Villa Boscarino Boutique Hotel & Spa

With just 16 rooms, Villa Boscarino Boutique Hotel & Spa is a small countryside address rather than a large resort with a map at reception. You get a garden, a sun terrace, an outdoor pool and a spa, while Ragusa's historic streets and the coast remain within reach.

English is spoken by the hotel team, alongside Italian, so you can deal with the practicalities without resorting to underwater sign language. The atmosphere suits you if your ideal evening involves a drink, a decent meal and a quiet room rather than organised entertainment from breakfast onwards.

There is also a useful touch of flexibility for families: family rooms are available, children of all ages are welcome, and babysitting can be arranged.

You are in Ragusa, Italy, in the Sicilian countryside and around 500 metres from a golden sandy beach. Sun loungers and parasols are available there, giving you the option of a short walk to the sea when the pool has done its duty.

Ragusa's San Giovanni Battista Cathedral is 1.5 km away, while Ragusa Ibla is 2.5 km from the hotel. Giardino Ibleo is around 2.9 km away by road, and Radici - Think Natural is around 2.6 km away. This is a useful base for seeing Sicily beyond the water, especially if you are planning days in Modica, Noto or the baroque streets of Ibla.

You are not marooned in the countryside. A railway station in Ragusa is around 0.8 miles away by road, and the nearest named restaurants include a pizzeria around 350 feet away and Pizzart around 750 feet away. A bar is around 0.4 miles away.

The room choice is less about collecting categories and more about deciding how much space you want around your evening kit. The standard double or twin room with garden view is the straightforward choice for two, while a deluxe room with balcony gives you more breathing room and a sofa bed. For a family or two divers who dislike stepping over each other's bags, the junior suites and the King Suite offer a more workable layout.

The split-level junior suite has two bathrooms, which can be the difference between a civilised morning and a queue outside one door. The King Suite adds a spa bath for the sort of night when your legs have had enough of sightseeing, walking or simply being legs. Several room categories also come with a balcony, patio or garden view, so you can choose between private outdoor space and a more compact base.

Every room has air conditioning, soundproofing, a private bathroom with shower, bathrobes, toiletries, a hairdryer and a flat-screen television with satellite channels. A minibar gives you something cold without requiring a midnight expedition, and daily housekeeping keeps the practical side of the stay under control. Standard rooms on the first floor require a flight of stairs, so check the location of your chosen room if stairs are a concern.

Breakfast is included and arrives as a buffet from 7:30 to 10:00. The spread covers continental, Italian, vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free choices, which gives you room to make the morning as light or as substantial as the day's plans require. Breakfast in your room is also available.

Dinner is served at Il Casale Restaurant, where the cooking follows Mediterranean lines and uses fresh, local ingredients. The terrace brings panoramic views over the surrounding landscape, and the dress code is casual, so you can sit down without pretending that a wet day bag is formalwear. Dinner is the main sit-down meal offered on site.

For the less ceremonial moments, there is a Pool Bar serving cocktails and light snacks, plus a snack bar, coffee house and minibar. Wine and champagne are available, and room service is offered. Special diet menus can be requested, although there is no continuous snacking service to rely on between every meal.

The outdoor pool is the obvious place to put the afternoon on hold. It is unheated and looks out towards the surrounding countryside, with sun loungers, umbrellas and pool towels available. The garden and sun terrace give you somewhere to read, dry off or decide that the next excursion can wait until tomorrow.

Boscarino Spa is the more serious recovery option. You can book the spa and wellness centre, use the relaxation area and steam room, or choose from massages, facials and body wraps. Couples massages, full-body treatments, head, neck, back, hand and foot massages are also available. Spa access requires a reservation, with opening times from Monday to Saturday in the afternoon and on Sunday in the morning and late afternoon.

When sitting still has run its course, the hotel has a tour desk and concierge service, with cultural excursions to Ragusa Ibla, Modica and Noto. Bicycle hire, bike tours, walking tours and local-culture tours are available, while the surrounding area is suited to hiking and horse riding. Car hire is available too, which is the sensible option for covering several Sicilian towns without turning the day into a transport puzzle.

Comiso Airport is around 12 miles away by road, with a drive of roughly 22 minutes on the route given for the airport. An airport shuttle and a general shuttle service are available; arrange the transfer with the hotel. Catania Fontanarossa Airport is a longer alternative, around 58 miles away by road.

Free private parking is available on site, with no reservation needed, which makes a hire car much less troublesome. Car hire, luggage storage, a 24-hour reception, express and private check-in or check-out, a concierge and a tour desk cover the useful edges of the stay. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel, and laundry, ironing and dry-cleaning services are available.

Check-in runs from 15:00 to 20:30 and check-out from 07:30 to 11:00. Tell the hotel your expected arrival time. The minimum check-in age is 18, children aged four and above are charged as adults, cots can be requested for younger children, and extra beds are not available. The hotel does not accept pets.