What one is looking for a holiday differs greatly between folk and so I must start this review by stating that, after 18 months of challenge and stress in our lives, we were seeking complete relaxation. We read reviews of Mangia's Himera Resort and were aware that we would be quite isolated in terms of location and mobility - didn't matter - and that we were likely to be two in a very small number of Brits or English speakers - didn't matter; we just wanted to crash for two weeks in a comfortable environment and come away feeling refreshed. Mangia's Himera Resort proved to precisely fit the bill. The hotel, whilst spacious, felt compact enough that you would recognise guests and there is a good balance between indoor and outdoor spaces, in fact there are plenty of spaces in Reception, the lobby and the entertainment space for sitting and relaxing. Outdoor spaces range from courtyards, poolside seating by the bar, outdoor area to the restaurant, plenty of sunbeds, both directly next to the pool and on terraces. In addition there are more sunbeds on the lawn by the beach, by the beachside bar and on the beach itself, where there is a Life Guard on duty for most of the day, with a timetable of when the beach is supervised posted on the fence at the entrance to the beach. The pool, at first glance, doesn't seem very large, but it easily accommodated the guests who were there in May. The main pool is a single depth and, in addition, one corner is sectioned off as a children's pool, with shallow steps to each section. There are poolside showers and toilets available, and you can borrow a good quality beach towel from Reception - we paid 5 Euros each for a two week stay. The hotel has a spa - which we didn't visit - with a list of treatments available provided in the room, a small shop selling basics, swimwear, a few English language books and lots of souvenirs and postcards. There is also an office from where you can book excursions, or the hotel shuttle bus, which goes to the nearby town of Cefalu daily. You can also hire a car from an office within the hotel, not necessarily the cheapest rates, but you have the car directly from the hotel, rather than having to go to collect from Cefalu or Palermo. The Animation Team are young, multi lingual and enthusiastic. They organise activities in the pool and entertainment lounge during the day and, each evening there is either a 'show' or something like a quiz. Rooms, in common with the hotel in general, are stylish, well decorated, spotlessly clean, with chic bathrooms and plenty of storage. I found the bed in our room really uncomfortable but, on enquiring at Reception, they liaised with the wonderful Housekeeping Team, who bolstered the matress for me and, from then on, I slept well. Where the hotel really shines, and what made the holiday for us, was the food - such good quality, plenty of choice and a great restaurant vibe - we managed to eat all but two of our meals outside on the terr
Very Good
7 Reviews