BB22

Boutique B&B reaches Palermo: 7 contemporary-meets-antique bedrooms in the heart of the old city

The concept of a boutique B&B - intimate townhouse accommodation with designer style and highly personalised service - has been winning friends among the fashionistas and dolce viveurs of mainland Italy for a while; now we have boutique-chic in Palermo. And a good thing too, for Sicily's vibrant, multi-cultural, gritty, love-it-or-hate-it capital could do with an injection of personality to challenge its large and loveless hotels.

Milanese owner Patrizia Marchetti spent 3 years restoring this 15th-century palazzo, tucked away on a quiet side street behind the imposing church of San Domenico, before opening it to friends and select guests. She still keeps her apartment on the second floor, but the floors above and below have been transformed into 7 immaculate and indulgent bedrooms, all furnished with an imaginative mix of antiques and sleek, contemporary pieces. Up top is a breakfast room and a terrace with a retractable roof, where you can sit back on a comfy sofa and gaze out over Palermo’s rooftops to the port. All in all, it's the ideal base for anyone seeking style and seclusion in this fascinating city of faded grandeur.

Highs

• A chic and intimate escape from trafficky Palermo
• Well-placed for historic sites, the famous Vucciria market and the seafront; Patrizia and her staff are on hand to offer insider tips and restaurant recommendations
• Rooms are large for a city B&B, and a couple have a private balcony or terrace overlooking a flower-scented piazza
• The muted colours are nicely offset by exuberant touches - we loved the Philippe Starck Ghost chairs, the oversized mirrors, and the fabulous egg-shaped tub in the suite
• The roof terrace with its chilled music is a great spot to come home to; Sicilian wines and nibbles are on offer come evening

Lows

• Don't expect full hotel services: there's no restaurant, and reception is only open from 8.30am-2pm and 5-8.30pm (let them know your planned arrival time in advance)
• Palermo is a noisy and chaotic city (keep your fully double-glazed windows shut)
• There's no lift, so you'll have to negotiate several flights of stairs to reach your room
• Breakfast is fairly basic, but Palermo has no shortage of places where you can top up with cakes and pastries