Hotel Villa Athena

This review is for the communal dining experience at the hotel restaurant although the entire hotel is a dream, not to be missed.

Rarely in life are there moments of pure delight when every worry fades away, allowing you to be completely present. Opting for the barbecue at Villa Athena, you follow candlelit paths to a beautiful communal table set in the heart of the farm. My wife and I were seated across from each other to encourage mingling, and the specialness of the setting was not lost on the fellow guests.

What initially felt awkward was soon eased with wine, and despite the many languages spoken, everyone came together for this one memorable meal. Overlooking the ancient ruins of the Valley of the Temples, we exchanged stories of our lives, love, travel adventures, and stories of home. The entire evening, filled with a sense of magic, was clearly intentional. Giovanni treated us with the kind of hospitality you’d expect from family, thinking of everything. The wine flowed, and the food was delicious, local, and abundant. We were fortunate to have a local Sicilian and his wonderful wife who both sang so beautifully that the entire table roared with applause.

Visit Villa Athena. When you have so many options along your Sicilian travels, this hotel and the chance to dine with strangers will leave you wanting more, or even a more Sicilian way of life.

Small but superb converted villa based within the Valley of the Temples archaeological site. Truly magnificent views of the Concordia Temple, which is situated directly behind the Villa. Private access to seldom-visited ruins and pathways, which I suggest you visit first before you join the people (and likely, crowds) on the main walkway between three major temples.

Hotel staff is diligent and attentive. The rooms you need to pay attention to, as several are on the lower level that face greenery or walls on either side of the building. The rooms are a bit on the smallish side however that's to be expected for this type of historic building.

The restaurant is very good, with excellent and filling breakfasts. Dinner is typically served on the terrace overlooking the Concordia Temple but if the weather is too cool or rainy, they use the indoor facility. It's nice but it's not the same, of course. 100% recommend due to the access to the ruins and convenience for extended private walks. There's also an organic garden and orchard across the main road which you can book lunch or dinner for. Nearly everything that is served is grown on site, so expect seasonal fruits and veggies.

Step up and order a room with the view of the temples. Otherwise you get a view of a parking lot which is a little uninspiring. The hotel is really set and an old villa, so the access through the property is a little peculiar.

It's on the cusp of a five-star, the staff really goes out of their way to greet you professionally and help with luggage and perform all of the expected high service features. We got water in the room and a little candy platter to check in. Lovely. The hotel pool overlooks the temples, and that's without a doubt the feature of this property. I can't understate how cool it was to be able to access the temple park through the hotel itself. That was a game changer. Being able to get up in our own pace and avoid all the crowds, and there are some crowds, and get to the park see the temples before the tourist swarms descended was key.

The kitchen looked fantastic. They were ironing the tablecloths for the dinner serving when we left. We opted to go into Agrigento for dinner. Not sure I'd recommend that either, even though the place we went was a Michelin star.

Ok, this is our second night here and all I can do is say, that you need to stay here for a truly remarkable hotel experience within the Valley of the Temples. It’s luxurious. The view and proximity to the park is outstanding. We just got back from a walk up to the temple for the sunset. And now we will walk to their remarkable restaurant. The staff is professional and extremely friendly. Our room was lovely plus we had a private terrace with a view! How much can I say? I have to mention that we had a private tour with Lorenzo from the Agrigento Experience which is also 10 stars! These 2 nights and 1 full day will always be on our top 5 list!!

Superb. We didn't plan on staying in Agrigento but I'm glad we ended up here. The rooms are super cozy, spacious and clean, it has everything you need and more, and the view is breathtaking! I really enjoyed spending time in the garden bar. The service at dinner was somewhat slow, but it totally worth the wait, kudos to the chef, everything we ate was delicious.

The room had an incredible view straight to temple of concorde, ( so out of this world, charming sunset views)... also nice pool, spa...and very convenient with easy access to the temples...the food was exquisite, room a bit old fashioned but was clean, and very nice service.

