Borgomare

The cabins were very basic, as we expected, but they were infested with cockroaches. With two small children, we were constantly watching to make sure they didn’t touch the poison. We also found rats on the patio four times in one week, three of them dead. The pool is tiny and poorly cared for. The only maintenance we saw was a huge amount of chlorine being poured in. The whole area felt desolate and unpleasant to look at and smell, right beside a recycling center. You need a car for anything. The sea may not even be suitable for swimming. It’s next to a disused industrial complex, with muddy rocks and murky water making for an awful view. We booked in a rush and hadn’t checked some of the details. After we showed the facility manager all this evidence and explained our disappointment, he was extremely rude and made no effort to address circumstances that were plainly unjustifiable. A nightmare week in August. Avoid this place.

The vacation rentals themselves aren’t bad, but they’re in a terrible part of Sicily. It’s an old industrial area, and abandoned warehouses are still right by the beach. The water is rough, and the rentals are old with unbearable smells. During the day it smells like sewage, at night like garbage. A huge landfill a few hundred meters away holds rubbish from the area, and I think even from Palermo. To me, this is the worst stretch of coastline in Sicily.

The setting is peaceful, and I’d recommend it for families or groups of friends. Cefalù is only a 15-minute drive away, with other lovely seafront promenades nearby. We stayed with friends in a comfortable, practical apartment that had almost everything we needed. It was in a lovely, very well-maintained residence, just steps from the pool. The bathroom and shower were always spotless. An easy path through the olive trees leads to the beach. One tip: consider using a lido or wearing proper shoes. The public beach has very coarse gravel, which makes getting into the water and lying down uncomfortable.

Such a clean, pleasant apartment in a very quiet residence. It has all the comforts, sits close to the beach, and guests can use the pool on site. The staff made us feel very welcome. Highly recommended, 10 out of 10.