The Kalura hotel is the perfect location for a relaxing holiday in Sicily. It has excellent facilities, very good restaurant, is reasonably priced and is close to the town of Cefalu, where there are many attractions for the visitor. We didn’t get a room at the back with a view over the sea and bay. Our room at the front, however, had a very pleasant balcony, which was a perfect place to take the evening sun, or relax in the evening. The room itself was clean and spacious, with air-conditioning and a decent bathroom. No mini-bar, unfortunately, meant no fridge, nor was there an ice machine, so cold drinks in the room were not an option. Hotel facilities were good. These included a swimming pool, tennis court, fitness centre, children’s play area as well as stairway access to a small beach and cove. The restaurant was first class – very good food, excellent service and reasonable prices. The town of Cefalu, unfortunately, is not within walking distance, so taxis are needed (1o euros each way). Worth a visit, though, for excellent nightlife and a wide variety of bars and restaurants.

We just completed a thoroughly enjoyable stay at the Hotel Kalura in Cefalu. We had one of their Superior rooms on the 3rd floor which was nicely furnished with a big LCD tv and fridge. There is a smallish but adequate size balcony and the view is so good that this is where you would want to spend most of your time. There is no privacy between balconies though. We ate lunch and dinner in the restaurant during our stay and it was of a very good standard and reasonably priced. The bar area is also very nice and the staff in both were very friendly. The menu is very small and we were a little suprised that it was the same for lunch and dinner but we ate the menu of the day and it was very good. The sea below the hotel is beautiful and there is some nice snorkelling. I would think that it would get very crowded during peak times but at this time of year we had no problem finding some space. The actual beach is very small and the concrete platform is not the most attractive but having such a nice place to swim just steps away is a real bonus. Whilst it is possible to walk to town in 20 to 25 minutes the walk is not that nice. Taxis are 10 Euros - they all seem to charge a flat fee to or from anywhere in the town. When we caught the taxi from the central square area on our first visit this didn't seem too bad as he had to take a long route through the town to get back up to the main road. On our second visit however we caught the taxi at the top end of the town and were back at the hotel in 2 minutes - in this case 10 Euros seemed a bit much. Overall it was an excellent place to stay and I would recommend it to anyone. The only thing to consider is if you prefer to be right in the centre or away from it all a bit with great views.

Having read all the previous reviews, perhaps I can add some comments. We found the Reception staff to be helpful and friendly. We were even greeted by name as we walked in the door on arrival in the evening. OK, maybe we were the only ones still to book in, but it was good PR. An impressive start. All spoke at least some English and one in particular was fluent. Our room, on the first floor, was large and with plenty of storage space. We paid extra to have a sea view - well worth it. The breakfast was more than adequate, and it really is little effort to clear away your debris on the trays provided. We ate in the Restaurant on two evenings. There is a permanent a la carte menu as well as a daily changing fixed menu. The latter is intended for those on half board, but is available to all. Actually, we found it compared very well to the restaurants in Cefalu for both price and service. Many reviewers refer to the 20 - 30 minute walk in to Cefalu, but no one has mentioned the bus service! There are around 12 buses in every day except Sunday when there are 7. The bus stops right outside the hotel and costs (April 2008) 75 cents one way. All told, a very pleasant week in a good hotel situated in a lovely part of Sicily.

The view is fantastic, public areas are very smart but guests rooms are in desperate need of a make over, especially bathrooms which are quite basic on the last floor (rooms with 500s numbers). Despite the air conditioning switched on hot air, we found the room cold at night. Glazing is not up to modern standards and makes rooms very noisy on a windy night. Insulation, between rooms, is not great either and you can hear the neighbours snoring. Reception Staff is very pleasant and will accommodate your wishes if possible. Breakfst is ok; good choice but not greatly presented with canteen-style self service coffee machine. No service at breakfast, you help yourself and clear your tray when finished. Dinner menu had a small choice and quite pricy. The hotel doesn't make the most of its potentials, which is a bit of a shame, and needs some serious refurbishment.

My daughter and I have just returned from a trip to Sicily including five nights at the Kalura which were the highlight of our holiday. We had asked for a twin room with a seaview but were given a massive four poster bed, so big we barely knew we were sharing. The view was great although the balcony was small and somewhat overlooked. We enjoy swimming and were not thrilled with our first sight of the man made bathing area but, in fact, it was a paradise with quiet corners where we felt as if we were the only people there. The water was fabulously clear with a choice of wading in from the beach or climbing straight into deep water. Although the hotel seemed quite full we never felt that the water or the sunbathing area were crowded. When the sun went off the beach late afternoon there was the option of using the large and usually empty pool at the other side of the hotel. The staff were always pleasant and helpful, particularly the two older men who made us feel really welcome. We only ate breakfast at the hotel. The food was the same every day but always pleasant and plentiful with cheese, ham, breads, pastries, eggs, bacon, dried and tinned fruit, yoghurt and so on. the coffee was rather dull and some more interesting fresh fruit would have made things perfect. The walk into Cefalu took fifteen or twenty minutes and was partly along a road but we didn't find this a problem. There are some lovely bars and restaurants to choose from. We particularly liked Le Chat Noir and one of the restaurants in front of the duomo. We would definitely recommend this hotel and would be happy to stay there again.