Hotel Villa Athena

What a perfect little hotel in the middle of the Valley of the Temples! We explored the Temples on our own with easy access from the hotel's private gate. We also enjoyed aperitivo on the terrace with a very friendly and helpful bartender who suggested a fabulous drink that became my new favorite. The entire staff was engaging and delightful. And, our room had the most amazing view of the Temples we couldn't stop staring! I'd highly recommend staying at Villa Athena.

Unbeatable location, stunning views of the temples, a lovely fine-dining restaurant, and comfortable rooms. The hotel also offers private access to the Valley of the Temples, making it a perfect one-night stop for a visit. However, the service left much to be desired. Not a single smile during our stay, used towels were scattered around the pool, and when we requested breakfast in the room, the waitress’s attitude made it clear that it was an inconvenience; plus, the coffee and tea arrived cold. A bit of a disappointment, especially from an SLH partner.

We stayed at several five-star hotels during our trip to Sicily this month, but Villa Athena stood out as the absolute best. The location was unbeatable, and the staff exceeded all expectations. We enjoyed private dinners and breakfasts on our terrace, complete with breathtaking views of the ancient ruins. One of the highlights was the private walking path from the hotel directly to the archaeological site in Agrigento—such a unique and convenient perk. We left feeling completely relaxed and utterly spoiled. Highly recommended!

Beautiful resort with excellent staff, extra touches (welcome drink, chocolates), and great food. We enjoyed our 2 days here. Breakfasts and dinner were great. The private entrance into the park is a very nice extra. We didn’t get to swim in the pool but we enjoyed the loungers with the spectacular view of the temples.

Wonderful hotel a fantastic location with her own private entrance to the valley of the temples. Food and service were terrific. The hotel itself is immaculate and very well appointed. Beds are extremely comfortable. Rooms are very nice. But do be careful. I don’t think most rooms have views of the temples. My only small complaint, the towels were as rough as sandpaper. For such a fine hotel I was surprised they didn’t have softer towels.

Villa Athena offered excellent service and was situated at an unbeatable location with direct access to the temple park. However, the overall infrastructure and the ground fell short of a hotel which demanded an unjustifiable price. ||- Service: The best part of the hotel was the service, with welcome drinks, a bottle of wine, gifts for the kids, and little sweet treats. The restaurant service was also very good. |- Location: The hotel has its own private entrance to the temple park. The main temple was less than 10 min away. It was very relaxing knowing that we could simply walk back to the hotel after touring the site in early evening. |- View: Some of the rooms offered a good view of the temples. |- Food: The breakfast was great with made-to-offer and sparkling wine. ||However, at this price point, 500+ per night for a small room, it fell short in other areas: ||- Building: The hotel building is old and tired. The decor was outdated and many places showed its age. The lobby area was especially uninviting. |- Ground: This hotel is NOT a resort. The property is very small with one main building with hotel rooms. There is the indoor restaurant which has very generic decor for such a high-end hotel. The restaurant was attached to the spa which had very limited hours (1-7pm, and I think it cost extra?). Then there is the outdoor restaurant / bar area which was closed. The pool was very nice with a fantastic view of the temple. But that was the extent of the hotel.|- View: While some of the rooms had a good view of the temples, the windows were small and it unfortunately felt underwhelming. |- Food at dinner: The food was competent, but not excellent. We had better food in Sicily at a lower price than this. ||However, it was a pleasant stay with great service and easy access to the temple - these are what you are paying for here. Otherwise don't expect much from the hotel itself.

Just an amazing place to stay to visit the valley of temples.|The view is mind blowing. You get a private entrance to the valley.|The swimming pool is amazing and Tania was always nice and helpful despite the heat and the sun.|Reception could not be more helpful regarding all my questions. Thank you Gianmarco. You are a star!!|I forgot to book the restaurants and they did everything they can to find me a table.|Dinner also is amazing with a great view of the temples.|Don’t hesitate for a second to book

While the location and views from the hotel were amazing, the staff is not good. Everything is very slow, they don't have enough people working there. One person in their staff was extremely rude to us twice for absolutely no reason. The breakfast has nothing local, which is a shame since Sicily has such good food. Honestly, while the place is beautiful, the experience didn't feel like a 5 stars hotel at all. It's way too expensive for what it is. The view is great tho.