We had an exceptional experience during our all-too-brief stay at this stunning property. Located perfectly (you feel like you can almost "touch" the Temple of Concordia from the garden restaurant/bar/pool area), from the moment we arrived until departing we were treated like royalty. The entire staff is professional, kind and clearly focused on pleasing their guests. They went above-and-beyond for us: when we arrived downstairs just after breakfast service had ended, they couldn't have been nicer about it- and insisted we have a seat in the garden while they got a tray of various items for us. Frankly, what they pulled together in 5 minutes was better than any other breakfast we had in our 1-week journey through Sicily! We couldn't recommend the Athena more whole heartedly. We look forward to returning!

💯I highly recommend the Villa Athena hotel! The building itself and the surroundings of beautiful gardens and ancient temples are spectacular both day and night. It's green and lush everywhere even off-season. The direct access to the Valley of the Temples from the hotel is a rare privilege. The breakfast is fresh and delicious, with a wide selection of food. The rooms are excellently equipped, spacious, beautifully designed with attention to the smallest detail. The hotel also offers an array of amenities and attractions within the place, making it an ideal spot for both leisure and workation. The service is phenomenal, everyone is very kind, dedicated and helpful, but they also go above and beyond. Our previous accommodation turned out to be a scam (yes, it happens even in 2024), and the hotel staff found us a room one night earlier than planned smoothly and without any problems, for which we are very grateful. Villa Athena is truly a gem worth discovering for anyone visiting Sicily, offering a blend of natural beauty, historical significance, and modern luxury

Very nice stay. The breakfast is super with tons of variety, even if the ordering system is a bit odd. The room is comfortable and the location near the temples is quite nice. It is expensive for sure so whether or not it is worth 3x another place in Agrigento will depend on your budget...

Gave it a 5 star overall only because one staff member was extraordinary - Manuela! She worked at the restaurant and gave so much love and joy to our little 11 months old. She really went out of her way to care for her and entertain her during dinner so my husband and I could have a breather. She just genuinely loved babies! She even thoughtfully brought a thermal mug to ensure we have hot water over night to warm the baby milk. Our baby loved her so much that whenever she saw Manuela at the resort, she’ll scream of excitement! We stayed for 3 nights! So lots of happy memory thanks to Manuela. I fully plan to come back to the hotel in the future when the baby is older and weather warmer and have her see the grown up baby

Can’t say I was impressed w the reception lady and door man who never really engaged or said hi to our baby. It felt like she was a nuisance especially because our espresso machine didn’t work when we arrived so we couldn’t get hot water for her milk. Reception was annoyed with us ordering hot water.
The venue is really spectacular and so convenient to get to the temples. What a gem!

I travelled everywhere but this is probably one of the best hotels I have been in. Fully 5 stars experience from the service to the room. Very attentive staff, attention to details, they remembered our preferences at the restaurant. The food was delicious, and the view from the room was incredible. Both me and my wife had an amazing time here.

Beautiful place, excellent service and espectacular views! Definitely a must on your visit!

Beautiful gardens and views. The rooms were comfortable and clean. The staff was top notch.

Stayed for three nights. Loved everything about this hotel. The staff is wonderfully attentive and friendly. The breakfast is a la carte, and delicious. Convenient parking, pet friendly and private entry to the Temple Valley. Highly recommended.
Picture shows the window view from our Temple View Room.

Perfect place to visit the Greek temples in Agrigent. The hotel is located directly in the middle of the historical site.

We had temple view rooms , outstanding view , could not be bettered, it felt like a privilege to be there and just look out of the bedroom window .

Rooms were spacious, light and airy.

This is an absolute must.
Be sure to make reservations and come!
Outdoor dinner looking at ruins is fantastic!

The Hotel is beautiful and has very nice bedrooms and installations. Staff is friendly and helpful. Location is excellent. You can see the temples from the hotel and visiting the archeological site is very easy.

Wonderful boutique hotel with amazing views of the temples. Dinner and breakfast were superb, staff was great, and private entrance to the archeological park. A great stay!

It's like being in a resort. The views are unbelievable of the Valley of the Temples. The rooms are so comfortable. We had fabulous pillows and mattresses.
The service staff is so friendly and helpful.
A must to go to!