in Sicily, Italy
Splendid Hotel La Torre
- Kid
- Teen
This is the Sicily trip where the city is the point and the pool is the reward. Splendid Hotel La Torre sits on the sea at Mondello, fifteen minutes' drive from central Palermo, which means you can do the Ballarò market, the Cappella Palatina and the puppet theatre in the morning and be swimming by three. Three pools including a saltwater one at the water's edge, boardwalks and steps straight into the sea, and a private beach club. Mondello's own famous sweep of white sand and shallow water is a walk along the bay. Be clear about what this is not: there is no kids club, no animation, no children's programme, and the hotel's own shoreline is rock and ladders. It is a city hotel with a sea view, and it suits families with children who swim and want Palermo more than they want a slide.
Our verdict
The one to book if you want Palermo properly and still want to swim every day. Best for children over about seven. Not a resort, and no substitute for one.
The rooms
170 rooms on the rocky point at Valdesi, at the far end of Mondello bay. Rooms are spacious and plainly modern, and the ones with a sea view look straight down onto the boardwalks and the saltwater pool. Extra beds and cots are chargeable per night, so a family of four adds up: check the total, not the headline rate. Some rooms give direct access out to the pool terrace, which with children old enough to swim is the configuration to ask for.
At a glance
- Palermo centre
- About 15 min by car
- Pools
- Three, one saltwater at sea level
- Beach
- Rocky at hotel, sand along the bay
- Kids club
- None
How the KidProof Score works
Every hotel is rated on eight things families actually care about, then weighted by how much each one drives your choice. Room setup counts the most. The little touches break the ties.
Sleeps how many? Connecting rooms, family suites, a real extra bed?
Clean travel cot, high chair, bottle warmer, changing table, kit to borrow.
Shallow pool or paddling area, playground, kids club (free or paid).
Quick breakfast, kids menus, allergy options, snacks on hand.
Secured windows, protected corners, watched pool, well kept grounds.
Laundry, in-room fridge, stroller access, parking, reliable Wi-Fi.
Close to family attractions, easy transport, park tickets or access.
Welcome gift for the child, staff who talk to kids, themed rooms.
Why families love it
- Fifteen minutes from central Palermo, but on the sea at Mondello
- Three pools including a saltwater pool at the water's edge, plus a private beach club
- Rooms with direct access to the pool terrace and the boardwalks
- Mondello's white sandy bay, shallow and famous, is along the shore
🗓️A day here with kids
- 8:00
Early breakfast, straight into town
Palermo before 9am is a different, better city.
- 9:30
Cappella Palatina, then the market
Mosaics first while they still have patience, food second as the reward.
- 13:30
Back to Mondello
Saltwater pool at the water's edge, and nobody moves for three hours.
- 18:30
Walk the bay for a sfincione
The promenade at dusk is the whole point of staying out here.
Family things to do nearby
Palermo puppet theatre
The Opera dei Pupi: painted knights, actual sword fights, no Italian required. Forty minutes and completely gripping for six to ten year olds.
Ballarò or Capo market
Street food, shouting, arancine and panelle. Go before 11am and let them choose lunch by pointing.
Mondello bay
White sand, water that stays waist-deep for a very long way, and Palermo families making an afternoon of it. Loud, crowded and lovely.
Is it right for your kids?
Baby
0 to 1 yr
Not the choice. Cots cost extra nightly, there are no baby facilities, and the hotel's shoreline is rock and ladders. Mondello's sand is a walk away, which is a lot with a pram.
Toddler
1 to 3 yrs
Mondello bay itself is superb for this age, shallow for a very long way. The hotel is not: deep water off the rocks and no shallow pool. Manageable if you are beach-first, hard if not.
Kid
4 to 11 yrs
From about seven, once they swim well, this is a great trip: puppets, markets, mosaics, a saltwater pool and the bay. The city gives them stories no resort will.
Teen
12 yrs and up
The best hotel here for teenagers. Palermo has street food, a real city to walk in and a beach full of Italians their own age. Nothing organised, and they will not want any.
Plan your stay
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Stays near Splendid Hotel La Torre, Mondello, Palermo, Sicily, Italy
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Parents also ask
Is Palermo all right with children?
Yes, with the usual big-city care about bags and traffic. Sicilians are warm with children in a way that makes restaurants and markets easier, not harder. Go in the morning and avoid the afternoon heat.
Do we need a car?
Not really, which is unusual for Sicily. Buses and taxis run between Mondello and Palermo, and Palermo airport is about thirty minutes. Take a car only if you want Cefalù or Segesta.
Can we swim at the hotel itself?
Yes, but from boardwalks and steps into deep water, plus the private beach club. It is a rocky point, not a beach. Confident swimmers only, and Mondello's sand for everyone else.
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