Location, location, location. This hotel is amazingly situated with a great view of the Valley of the Temples. The onsite restaurant and bar have outdoor seating with similar views. If you're not staying here, it's worth having a drink at the bar. The rooms are nice, but not five star quality. The staff are very nice and the breakfast is very good, though in a room without a view. It's priced as a splurge. If you're going to visit Agrigento, it's worth a night.

Stayed 4 nites. Views of the ancient temples make it so special. It's a 5 star hotel as it should be. Excellent people work there. Wonderful experiences at their farm. Fabulous food. Intimate pool. My favorite place in Sicily so far.

A luxury 5 star hotel located inside the Agrigento Archaeological Park with views of the Temple Concordia. We arrived around 2 pm and were delighted to be able to get into our room with a partial view of the temple located on the garden level near the large luxurious pool. We started out with lunch by the pool and a short swim. I wished we could have spent an entire day just at the pool. It wasn't busy and the water was delightful coolish. Our room was all white, large, quiet and with a roomy bathroom and large shower. The AC was quiet, as was the room. Our rate included breakfast which we took at 7 when they opened. Service at breakfast left me a bit wanting. Food looked great but during the times of covid a server must help you-there's no helping yourself. We were the only ones dining at 7 yet it was a challenge getting food and we didn't enjoy much of the selection settling for just bread and fruit. A major disappointment. Also, we paid a premium for view of the temple on the hill and while technically we were on that side, our garden level/poolside room did not really have a view overlooking the temple as promised-so be sure to be up-NOT in a garden room-for the view. That aside it's a beautiful hotel.

Great location. But dishonest employees. We had a late dinner there and most of the diners had left. We asked for and waited for our check for around 20 minutes. No check. So eventually I told the waiter that they could just charge it to our room and I gave him the room number. At check out we found that they had charged us for two bottles of wine when we just had one. They also charged 70 euros for a mediocre fish dish! Dishonest people. When I wrote a review on another site the manager Roberto Principato wrote back that I had signed the dinner check. That was a blatant lie. I did sign a check for lunch (rubbery hamburger for 25 euros!) and two drinks in the afternoon (20 euros a drink!) but never for dinner. Be very careful with any bills at Hotel Villa Athena, check it all carefully. They are dishonest.

After spending some time at the Valley of the Temple's we were ready to get something to eat. We found Hotel Villa Athena upon a recommendation from a guide book we had. It was easy to find but the entrance through the gates was not very lit so we passed it the first time. The hotel was not full since it is off season. It's a beautiful Italian Villa nested up on the hill with perfect views of the ruins which are magically lit up at night! Sadly, the restaurant was not open until much later. Typical of us to want to eat at "dinner time" instead of Sicilian dinner time. The concierge spoke perfect English and went out of his way to try and find a restaurant that was open. He had no such luck. The next time I am in Agrigento I will be sure to stop off and stay the night to experience breakfast on a terrace with magical views of the coast and the ruins! And hopefully dinner too!

Amazing setting looking out at Temple of Concordia the aubergine starter was fantastic the tuna tartare average. The pasta with pistachio pesto was Devine For main we had rolled pig which was great and veal in a potato and tomato sauce. And a delicious White Wine from near Etna.

