Hotel Hints

The most important hack on this hotel is reserving a room with a sea view and a balcony (“camera vista mare con balcone”). This is not an upgrade; it is the whole point of staying here. The view of the harbor, the island, and that turquoise water is what makes the hotel special and more than makes up for the simple rooms. Book well in advance, especially for July and August.

Plan to eat dinner in the hotel’s restaurant at least once. There is a reason it is well known across the region. My advice would be to forget about the menu and just ask your waiter for the ‘pesce del giorno’ or whatever they suggest. This guarantees that you have the very freshest catch, served up in a simple traditional Sicilian way. To combine your dining with some sightseeing, also go and visit the local ‘mercato del pesce’ early in the morning and have a look at their colorful daily auction.

Sure, the hotel has its private beach, but you’d better use your car to explore the breathtaking deserted beaches. One of Sicily’s best beaches, including the well-known Calamosche, is at the Vendicari Nature Reserve, just 20 minutes by car. Well, if nature is your thing, you would certainly not want to miss the beaches of Carratois and Punta delle Formiche, just near Isola delle Correnti.

Become one with the local culture of ‘passeggiata’. Late in the afternoon, he suggests that you join the town’s people for a walk along the sea side before dinner. Enjoy an aperitivo at a tiny bar in the main piazza and just sit and watch. This is true Sicily, far enough from the main tourists. Saying a few simple words of Italian will endear you to the hotel staff and local shopkeepers and enhance your stay.