Cambiocavallo, Between Modica and Pozzallo, Sicily - Explore & Book

"Cambiocavallo – literally ‘change of horses’, a reference to its 18th-century beginnings as a post house – is a humble 20-room hotel, whose original limestone walls alternate with bold contemporary washes of lavender and raspberry. It lies on an agricultural plain in the deep south of Sicily, a fascinating zone of dramatic limestone gorges, magnificent Baroque towns and endless sandy beaches thrashed by breakers. Hot dry winds make Africa seem but a breath away, a feeling reinforced by cool minimalist rooms, shady bamboo-roofed terraces, geometric Arabian gardens and a stylish teardrop-shaped pool. The hotel is designed and owned by local architects and there are some exquisite decorative touches – a leaf of prickly pear in a cubic vase, a waist-high glass wedge full of almonds – that root the hotel firmly in its environment. Its charming staff have a genuine desire to make your stay as comfortable as possible. It would suit couples wanting a quiet retreat from which to explore the area, its fine restaurants and its beaches. Highs High-spec bedrooms with the comfiest pillows we've seen in Sicily Charming Italian, French and American staff, who do their job with the air of hosts Breakfast is brought to your terrace at no charge – a lovely start to the day Seasonal and local ingredients feature in the daily changing menu in the restaurant There are 2 Blue Flag beaches at Pozzallo, 5km from the hotel, with golden sands and clear seas (and some ugly development) Lows Dinner is only available Tuesday-Saturday, and you need to request this by breakfast time on the day You are not allowed to bring in food and drink from outside the hotel There can be smells of silage from the nearby fields" - Ros Belford