Sabbinirica earns high marks on the Cherry Wonderdog lodging scale. It’s an exceptionally pretty property on a steep hill in Ragusa Iba overlooking the town, with wonderful vistas and sounds of church bells in the distance yet total silence at night. We had an economy room, #2, a cave-like structure, fully renovated, modernized, and equipped for comfort. It was beautiful, and we slept well in the comfortable bed for two. The guest house manager, Marzia, was a superwoman. She took care of the property and its guests, including registration, check-outs, special requests, and everything in between. She gave us ideas about sights to see, where to eat, and places to visit. Every morning she arrived to prepare breakfast, which, with the exception of the wonderful cappuccinos she made for us without limitation, was served buffet style. Normally it started at 8:30, but on the last day, she accommodated our need to eat early and invited us down at 8. We had been in communication with Marzia prior to arrival, because she manages other projects and properties simultaneously, and she wanted to make sure she was around for us. Fortunately she was still in the guesthouse when we, like many other travelers, fell prey to Ragusa Iba’s challenging road system. GPS certainly met its match when it recorded Sabbinirica! To our delight, Marzia ran down from the guest house and greeted us in the parking lot, then she accompanied us back (while carrying half the luggage) up the multiple flights of stairs to the property. Did I mention she was physically fit? As amazing as Marzia was, sometimes the work seemed too much for one person. At our previous B&B in Ortigia, there was an entire family and assistants catering to the needs of guests all day long. It felt odd that Sabbinirica relied on only Marzia. It would have been nice for to have an extra hand at breakfast and front desk coverage more than a few hours per day. Other suggestions include shifting the breakfast offerings to less sugary items, opening the breakfast area gate after hours for communal gathering, adding a Wi-Fi amplifier to boost the signal upstairs, and increasing the water temperature by several degrees. There was a towel warmer in the bathroom, but it wasn’t functional. Lastly, for safety, there could be more light on the second level beyond those projecting from floor to ceiling into people’s eyes. As a final note, we were fortunate to meet the owner Marco, a warm gentleman who cares earnestly about his guests and keeping Sabbinirica in good standing. His restaurant, Osteria Imperfetta, is worth visiting for fine dining in Ragusa Iba. In sum, we enjoyed our stay like so many others and wish Sabbinirica and future guests all the best.
Outstanding
37 Reviews