Eremo della Giubiliana, Ragusa

The Eremo della Giubiliana Hotel is situated in Ragusa, a short distance from the sea, immersed in the untouched countryside of the Altipiano Ibleo.

The hotel is set in a historic 15th century convent and offers traditional hospitality; the perfect place to spend a relaxing beach holiday and visit the local tourist attractions.

The building is one of the few in the area that has its own archaeological site including a small necropolis situated to the north of the grounds, dated between the 3rd and 5th century A.D.

Guests have access to two restaurants, tea room, swimming pool and garden, health spa, meeting rooms, private car park, small airport, Wi-Fi internet access.

From March 2011, the Eremo della Giubiliana hotel will offer exclusive cooking lessons to hotel guests. During courses, the chef will demonstrate traditional dishes from the Island of Iblea, the secrets of Mediterranean cuisine and Sicily's famous pastries.

Inside the exclusive “Don Eusebio Cooking School” complete with a “Granoteca” or grain store which offers the possibility to mill all historic varieties of corn, spelt wheat and vegetables grown on the estate which are then used to prepare the dishes served by the restaurant.

Participants are provided with a detailed programme of the courses, an apron and a certificate.

The guest rooms are decorated with historic furnishings and high quality fabrics, and include a direct dial telephone, a minibar, a safety deposit box, an LCD satellite television, WiFi internet access and an en suite bathroom with a hairdryer.

- Standard and Superior rooms

The Standard and Superior rooms are all different with original floors made of pietra pece stone, wrought iron beds and period furnishings; all of the private bathrooms include a bathtub with a shower.

Some of the guest rooms are on the first floor and some are on the ground floor; all of the rooms open onto the vegetable garden, characterised by numerous aromatic and Mediterranean essences, from historic olive groves to an antique Arab fountain.

- Deluxe Corte Araba

On the upper floor of the east wing with large vaults and beautiful pietra pece stone floors, this room has a private terrace with a lovely view of the Arab Court and the garden, and is decorated with original period furnishings, Persian carpets, large, luminous gardens overlooking the court with a massage bathtub.

- Deluxe dell'Alcova

On the upper floor of the north wing, this beautiful room is characterised by Sicilian wrought iron beds found in a typical alcove with barrel vaults, pietra pece floors and original period furnishings.

This room has a large bedroom with a massage bathtub and a charming private terrace with greenery overlooking the archaeological park and the antiquarium.

- Suite Grande

This suite overlooks the stone terrace with large palm trees and is two stories; on the ground floor, it has an elegant sitting room with an 18th century armoire. The upper floor, which can be accessed by the staircase with an original chestnut balustrade, includes the bedroom and bathroom with a large bathtub. Upon request, the ground floor can be connected to another double bedroom with a bathroom (Suites particularly suited to families with children).

- Suite del Frate Nero

From the black tunic worn by the warrior “friars” of the Military Order of Malta on the key of the large arc, a black Templar cross inlaid in the white stone attests to the numerous historic events that have taken place in this building. The rooms are all on the ground floor and are characterised by massive walls of exposed stone and white stone floors. They have a lovely view of the garden and original period furnishings, such as 17th century chests, antique Persian carpets, silk damask sofas, and a massage bathtub. They offer excellent value in one of the most charming areas of the monastery.

- Torre del Canonico Suite

This suite was given this name because it was once used as a studio by the owner’s uncle, the canonical Dr. Ignazio Nifosi', Camerlingo of the Cathedral of Saint George in Ragusa Ibla and a famous scholar of local history and archaeology.

This XV century tower is three stories tall with a studio-lounge that has a private bathroom on the ground floor; the bedroom on the upper floor has a cross vaulted ceiling and XV century capitals, as well as a large private terrace with a breathtaking view of the garden and the Arab courtyard. The terrace of the tower has an extraordinary 360° view of the plateau, with a view of the coast and the islands of Malta. All of the furnishings are period pieces including numerous objects and books that belonged to the doctor (not recommended for those with mobility difficulties).

- Suite della Guardia

One of the oldest rooms of the monastery (XVI century), this was the guard room in the times of the Cavalieri dell'Ordine di San Giovanni. All on one level with exposed masonry and historic white stone floors, this large suite has high ceilings with chestnut beams and a dividing stone arch. A mediaeval arcade leads to the large bathroom with two sinks, a massage bathtub and a lovely view of the garden with Indian figs.

The lounge has a historic stone fireplace enriched by a breathtaking 18th century sitting area with silk damask tapestries, 17th century chests and wardrobes, historic oriental rugs and period furnishings, making this breathtaking suite one of the most impressive of Eremo della Giubiliana.

- Cottage

Located in the centre of the property 400m from the main building of the monastery, the cottages have a lovely view of the horizon stretching from the plateau to the sea. The stone cottages were recently built and match the style of historic XVIII century country houses, such as Ziu Austinu. All of the cottages are surrounded by typical stone walls and include a parking space, a private garden and a veranda with a large stone barbecue. Inside, they are luxuriously decorated and finished with white stone floors, exposed ceiling beams, a stone fireplace, a kitchenette, a minibar and climate control. All of the bathrooms have a large bathtub and windows overlooking the garden.

For cottages, guests can choose the normal hotel amenities or week-long self-catering holidays. Some of the cottages are directly connected to the private airstrip so that pilots who decide to land at Eremo della Giubiliana can park their plane on the lawn in front of the cottage.

Rooms available: Double, Twin for single occupancy, Superior Double, Double Suite, One-roomed apartment for 2 people, Deluxe Twin.