Residence Arco Antico

Francesco has an easy self check-in setup for when he can’t be there. The apartments are spacious, the mattresses are comfortable, and the rooms are cleaned daily. It’s a central, clean and comfortable place in Syracuse, with no frills. The toilet flush works, but could use some servicing. Francesco knows about it and said he plans to fix it. We had a great stay, so don’t hesitate to book.

The best thing about this place is the location. Historic sights and great restaurants are right nearby, and Ortygia is an amazing place to visit. Our room was small, but clean and comfortable. The shower was hot, though its fitting needed repair. There was a stove and a small fridge, but no way to make coffee or tea. Francesco was warm and friendly, and carried our heavy bags upstairs, which we appreciated. Parking restrictions meant we unloaded, checked in, then parked a four-minute walk away. We stayed two nights, the car was safe, and parking cost around 20 euros. Our GPS didn’t work properly among the dense buildings.

The location is central and things are well organized, but we found the noise a huge problem. Our room, like the others, faced the main street, with trucks, scooters, cars and motorbikes passing through day and night. The windows didn’t insulate the sound at all. It felt like sleeping outside in a noisy tourist town. My girlfriend could barely sleep, and I woke up several times each night. There’s otherwise nothing wrong with the place, but this was a massive downside. We’ve stayed in many places around the world and can’t remember one this noisy. The owner needs to improve the sound insulation. I don’t understand the positive reviews calling it calm and quiet, because it was loud as hell.

We spent 11 nights here, and the small kitchen in the room plus the shared oven were really useful. The room was bright, spacious and clean, with a lovely sunset view. Francesco, the residence host, was friendly and helpful from our first contact before booking onward. The location at the entrance to Ortigia made it easy to explore both the island and mainland Siracusa. We’d confidently recommend staying here.