Relais Antica Badia - San Maurizio 1619

Ragusa was my favorite place in all of Sicily. Its history and rustic buildings set on the rock make it fascinating to explore, though be ready for the hills and lots of walking, or take taxis and buses. The hotel and staff were perfect. I'd absolutely come back to this special place.

The air conditioning was good, but this is nowhere near a five-star hotel. It's in the newer part of town, and the old city is about a 25-minute walk downhill with plenty of steps. The hallways were very dirty, and the bathroom felt tiny and uncomfortable for the size of the room. Breakfast was very basic, with eggs costing extra.

The staff were wonderful and went out of their way to help with anything we asked. There were freshly baked cookies at reception, a nice little treat when heading out or back to the room. It's a beautiful old villa, and the rooms were spacious, with good air conditioning, comfortable beds, lovely towels and upscale toiletries. Breakfast was very good, served in a lovely room with local products and some other interesting choices. You can order extra items from a menu for an additional charge. I heard there is parking and a spa, though I didn't have time to try the spa. The location is fine, but it's not in the old town. We walked through the newer part, where many shops are closed since a big mall opened outside the community. We found some nice restaurants within walking distance. Others we met took a taxi to the old town to eat at one of its two or three Michelin-starred restaurants. I'd highly recommend this hotel.

We arrived after a car accident on our holiday, and the staff made a difficult recovery much more comfortable. I was on strict bed rest for the first eight days, and they brought beautifully presented breakfasts to the room each day, gave us plates for takeaways, suggested nearby places with takeout, and printed documents for us. They also communicated with visiting doctors and held rooms provisionally until our travel insurance confirmed them. When we had to move rooms, they rented us a wheelchair. Nothing we needed seemed like a problem. The hotel itself is beautiful and clean, with lovely rooms and extremely comfortable beds. The cleaners were happy to work around us while I couldn't leave the room. I only wish we could have stayed in better circumstances. I'm very grateful to all the staff.