Stesicoro InHabit - Guesthouse City Center

We spent many evenings on the balcony watching Sicilian life in the piazza with a bottle of Prosecco, and we liked having no set meal times. On our last evening, Fabio recommended Trattoria del Cavaliere. The typical Sicilian food was good, and the price was reasonable. We knew before booking that there were 52 steps to the room, that renovation work was underway ahead of a lift installation, and that breakfast was served at a nearby cafe rather than on site. We enjoyed the different experience of a true Sicilian breakfast, with no alarm to catch a hotel breakfast and the chance to try different things during our stay. At other hotels we often eat too much at the buffet, so this suited us. We could have a light lunch before going out in the evening if we wanted. The central spot on Via Etnea was our choice because Catania’s bars, restaurants, and trattorias were right there, with public transport available for trips farther out. Fabio was very helpful with local bus times for Taormina and Siracusa. We’d also read that towels and bedding weren’t changed every day. That was fine with us, since it saves laundry costs and might help keep the overall price lower. There was one day when the bed wasn’t made and the bins weren’t emptied. We raised it with Fabio, and it was sorted after that. Two staff members we saw seemed to have limited English, but we don’t expect everyone to speak our language. We use translation apps a lot to help explain ourselves and understand. Some other reviews give the guesthouse low ratings for things outside its control, such as its central location. We had a lovely stay.

The location is undeniably good, but our stay was very poor. The room was next to the entrance and faced an alley, so we were woken by other guests coming and going or kept awake by street noise. It echoed through the alley, and with the place so central it felt constant. We live beside a nightclub back home and are used to drunk people shouting at 3 am, but this was worse. Light sleepers should avoid it. There were also big cockroaches, perhaps the worst part. The building was being refurbished, and there was no lift to the second floor. Breakfast wasn’t included; we got a voucher for coffee and a mediocre pastry at the cafe downstairs. The manager was very rude, spoke no English, and grumbled at us in Italian whenever he spoke. We didn’t feel welcome or comfortable bringing bigger problems to him. Our room went uncleaned for three days because he’d misplaced its key. He didn’t tell us what had happened, apologize, or offer fresh towels. We only knew nobody had come. After we asked British Airways, the partner we booked through, what could be done, he finally asked for our key. I’m editing this because the owner replied in a patronizing way and blamed us for the lack of communication. We never refused to return the key. When it was requested, after three days and after we involved BA, we handed it over so housekeeping could finally clean. This place may once have been nice, based on earlier reviews, and it could be nice again, but it seems to have gone downhill. Guests deserve to know its current state, not what it used to be or might become.

I paid for a Radical Storage service and was given this property’s address and phone number. When I got there, I found a shabby door with the hotel’s name by the bell, but nobody answered the door or the phone listed on Google Maps. Someone who lived on the same street told me there was no hotel there. Based on what happened, I assume no such hotel exists at the address Radical Storage or Google Maps provided. It could be a scam or just incorrect information online. The place seems to be closed, or not there at all.

The location was good, but our room looked a little worn. The bathroom felt cramped, with hardly any leg room between the toilet and shower. The room itself was okay. Remember that the tourist tax is paid separately when you leave, on top of the room price.