WOW.... Villa Athena is the vision we had in our minds as we dreamed of our trip to Sicily, truly amazing. May of 2011 my wife and I flew into Sicily from Rome. We were fortunate enough to use a friends home in the town of Capaci for the first few days. Then it was time to rent the Fiat 500 and get the island of Sicily in our lungs, under our feet and in our souls. By the time we got to Villa Athena we had stayed at about 3 or 4-different hotels, at all different prices. We were getting tired and by this point needed a good Hotel. We passed by the Villa to head towards the Beach hoping to find something close to the water. (note: we stayed on the Island of Sicily for 17-days and did not have one Hotel reservation, walk up only, got to love off season... We decide to head back towards V. Athena, turn into the driveway I think orchards are lining both sides of the drive, always a good sign. We pull up to a beautiful remodeled villa, getting better... I head inside to see a true BELL MAN greeting me. Light and airy open lobby, more than just a lobby. Yes, the manager speaks great English, I can't remember her name but she lived in New York for some time. We finally get to our suite or room, felt like a suite to me about 500 sq feet. The room was well done, spotless, huge shower and bathroom , now were talking. As we come out of the bathroom the manager is opening the doors to our 100 square foot private Balcony... We walk on to the Balcony and.... silence, I cant hear anything, or is it Angles in my head, you know the sound, we hear it in movies all the time, aaahhhHHHhhhHHH.... The Valley of Temples.... only about 2/300 yards out side of room. Sweet Jesus, the view is amazing. It almost seems fake, I was looking left & right off the balcony thinking I was going to see the Wynn or Cesar's Palace, nope were not in Vegas.... The Temples are so well preserved you would think they were just built, but no, they were built when the Greeks ruled Sicily! We get settled into the room, I head down the road to grab some vino and a little food. We sit out on our patio, the swimming pool and the orchard's is all that separates the Villa & the Temples. We have dinner on the outdoor patio w/ several hotel guest. We had a vodka martini that night and of course the food & Vino was spectacular. When we got back to our room I called my parents & grandparents. We wanted them to share the moment with us, it was a perfect way to end such a memorable day. We enjoyed ourselves so much, We stayed a second night. They had to move us to a room down stairs, just as nice but, our view of the Temples was slightly obstructed, by a cactus an old olive tree, oh darn... I AM, A PROUD 3rd Generation Sicilian/American. Our trip to Sicily was like finding a brother that you knew was alive, you heard about your whole life, and THEN, you finally meet for the first time. The whole trip was truly a beautiful life fulfilling experience! Can't wait to go back!!!

We very much enjoyed the Villa Athena during our stay in July 2016. We came to Sicily to site-see after a week of business in Rome. Villa Athena was a perfect place to stay during our visit to the Valle dei Templi. Thought the food and wine were terrific - (would be 2-3 times the price for the same quality in NYC or San Francisco). The service was professional, attentive and elegant. The salt crusted whole branzino was the best I've ever had. Our room was spacious and beautifully appointed. The drive between Palermo and Agrigento was not difficult once you get out of Palermo. Once in Agrigento we didn't drive - it was easy to get a taxi to go into the village.

Don't come here expecting peace and quiet. The management doesn't tell guests but they basically book weddings every weekend until midnight - and they're loud. So if you want to get a good night's sleep, DON'T STAY HERE. Plus they don't care when you complain and would like your money back. Their attitude is, "That's not my problem." Spread the word and don't give them your money - especially when it is 500 euros a night. Highway robbery!

Food excellent. View and setting excellent. Service excellent. But, surprise! €60 cover charge PER PERSON almost doubled the tab. Really? ADDENDUM: Was an overnite guest of hotel when above events occurred. I protested the huge "coperto" at restaurant and they reduced it from €60 per person to €6 per person. This begs the question of an honest mistake versus other. I'd recommend the place but be sure to scrutinize the bill

Beautiful hotel! Great service, delicious food. Wonderful setting, walking distance to ancient temples. One our most treasured stops in Sicily!

This is my idea of luxury: not too many rooms therefore intimate enough for a very private stay in an amazing room, wonderful service and amenities, the location and the view are just unique, so much beauty and history around... just overwhelming !

My wife and I booked "as we went" through Sicily .. . and scored big here. The location and the view of the Temple(s) are simply spectacular. The rooms are spotless and well-appointed. The pool well-kept and restaurants excellent (we had all three meals for two days) though on the expensive end. Above all, the friendly service cemented the place as one of our new favorites.