Modus Bed & Breakfast

This four-room B&B is located near the touristy town of San Vito Lo Capo in a residential area surrounded by olive groves. The first floor has a stone-walled patio with a view of the mountains overlooking Macari. Near the terrace is a small library of novels, art books and comics. The second floor has a large terrace which overlooks the Gulf of Hood. Both views are great, and a perfect backdrop for reading and sipping an espresso. Since all the rooms have one double bed (and, like most B&Bs, there is nothing for kids to do) the mainstay clientele is couples.

The Modus is in Makari, a quiet village three miles from the touristy town of San Vito Lo Capo, located on the slopes of the mountains of the Zingaro nature reserve and the Gulf of Cofano, where beaches alternate with cliffs and coves of white stones. Olive groves are everywhere.

It is centrally located for quick day trips. There is a local, small beach less than two miles away. It's about four miles to San Vito Lo Capo beaches, which are bigger but also quite crowded in the high season. It is also around a 45-minute drive to Erice and Trapani, towns great for strolling, shopping, and enjoying a cold drink while people watching.

The four rooms (Vintage, Toffee, Rainbow, and Solaris) are all attractively decorated, clean, and come with views of either the gardens or the street. You get the latter in Vintage and Rainbow, but it's not as unappealing as it may sound as this is a sleepy village, not a high-traffic town. Presumably the rooms are named for the style of decor, but the difference there is not very pronounced. All are variations of IKEA-meets-Italy, with tile floors, bright colors, simple, clean-lined furniture, and floor-to-ceiling curtains. All rooms have one double bed, a private bathroom with shower (though no tub), a hairdryer, flat-screen TV, minibar, mini-fridge, and free Wi-Fi. The two upstairs rooms have a balcony.

With only four rooms, this property is about as small as they come. But the amenities you'd expect (for a countryside B&B at a value price) are all here: a convenient free dedicated parking area, which is not common in the vicinity, free Wi-Fi, a small library, private bathrooms with showers, and hosts who go out of their way to help with whatever you need. Breakfast is served on the pretty patio, and is typical fare for Italy (fruit, pastries, cereals, bread and cheeses, juice, espresso, and cappuccino), but all good quality.