bathrooms with two-person jetted tubs. All units have minibars and safes; suites have two of each. Minibars (fee) come with miniature amaros and grappas, plus other liquors, as well as Italian and imported beers, mineral water, Ritz crackers, peanuts, and chocolate. Some rooms have balconies.

Bathrooms are tiled and marble and get quite grand in the upper categories; in addition to the large Jacuzzi tubs (Superior rooms have walk-in showers), the pink-marble suite bathrooms have double sinks with vanity lighting and extra toiletries, like a sewing kit, shoe sponges, and bath foam. All bathrooms feature Italian-made shampoo and body lotion (paraben- and mineral-free), as well as bathrobes and slippers. Wi-Fi is free in the rooms, with a code provided by the front desk.

For such a grand-seeming hotel, Wagner has surprisingly few features. Its main perk for guests is the free breakfast that is included in all rates. This is served on the hotel’s top floor, where there is indoor and outdoor seating on the rooftop patio. The buffet selection includes scrambled eggs, roasted potatoes and carrots, ham, cheese, many bread varieties, and a chocolate fondue fountain. Guests can also opt to have a la a carte breakfast served in their rooms, but each items costs a fee on top of the service charge.

Room service available in the early afternoon and evening; selections include regional dishes like seafood arancini, eggplant caponata, pistachio and pesto risotto, fusilli with clams and shrimp, breaded swordfish “Palermitana,” and veal braised in Nero d’Avola. For dessert, there are options like cannoli and cassata (Sicilian cake with ricotta). The hotel’s American Bar in the lobby opens at night for cocktails and wine, but it offers more of a glimpse of Old World atmosphere than anything else.

Grand Hotel Wagner’s wellness center has a sauna and chromotherapy, and offers a variety of massages, like reflexology, hot stone, scalp, Hawaiian/lomi lomi, and anti-cellulite. Other treatments include hair removal, mani/pedis, and body peels. The fitness center is no more than a bike and a treadmill. Note that beauty and fitness services are closed on Sundays.

The hotel has a library and the Verdi and Rossini meeting rooms for conferences and gatherings. Valet parking, car rental, and taxi service are all available. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel.