Ciclope Resort

The pool was nice and the rooms were well equipped, but several things went wrong. We had booked the expensive room with a balcony and pool view, and didn't get either. The AC wasn't working, and the parents' suite had no windows apart from one small roof window that woke us at sunrise. The service desk wasn't much help.

The hotel is great, the staff are very friendly, and everything was clean. The pool is amazing. Breakfast is the one letdown: it's convenient that they bring it to your room, but the quality isn't very good. Better to grab a bite outside.

The staff are helpful and service minded, and the pool bar team are friendly. Giovanni (Johnny) and his colleagues serve drinks, snacks, and meals with a smile. The pool itself is large and inviting, with a water feature inspired by Isola dei Ciclopi, massage jets, a shallow area for toddlers, and good depth elsewhere. The area is relaxing, and there's usually a sun chair available, so nobody needs to race out with towels at 7 in the morning. The rooms are nice too, with some cool details in the ceiling and lighting. Signor il Direttore keeps an attentive eye on the place and is always ready with a smile and a chat for guests and staff. Our 7yo called him the friendliest boss he'd ever met, though admittedly he hasn't met that many. When a friend got sick, the night staff thought waiting for a taxi would take too long and drove them to the hospital themselves. Breakfast has enough variety to suit most people. Arriving after dark was a little confusing because Google maps puts Ciclope Resort across the street. The resort is part of Hotel Malavoglia, whose name was easy to spot. The basement parking spaces are a good size, though getting in and out is a bit narrow, as is often the case in Italy. Highly recommended.

For a stay in Sicilia and Italy, this residence topped my list. It's a new, clean, relaxed, resort-style place in the charming seaside village of Acitrezza. The pool is great, and from here you can reach a fish restaurant, a small public beach, and town life. It's a mostly flat town, and people are courteous and speak English. Acitrezza is also the setting of an Italian film. If you'd like to ease into a Sicilian seaside trip without immediately dealing with all the travel hassles, heat, language, confusion, traffic, rough edges, or lack of toilets and toilet paper, I'd recommend staying a few days here to start your trip. You must visit Mount Etna from here, taking the cable car and 4x4 minibus to get to within 500 m of the summit.