Guest User
June 25, 2025
We stayed at Mangia’s Himera Resort in Sicily for one week in June, booked through Jet2. While the hotel is extremely modern, immaculately clean and well-maintained, there are several things to be aware of — particularly for British travellers who are craving home comforts. The cleanliness and its modern nature is the hotel’s standout feature. Rooms were cleaned daily and all shared areas were spotless — it was one of the cleanest hotels we’ve ever stayed in. The pool area is lovely, with plenty of loungers and space to relax. We also really enjoyed the morning aerobics sessions, which were a fun and energetic way to start the day. That said, our arrival at 11 PM wasn’t ideal. We were dropped off on a roadside and had to walk about 5 minutes to reception with our luggage, which felt a bit unsettling in the dark. No food was available on arrival, and the receptionist spoke very little English, making it difficult to get the information we needed. The food overall was fine, with some good dishes at lunch and dinner, but it became repetitive. Breakfast was disappointing, made up mainly of pastries and lacking in hot or savoury options. One issue we found was with the tight meal times. Breakfast is from 07:30–09:00, lunch from 12:30–14:00, and dinner from 19:30–21:00 — all fairly short windows. If you miss them, your options are limited. The hotel advertises “pool snacks throughout the day,” but these turned out to be leftover pastries from breakfast or lunch, not proper snacks or hot food The all-inclusive drinks offering was not great. You had to collect spirits from the bar and then mix them yourself using a soft drink machine. It wasn’t very convenient — though the lemonade was quite delicious! Also be aware that not everything is included in the ‘all inclusive’ which was bizarre. One of the more surprising aspects of the stay was that, despite being in Italy, all the staff seemed to be French, and the hotel was clearly geared towards a French-speaking clientele. From the entertainment to signage and even most of the communication, everything leaned heavily French. English was rarely spoken, which made it more difficult to ask questions or get information. It felt more like a French holiday village in Italy than an Italian resort. Evening entertainment was minimal. Aside from a kids’ disco, there wasn’t much going on. One night featured a “musicals” show that was entirely in French, despite the musicals being originally English — reinforcing the feeling that the hotel is primarily catered to French guests, not British ones. There is also a private beach, which is a nice bonus. However, be aware that it’s very rocky, and uncomfortable to walk on without sea shoes. The hotel is also very isolated. There is nothing in walking distance, and you’re dependent on taxis for any trips outside the resort. We paid £10 each way to Campofelice which is 5 minutes up the road, and £35 each way to Cefalù (30 minutes away), which adds up fast if you w