Sicilia Travel Forum

Considering NH Tonnara Di Bonagia Resort in Valderice. Mixed reviews online. are there nice trattorias and simple restaurants within walking distance of this hotel? hotel looks lovely on the web but some guests say the town is very dull. Any alternative suggestions appreciated - nice hotel with pool, walking distance town or village and beach. need to be close to trapani.

Well, the town is no more than an old village, not a tourist spot at all (that may be a pro or a con, depending on your idea).

I remember i ate in a very nice restaurant in one on the streets heading inland... but i can't remember the name.
here i found a few, that are all in Bonagia
http://www.siciliano.it/citta-ristoranti.cfm?citta=Valderice%20-%20Loc.%20Bonagia

Anyway, i recomned you to hire a car or scooter to see a part of sicily. It is very worth it, and nearly impossible to do by public means of transportation. Erice itself is a wonderful place. And tehre is segesta, Zingaro oasis near San Vito lo Capo, Mozia....

Ciao
Francesco

very many thanks. that is very helpful. i have persuaded my husband to hire a car, so i think the Tonnara will be fine. I welcome any advice on enjoying the area.

Take a look on the site: www.casitadeluca.it , the English version. They have quite a lot of info about the area.

I am back and just to update the post.

1. Hotel Tonnara di Bonnagia. Wonderful hotel, spectacular location. fantastic hotel to stay in. We had an apartment which was small but compact and very well equipped. lovely bathroom. request seaview & u get a balcony or terrace. spectacular. unfortunately we didn't but it didn't matter really. maid service cleaning rooms every day and turn down service in evening. very helpful staff, many of whom speak english. fantastic breakfast.
2. fab pool with lifeguards, beautifully maintained, towels provided, sunloungers, stunning view over sea.
3. animation team (not pushy just very nice and good fun but quite low key). Great for small children.
4. 1 tennis court 1 football pitch and table tennis.
5. restaurant expensive but generally good food. great staff. dining outdoors in courtyard if not windy.
6. pool bar.
7.courtyard bar for evening.
8.Great snorkelling from the hotel shore. lots of sealife. crystal clear waters.
9. small shack bar outside hotel complex overlooks marina / harbour for sunset watching over the sea.

Bonagia is a hamlet, really unremarkable architecturally with the exception of the hotel. however it is a fishing village, around a little harbour and marina and it's completely unspoilt. watch the fishermen landing their catch etc.

Only drawback here is that there is little choice of places to eat. 3 restaurants in the town and 1 in hotel, all of which were quite expensive. there is a tiny supermarket, tiny. there is a pizza takeaway place which we didn't try. there is a bar in the main street which does dull looking sandwiches and icecreams. there are pizzerias within a few minutes drive - we didn't try. i wld recommend driving into trapani for dining for a better choice. The sicilians staying at the hotel did not rate the restaurants in the village and drove instead into Trapani or dined in the hotel.

fantastic base for touring - we visited Erice (we took cable car from Trapani - 15 mins drive & then cable car up), Segesta about 30 mins drive direct, then very scenic drive back via Scopello etc. Also good if u want to visit the salt pans (we didn't) and of course very handy for Trapani. about 40 mins from Trapani Airport. wld be good base also if going to the islands.

i highly recommend the hotel and i would return.

many thanks for all the advice.