What hotels are good as to location for walking and perhaps using the sightseeing bus . I am hoping

What hotels are good as to location for walking vacation packages to mexico and perhaps using the sightseeing bus . I am hoping also the hotel could help with a guide but am open to any recommendations for that as well. Hotels I am considering vacation packages to mexico are Grand Hotel Piazza Borsa, Centrale Palace and Grand Hotel Wagner. Does anyone have personal knowledge of these and how their locations might rate. Safety is a factor for me as well. I believe we will be coming into Palermo by train from the Taormina area (possibly from Messina) so walking from the station to the hotel is a consideration. If anyone has suggestions about traveling to Palermo from Taormina area please advise. We do not want to rent a car as we are just going from this area to Palermo. Would flying from Catania to Palermo be an option? Thanks for any suggestions.
I stayed at the Wagner vacation packages to mexico in June 2010. It has an old world feel which fits well with Palermo. I very much liked the location near Politeama (a main square) between the old and new cities. It's not near the train station but I think the sightseeing buses may leave from Politeama. You can click on my name for my trip report for more details.