Ortigia Island – Accommodation Review, B&B Design 4 Rooms

About Design 4 Rooms in Ortigia

From the parking to our B&B in Ortigia there is a few minutes’ walk (5 to 10). It is very short but if you are carrying lots of luggage then you better call a taxi.

Design 4 Rooms is taken care by a Sicilian man, Paolo. Upon our arrival he helped us with our luggage. The hotel property, probably built in the early 1900s, was on the 3rd floor. It didn’t have a lift; I guess that is quite common in the Ortigia city centre.

He served us some coffee and we were then given a coupon for breakfast the next day at the Apollo bar.

I liked the house immediately. I loved the design!!! It has been renovated tastefully in both a classic and modern style. It has a hall area, a small shared kitchen, and 4 rooms, each of which are labelled with its own name: Legno, Pietra, Ceramica, and Ferro. (Wood, Stone, Ceramic, and Iron). Consequently each has its own specific characteristics linked to its name. Ours was wood.

Our room was tastefully furnished. The bed and the pillows were comfortable and even the toilet was beautiful. The kitchen had a coffee machine, tea bags, and cookies and we could use it at any time. What we loved even more was the fact that when we opened our balcony door there was a typical daily market that made us feel like we were inside the heart of Sicilian life. If you are a light sleeper, then don’t forget your ear plugs because like everywhere in the world, markets start quite early in the morning.

Thankfully we didn’t hear any noise until 8.30 am. We were very tired from the journey and the excursions in Ortigia Island so we slept solidly.

A brief note about the owner of our B&B in Ortigia

B&B Design 4 Rooms in Ortigia is owned by Crisistiano Fossi; we met him before leaving for the Apollo Bar for Breakfast. Quite an interesting person! He speaks both English and Italian. He got his degree at Accademia delle Belle Arti (College of Fine Arts) in Rome but then had to study nursing in order to find a job. With the help of his background studies, he designed the B&B together with his life partner.

Such talented people they are!!! Some of this furniture moreover was designed by them, therefore they are unique pieces that you won’t see elsewhere. All the paintings were done by Cristiano, if I’m not mistaken they are for sale.

Insider parking tip when visiting Ortigia Island in Siracusa

We drove from Portopalo di Capo Passero to Ortigia (the tourist centre of Siracusa) and our only concern was the parking. If you are a first time traveler to Sicily you might not realize that parking is a big issue in the region.

Fortunately, the owner of our hotel in Siracusa sent a message advising us to park at the TALETE garage. Considering that we were in one of the most popular touristic centres of Sicily I could never expect to find such a comfortable car stall in Ortigia!!! The daily and weekly fees were even acceptable: € 10 per day and € 30 per week.

In Conclusion.

Besides the beautiful decor, B&B Design 4 Rooms is also characterized by a great location: very close to the parking, at the entrance of the heart of the city centre of Ortigia, and right beside the market.

We stayed in Design 4 Rooms for 2 nights and let me say that if we ever go back to Ortigia, this is certainly the place I will choose for us since it has extremely satisfactory quality price index