Aruci B&B

The hostess was very gracious, and we had a comfortable room with delicious breakfast. It's a beautifully designed place in a convenient part of Siracusa.

I don't usually write reviews or vent, but people told me to explain what happened out of respect for others. My wife and I arrived on the 11th, and the owner didn't get back to me until two days later. That could perhaps be understandable on its own. At breakfast, our basket had a pistachio croissant and one with ricotta cream, plus wafers. We politely asked for chocolate croissants, but it took four days for one to arrive. The next morning, the baskets were back to pistachio and ricotta croissants. I think croissants should be plain to start with, since you don't know what people can eat. There were also two tarts in a separate basket. I ate only one so there'd be some left for the other guests. Something else happened too, and we ended up leaving two days early. I know a refund doesn't apply to me, but even when I asked about it, she was only concerned with whether we'd enjoyed the stay, saying she'd seen us looking strange that morning. How could she not notice that we'd left everything in the tray because she'd brought us the same croissants again? The room was properly cleaned only once in eight days. The poor cleaner was alone and had all the rooms to do, as well as ironing and washing the breakfast dishes. It was an experience I'd rather forget, and I don't recommend it to anyone.

The top-floor room has a lovely terrace over the rooftops, but getting there means climbing a very narrow, steep staircase. The ceiling inside is low too, which makes the space feel cramped. The ground-floor room is noisy because it looks onto the breakfast area. The property has been renovated and furnished in a modern, functional style, though the rooms need some care. The walls are scuffed, and details have been neglected, including rusty or missing shower fixtures. For breakfast, there are only two tables for everyone. It would be better to have one per room, with fresh seasonal fruit and more than the usual croissants. You can't pay by card because there's no POS terminal, and nobody told us ahead of time, so we had to go get cash. There's a lot that could be improved.

It's a beautiful, clean, modern place, and the owner is kind and very helpful. It's a shame about breakfast. They don't offer it, and there's no range of things to choose from as at other B&Bs. Instead, you have to book one item, sweet or savory, and then even that isn't what you ordered. I would have given it more stars otherwise.