S’arenada, Cagliari, Sardinia

At first, the impression my mother and I had about this place was a less than positive one. It was a bit of a hassle to get inside the building itself, and the place was spartan and the neighborhood was somewhat dead. When we woke up in the morning, we had been told there was a free breakfast but what was provided was pretty scanty. It was only after meeting the proprietor of the place that we realized this was actually a pretty friendly place, with a free breakfast voucher for a cafe nearby, a cafe that was itself near a second-hand store where my mother was able to do some thrift shopping. In a way, this hotel is somewhat emblematic of the area of Cagliari as a whole. At night, if you are arriving let, it is unwelcoming and seems remote and unfriendly, but it is quite warm and welcoming in the light of day, with a pretty lawn and an easygoing vibe. Plan accordingly.

Hotel Gresi, Catania, Sicily

The Hotel Gresi is a hotel which has a great location in the heart of Catania, near a lot of eating and shopping options. If the hotel seems a bit old fashioned and can be a challenge to get in and out of, there is a cute little lift and the service is friendly, even if security concerns mean that they do not like their front gate opened for more than absolutely necessary and the road that the hotel is on happens to be an alleyway with a glorified name of a via. Catania is a city with a lot of history, there are statues everywhere, and all kinds of dark alleys that lead to restaurants and plazas in what is a maze-like design of complicated streets, but fortunately the hotel is accessible and has a lot to enjoy nearby. This place is definitely worth a stay, even if its breakfasts are a bit more rudimentary than some of the other options that we have seen which have more meat options that do not include only pork.