The apartment is truly in the heart of Palermo, on the via Roma. It's an interior apartment with a few windows that face what's basically an air-well, so there is no street noise. There is a mechanical room next door, and other apartments of course, but neither is a deal breaker. The pictures are accurate. It felt very safe.
The well-equipped kitchen was the best thing. It is also stocked with all the basics - salt, olive oil, sugar, etc (all left by previous guests) so you can realistically cook a meal without having to buy every little thing. And there is a LIDL market just down the street for inexpensive supplies.
Everything else works well - a/c, washer (no clothes dryer), tv, plenty of hot water, etc. The lift is new and efficient.
Downsides? The beds were too firm (nothing an 3" memory foam mattress wouldn't fix). and the ceiling in the loft is a little low. But all-in-all, a great place, very close to all the attractions. The bus even stops just outside the front door.