Il Lentisco

We booked a two week stay at Il Lentisco in December last year to arrive in August 2017. We had planned our holiday around visiting the locations of the TV series Inspector Montalbano and other places of interest. Il Lentisco is more than a B&B and it's reviews don't do it justice. Flying into Comiso airport late at night meant an hours drive to Il Lentisco. It was dark and after a few problems with the car hire company and the sudden realisation that there was only fuel for ten miles or so left in the car we headed towards Santa Croce Camerina. A previous review said they had a nightmare finding it as their sat nav packed up and the roads were bad and poorly signposted. We planned ahead and bought a road map of SE Sicily. We found it with no problems only arriving later than we had said. Il Lentisco has its own signposts on the roads surrounding it and with a map it was easy. Our sat nav on our phones worked perfectly too but the low fi approach was great! The owners George and Concetta were there to welcome us. We had arrived with no supplies as everything was closed due to the late hour and within 5 minutes we were sat round their table with drinks and food. Their hospitality was amazing. I had tried to learn some basic Italian before the holiday and George and Concettas daughters were also staying so helped with the translation. It was a joy to find that George is a huge Montalbano fan and knows if all the locations where it's filmed. Our room was perfect and we had access to a kitchen and a beautiful area to eat in that sat above an olive grove with views straight down to the sea at Punta Secca. George and family also live there during the summer and Concetta provides an amazing and never ending breakfast with home made breads and cakes, figs from the garden, fruits and endless coffee. Each morning was a wonderful experience talking and enjoying the real Sicily. We were a five minute drive from Santa Croce Camerina with its cafes and big supermarkets and ten minutes from Punta Secca. Ideally located. Previous reviews had said how hard it was to navigate and that the breakfasts weren't up to scratch. I'm really glad I didn't read too much into them as they were totally wrong. Our hosts did everything and more to make us welcome and make our stay pleasurable. Rather than a B&B it was like staying in a family home but with the freedom to do as we pleased. Using our very basic Italian and a translating app we were able to really experience Sicily and had the joy of only speaking English to each other for two weeks. In general if you make an effort out here to speak Italian when ordering food, shopping or booking restaurants it makes a difference. Being Montalbano fans no trip to Punta Secca is complete without eating at Enzos. It features regularly in the TV series. We went in to book a table for that night and did it all in Italian. On arriving later we were given possibly the best table overlooking the sea and the table that Montalbano sits at. Don't assume everybody speaks English. A lot of places we visited had been given bad reviews because they felt the service was bad. Make an effort and order your food or coffee in Italian and you'll be amazed what a brilliant experience you'll have. George was able to give us a list of the best places to eat and local information not featured on any site or book. One evening we cooked and dined at home and George gave us a beautiful bottle of red wine to enjoy by candlelight. There is a dining area that is open air but covered and surrounded by huge curtains. The view is amazing and the night time breeze coming from the sea makes a welcome change from the glorious heat of the day. The kitchen had everything we needed to cook any type of meal and was full of things that wouldn't look out of place in an East London vintage shop. If there's anything that you need George or Concetta are there to help. We would have coffee with him frequently and sat and talked and enjoyed his and his family's company. We found that this part of Sicily is definitely the place where Italians go on holiday and we didn't encounter any other English people during our stay. Again this meant that I had to speak Italian when ordering etc and within a few days my language skills improved. Concetta and their daughter Flavia were so helpful in answering my endless questions about how to say this and that and what was correct. They have the patience of saints! This was our first trip to Sicily and we were able to visit the Montalbano locations and explore the beautiful country. We didn't even scratch the surface in two weeks. We visited Scicli that is the location for the police station in Montalbano 3 or 4 times and found something new each time. A beautiful place. A hire car is essential if you want to explore and while Il Lentisco is near Punta Secca with its bars and restaurants it's a little too far to walk and the roads are a bit tricky at night. I didn't see much public transport while I was there either. We had the main room that is rented and there is another that was occupied by different Italian couples during our stay. All of them touring Sicily and staying one or two nights in each place. It added to the family atmosphere. I have been to many places and stayed in many B&Bs over the years but Il Lentisco was a new and amazing experience. The property is large and surrounded by an olive grove. It has trees, plants and herbs all around the paths and is beautifully maintained. There are two amazing dogs, Laika and Bruce who belong to the family and have the run if the grounds. Like their owners they are wonderful company and are so well trained and obedient. We bought them a. After if dog treats and gave them to them each morning thus making friends for life! It was the right combination of rustic Sicily and modern comfort. In arriving George said that you can't stay somewhere for two weeks without forming friendships with people and he was exactly right. It's the first time I've got close to the people I'm renting a room from and we were treated like family rather than paying guests. One evening we were invited to a family barbecue where the owners of the adjoining farm were also invited. My partner is a vegetarian who eats fish and seafood and George and Concetta had thought ahead and got a freshly caught fish for her. George is a master of the BBQ and it made our efforts at home look amateurish! From the homemade bread and bruschetta to the meat and Sicilian sausage it was a wonderful experience. The food was another level and the hospitality was one of those once in a lifetime moments. It was honestly one of the best holidays I've ever been on and Il Lentisco, George and his wonderful family were instrumental in that. We grew to love the Sicilian way of having dinner very late at 10pm and then a walk afterwards. Our whole experience staying at Il Lentisco was beautiful. As I said it was beyond a B&B and more like staying with family. For us the facilities were perfect. If you are looking for a pristine hotel like experience where everything is new and looks the same then this isn't the place for you but if you want a taste of real Sicilian hospitality with wonderful people in beautiful surroundings and great room and facilities then this is the place. It's location is perfect for exploring SE Sicily and seeing places like Ragusa, Modica, Pantalica and many other beautiful sights. Our two weeks flew by and we were sad to leave but determined to come back next year. Plan your holiday around staying in a beautiful place like this and you won't be disappointed. Thank you George and Concetta and your daughters Flavia and Claudia and the dogs, Laika and Bruce for a perfect holiday.