Blue Bay

Blue Bay is an aparthotel on the seafront of Cefalù Bay, built for days that begin beside the water and end with the sea still in view. You have a private entrance, outdoor space and air conditioning, so the practical business of coming back from the beach is pleasingly uncomplicated: shower, change, sit outside and let Sicily do the talking.

The setting suits couples who want a sea-facing base with Cefalù within reach, while the larger accommodation works for families and small groups. The property website is available in Italian, English and French, which gives you useful information to work with before arrival, even though no hotel staff language is listed. Free WiFi runs throughout, and daily housekeeping keeps the apartment side of the stay from becoming too much of a project.

You are in Cefalù, Italy, rather than Palermo, with the property set directly on the coast in the Caldura Bay area. The private beach is sandy and reached directly from the hotel. Kalura Beach is just a few steps away, while Cefalù Beach is about 1.4 miles by road. This is a proper waterside base, not a town hotel with a distant view of the sea.

Cefalù's historic centre and cathedral are around a five-minute drive away. The railway station is about eight minutes by car, or roughly 1.8 miles by road. For a change of scenery, the Madonie Regional Natural Park is around half a mile away, and Portella di Montenero is about 8 miles away. You also have restaurants within roughly 1 mile, including La Tavernetta and Tenuta Spinola, with Pizzeria al Girotondo around 0.8 miles away.

Sea views are the common thread, but the useful difference is how much room you want around the bed and the dive bags. The Double Room with Sea View keeps things straightforward for two, with an extra-large double bed, balcony and the essentials for a no-fuss stay. For a couple who prefer more elbow room, the Apartment with Sea View adds the space to spread out rather than stack everything in one corner.

Families and small groups can use the larger family and triple layouts, with the family arrangement offering several separate beds alongside an extra-large double bed. Interconnecting rooms are also available. That matters when the group includes both people who rise early and people who consider breakfast a negotiable concept.

Air conditioning and heating cover the changeable Sicilian nights, while the refrigerator is useful for keeping water and fruit cold after time in the sun. Rooms also have a private bathroom with shower, hairdryer and toiletries, plus a wardrobe, desk, flat-screen satellite TV and outdoor furniture. The Suite with Sauna and Sea View gives you two bathrooms and a private sauna when the day's main ambition is to stop moving. Daily cleaning is included.

Breakfast is Italian, which puts the day on the right side of the Mediterranean before you head for the water. An on-site coffee house gives you somewhere to get a drink without making an expedition of it, and there is a bar for the less urgent business of deciding whether the afternoon should end with wine or something colder.

Fruit and wine or champagne are available, and a private beach is close enough that returning for a drink does not require a timetable or a taxi. The accommodation also sits within reach of several restaurants in Cefalù, including La Tavernetta, Tenuta Spinola and Pizzeria al Girotondo. In other words, you can keep dinner simple nearby or head into town when the evening deserves more than a sandwich and a cold bottle.

The private sandy beach is the main piece of leisure equipment here, and it does not need much explanation. Sun loungers and parasols are provided, so you can claim a patch of shade, put your feet up and resist the familiar temptation to organise another excursion. The garden and sun terrace add more places to sit when the beach is busy or the sand has made its point.

On the water, the property offers canoes and pedal boats, while kayaking and snorkelling are available for days when you want to look below the surface without putting on a full set of kit. Hiking and fishing are also available, and bicycle hire can be arranged. Charges apply to some activities and services, but the useful point is that you have alternatives to another day spent travelling from one attraction to the next.

Yoga classes and a solarium round out the slower options. There is also a shared lounge and TV area for the evening when your legs have had enough of Sicily, the sea and your own enthusiasm.

Falcone-Borsellino Airport is about 61 miles away by road, with a driving time of around 1 hour 11 minutes. An airport shuttle and a shuttle service are available, and car hire can be arranged. If you drive yourself, free private parking is available on site and does not require a reservation.

Check-in runs from 14:00 and check-out is by 10:30. The property has a 24-hour front desk, luggage storage and a wake-up service, which are handy when your arrival or departure does not fit neatly around the usual holiday timetable. You should give the property your expected arrival time before you travel.

WiFi is free throughout the property. The accommodation includes accessible facilities, wheelchair access and a ground-floor unit, while family rooms and interconnecting rooms help with larger parties. Children of all ages are welcome, and there is no minimum age for check-in. Cash and ATM cards are accepted, and pets are not allowed.