Ciauru Design B&B

The room was spacious, had air conditioning, and the bed was comfortable. From the balcony there’s a stunning view of the strait, and the B&B is right in front of the ferries. You can get to the centre in a few minutes by bus or tram. I stayed five nights. WiFi was down for a couple of days, but worked fine after that, and the bathroom hairdryer cable could use some maintenance. Breakfast was just OK, while check-in and check-out were straightforward. Good value and a good place to stay.

The ferry is just down the street and leaves every 40 minutes, which at least makes it easy to get away. Over three months of travel, this may be the worst place I’ve stayed. Arriving at sundown, I found nobody there. I had to look up the number and call. They missed my call but rang back quickly, so I could let myself into a dark, empty hotel. Maybe I was lucky someone buzzed me in downstairs at all. It’s in an old condo building, with barely a sign outside, and you have to find the A elevator bank to get upstairs. The room was dim and smelled of smoky musk. Two poor mattresses had been pushed together, and I could hear every sound from the neighbors. I barely slept. The sheets were stained, there was mold in the bathroom, and the showerhead was corroded. The towels were about as soft as you’d expect. The toilet button stuck, so I had to press it repeatedly to stop the water running. I thought at least the water pressure was good, but it turned cold before I could lather up. Maybe that was just as well, since its harmonic hum would have given me a headache. The “breakfast” was a buffet of pastries left out for who knows how long, and cost another 5€.

We needed somewhere at the last minute in an emergency, and Cetty helped us out. She sent the entry details smoothly over WhatsApp. Our room was spacious, airy and clean, with a door onto a balcony, plus a kettle and tea bags. No mosquitoes, and we both slept really well in the comfortable bed. There are a few places to eat nearby, and it’s a 2km walk into the centro. The shared lounge and breakfast room has a big balcony looking over the harbour. Breakfast is the usual sugar-heavy spread, with lots of cakes and a coffee machine. Parking is available on a nearby street. I’d highly recommend Ciauru b&b.

We walked up the road to a lively dinner spot, and the location in Messina was great. The only drawback was that the AC turns off when you go out. We should have asked for a second card.