La Moresca Hotel :

Architects and entrepreneurs are changing the landscape of Sicily – for the better. During a recent trip to the Italian island I discovered a new focus on transforming abandoned buildings into boutique hotels. These new accommodations allow visitors to be a guest in a former palace, to combine a comfortable hotel experience with an immersion into local history. One hotel in Sicily captured my attention for its intimacy, touches of luxury, and authentic location.

Entering Authentic Sicily
The southeastern corner of Sicily has remained outside the radar of many international travelers. While I loved resort towns like Taormina, this was a place that had become accustomed to tourists. Menus were printed in four languages, and shops were stocked with flimsy souvenirs. When I left Taormina and drove south into the province of Ragusa, all of this familiarity disappeared. We arrived in a small, seaside village where each evening the community gathered in the main square for a chat.

While this tradition remains alive and well, there is also significant development going on in the background of a sleepy seaside town called Marina di Ragusa. During my stay I realized that the authenticity of this town was now accessible to visitors thanks to the development of elegant trattorias and boutique hotels.

The Hotel – La Moresca
La Moresca is a 4-star boutique property with only 15 rooms, none of which are the same. On my recent stay, the passionate and friendly owner Carlomaria Grassi gave me a tour of the property, and I was instantly struck by photographs in all the rooms. Most of the series of photographs had themes, one of which was Sicilian weddings. A particular photograph showed a happy bride with her mother pinching her cheeks, in the words of Carlomaria saying, ‘You are so beautiful!!!!’ on her big day.

It is these special touches – along with restored furniture, original tile floors, and an 150-year old lemon tree – that have an effect of transporting you to a different place and time. This was the Sicily I had arrived to discover.

Exploring the Region of Ragusa
This area of Sicily is known for its history – and the baroque reigns supreme. One evening, strolling around the winding streets of Ragusa, staring up at the honeycomb-colored buildings, I realized that La Moresca strikes a perfect balance. Not only does it provide a comfortable place to relax and unwind, but it offers close proximity to countless historic attractions too.

The Breakfast Test
After a fantastic sleep in the divine beds at La Moresca, I woke to the biggest test for me: breakfast. Every great hotel should have a great breakfast, and La Moresca delivered with its fresh pastries, silky cappuccino, and fresh-squeezed orange juice (literally, I watched them squeeze the oranges!)

After this treat and a morning of sunbathing on top of the ‘tower’, we had a decision to make. What shall we do next? The location of La Moresca had allowed us to enjoy an indulgent morning of a lazy breakfast and few hours in the sun – but we were also near UNESCO World Heritage Sites and other historic attractions.

Ragusa was only a quick 25 minute drive away, and so our adventure of the day was working off our breakfast with a good walk. We roamed the narrow cobblestone streets, gazed up at the stunning cathedral, and watched locals hanging laundry out the window, avoiding drops of water as we tip-toed by.

A Local Trattoria
The following day, our routine repeated itself. We opened the shutters to let in the streaming sunlight, took long showers (I love a rainforest showerhead) and took our ‘regular’ table in the courtyard beneath an 150 year old lemon tree for breakfast. After two pastries (who can just have one?!) we once again basked in the Sicilian sunshine on top of the tower solarium for hours that passed like minutes. Only the church bells roused me from my reverie on the hour.

 
When our stomachs rumbled again, we wandered down to the sea in Marina di Ragusa to a busy spot called Trattoria Carmelo. This restaurant, with its outside balcony on the beach, allowed us to dine listening to the Mediterranean lapping the shores. Over the next several hours, we devoured a cold bottle of white wine, a plate of mixed local seafood, and pasta so perfect that my Italian mother would have wanted to ask the chef for the recipe.

After dessert and coffee, La Moresca tempted us back to the hotel for some quiet time.

A Hotel Straight From My Imagination
If like me, your dream hotel is a little luxury gem dropped into an authentic neighborhood, with a ....