Strada Provinciale 80 km 3.200, Ragusa, Italy
Quiet, peaceful location in the countryside
Two gorgeous outdoor pools surrounded by limestone and olive trees
Spacious rooms, some with balconies overlooking olive grove
Delicious breakfast buffet featuring fresh local cheeses
Sicilian cooking classes and gastronomy tours of the area upon request
Romantic, candlelit dinners served on terrace
Exhilarating nature trails that lead to the seaside
Car and mountain bike rentals available
Free Wi-Fi in reception area
Isolated location that's not well-lit at night
No bar; drinks only available upon request
Wi-Fi is weak and only accessible from lobby area
Onsite restaurant doesn't offer dinner every night
For travelers who really want to get away from the action and stay in the natural, arid landscape of southern Sicily, the Relais Parco Cavalonga is a great choice. Surrounded by olive and carob trees, the hotel has two lovely outdoor pools, a sunny, peaceful patio, and a delicious breakfast buffet. Because dinner is not served on a nightly basis, only those staying in apartments with kitchens can avoid the 20-minute drive to the nearest restaurant. Rooms are airy and contemporary, if a bit bare. Beautiful, peaceful, and quiet as the property is, it is rather isolated and not as affordable as say, Artemisia Resort on the outskirts of Ragusa.
Scene
Spartan common areas blend with the arid landscape
The Cavalonga makes the most of its peaceful setting in the arid landscape. The 19th-century buildings surrounded by an authentic limestone wall have been refurbished with clean white interiors and are airy and spacious. Both the lobby and the living rooms in the apartments are spartan, but they harmonize well with the sprawl of the surrounding desert. The artwork and decor includes painted tree branches in elegant buckets and chairs covered in solid-colored cloth.
Location
In the countryside, surrounded by hills covered in olive groves and cacti
A car is a necessity for guests of the Relais Parco Cavalonga. The town of Ragusa is about a 20-minute drive away, but the Castello di Donnafugata can be reached on foot in about half an hour (although getting there requires walking along a tight road with narrow shoulder). Beaches are about 20 minutes away, the Comiso Airport is less than half an hour away, and driving to the Catania Airport takes about an hour and a half. Shuttles to and from the airport and are available upon request and the hotel can arrange a car rental. If you’re willing to hike through the hills, there is an adventurous 15-kilometer trek to the beach that takes two to three hours on foot.
Rooms
Spacious rooms and apartments with private terraces
There are 15 rooms in the main building at Relais Parco and seven separate apartments. Each is refurbished with shiny new faucets, shower heads and simple, generic lamps and furniture. Each suite comes with a mini-fridge, a safe, and a small flat-screen TV. Standard rooms have desks and plenty of floorspace. The apartments have two bedrooms, a kitchen, dishwasher, and a washing machine and can sleep up to five people. Each comes with a spacious private terrace overlooking groves of olive and carob trees. Rooms don't have Wi-Fi, but it is available in the reception area.
Features
Two beautiful swimming pools and a breakfast buffet with local treats
The hotel has two outdoor swimming pools surrounded by stone patios and cactus-covered hills. The breakfast buffet serves up a spread of local cheeses and freshly made cakes, and the restaurant’s fixed-price dinners are made with olives and oils taken directly from the hotel’s garden (note that dinner is not available every day). There is plenty of free parking and free Wi-Fi, though weak, is available in the reception area. The hotel also rents out mountain bikes and cars.