B&B Camerana

Really nice.

Top.

I picked this place on Google Maps, thought it looked good, and ended up liking it even more than I expected. The historic building has a lovely, spotless room with a little study and a bathroom with a very comfortable shower. Double glazing keeps out most of the slight street noise, which is light in the evenings. Parking worked out well for me. I got a spot right outside with my Fiat Freemont. If there isn’t one straight away, wait five minutes and apparently three can open up at once. Mr. Domenico was kind and very helpful. He clearly has plenty of stories to share, and I wish I hadn’t been so tired that I missed the chance for a proper chat. Breakfast isn’t included, as they make clear everywhere, but the village café is only twenty metres away. I got a decent breakfast with excellent coffee for €2.20. If I have more work in Messina, I know where I’ll stay.

I paid far too much for what was offered, the location, and the state of the place. It looked nothing like the photos. I do wonder whether the tourism and hotel authorities have ever inspected it, though I assume they haven’t. Calling it a bed and breakfast feels like a figure of speech, since there’s no breakfast, just a place to sleep. It should be called Affitta Camere. The website suggests parking, but there’s no parking provided. You can try the street, if you can find a space, which seems very unlikely. It’s a long way from Messina, in a small town with hardly any amenities. In my room the shower was broken. The showerhead had been held in place with paper and kept falling off, and the towels smelled damp. There was an empty shared refrigerator outside the rooms. At places I’ve stayed before, there was a fridge in the room and a few bottles of water for guests. There is a kitchen, but it’s empty, with not even a coffee machine. Strongly not recommended!