Location:

Ragusa Ibla, Sicily

Built into the rocky cliffside of Ragusa Ibla, San Giorgio Palace Hotel occupies several historic buildings, including a former convent and restored 18th-century residence. Guests enter through a 140-foot rock-hewn tunnel that doubles as an art gallery before taking an elevator to the spacious lobby, which has high ceilings, chandeliers, stained glass, tile floors and Sicilian artwork.

The hillside guest rooms are spacious and minimalist, decorated in muted colors with tile floors, air conditioning and en suite bathrooms. Some bathrooms incorporate stone detailing, while others feature colorful ceramic tile.

A former convent with vaulted stone ceilings and chandeliers houses the breakfast area, which opens onto a terrace overlooking the San Domenica Valley. The buffet features locally sourced cheeses, fruit, eggs and meats. Originally cultivated by Franciscan friars, the hotel’s hanging gardens are tucked among limestone outcrops and filled with citrus, roses, pomegranates, olive trees and herbs. A reading room and additional terraces offer quiet places to relax after exploring the winding streets and baroque architecture of UNESCO-listed Ragusa Ibla.

The property uses low-consumption LED lighting, while keycards activate room electricity and climate control only when guests are present. The rock tunnel provides passive heating and cooling, further reducing energy use, and the hotel has implemented a recycling program.