Dependance La Mouette in Termini Imerese

Very good place and good rooms.

This hotel was wonderful. We a last minute issue with where we were staying, and they were able to accomodate 6 of us with no issues. They even arranged for all of us to stay on the same floor and all have gorgeous views. The rooms were comfortable with plenty of room for two people and had air conditioning.

The staff was very incredible and attentive. Any issues or questions we had were addressed quickly and with kindness. For example, one member of our party had forgotten a toothbrush. The night desk attendant did not have any, but the next morning, they remembered that he needed a toothbrush and handed him one as soon as they spotted him come down for breakfast. I found that to be really caring and considerate.

The most wonderful thing they did for us was the care they took when a member of our party contracted COVID. I know he posted his own review, but I also really appreciated the care they took to make sure that he was alright and able to safely wait out his quarantine. They even put up with a somewhat frantic call from me when I hadn't heard from the sick person in a while and was worried he was unwell. The person who answered the phone was very nice to me despite the fact I had about three words of Italian available and was very distressed.

So to reiterate, the hotel was very nice and the staff went above and beyond to take care of all of us.

With a perfect location just west of Termini-Imerese and a great view of the sea, my first few days at Il Gabbiano were pleasant enough. It's a great staging area for exploring the hills to the south, the beaches along the coast, and the downtown, and is an easy 15 minute walk from the train station.

The rooms themselves were good, all problems were minor and very quickly solved. The staff were professional and helpful, even despite my very limited Italian.

I prepared to leave Sicily on the 11th to return to the States by obtaining my official negative COVID test, just before the requirement was dropped by American authorities.

I'm not sure I made that last paragraph ominous enough.

I tested positive for COVID on the 10th. I had no symptoms, which means that the testing requirement definitely prevented me from exposing dozens or hundreds of people to COVID. If there's one thing to take from my sorry tale, it's that COVID testing saves lives.

Naturally, I was in a bind. American authorities are absolutely no help whatsoever, and I was in a strange country where I speak only a little of the language. I needed a place to stay out my mandatory 10+ day isolation.

The staff at Il Gabbiano rose to the occasion, and I cannot emphasize enough; they were absolute heroes. My stay at Il Gabbiano was extended, and with food brought in by friends I stayed safe and fulfilled my mandatory quarantine without exposing anyone else. When I departed on the 21st, I felt deeply indebted to the staff and management at Il Gabbiano.

Any criticisms of the hotel pale before this. There is a second thing to take from my sorry tale; Hotel Il Gabbiano is an establishment you can trust when all else fails. I would stay here again in a heartbeat, although hopefully under less mandatory conditions.