OrtigiaSeaView Bed & Breakfast

Ida is so great, she makes you feel right at home. The views from the rooms are fantastic and breakfast is fabulous. I love this place, it's the only one we stay at when we're in Ortigia.

We stayed for two days, but I would have happily checked out right away because the host made us feel so unwelcome. We chose the place for its good breakfast reviews, then she argued that breakfast wasn't included even when we clearly showed it on our booking. The confrontation was really uncomfortable. She also wanted to keep our ID cards, which I believe is against data protection law. It was hard to tell which room was Ida Bianca's because the signs weren't clear. We weren't offered a drink when we arrived, despite the heat. The room itself was okay but very dated. Credit to the cleaner, who kept it immaculate. The shower was consistently cold because the host turns off the boiler. The host also insisted we handle the issue directly, even though the business is hers to deal with, and we were on holiday. It left us feeling Sicilians are out to rip you off from start to finish.

The view was great and the host welcoming. It's in a prime spot in the heart of Siracusa's old town, Ortigia, and there's good parking nearby if you're arriving by car.

It's next to the market, with large rooms and a good location. People speak English well, and being high enough up meant there was no road noise.