Imagine sleeping in a room where tuna fish were once gutted, having breakfast on a terrace where sardines were canned and enjoying dinner in a former storehouse where fish offals were collected. Italy’s fishy stays are the ultimate experience for the savvy traveller.

In Sicily, abandoned tuna factories – dubbed tonnara – are undergoing a rebirth. Ever since Europe banned gruesome bloody tuna trappings these unique architectural sanctuaries have been restyled into lavish resorts with a minimal style that preserves the fishy decor. But forget the stinky smells of the past, it’s pure luxury.

At the Tonnara di Sciacca seaside resort, located in one of Sicily’s most stunning spots, guests can experience the thrill of sleeping in sumptuous suites that were once filthy fishermen’s storerooms. Paths lead to a private secluded beach with baby powder sand and translucent water.

Evening aperitivo drinks are on the sun kissed courtyard where the tuna factory tower still rises. There are also apartments of 25-40 square-meters with marble bathrooms and panoramic terraces overlooking a lush garden of bright flowers and exotic palms. The picturesque town of Sciacca and dazzling white Turk’s Staircase cliff are just a stone’s throw away.

The most ancient tuna factory you can stay at, dating back to the 1600’s, is near the city of Trapani. The Tonnara di Bonagia hotel has everything one could possibly want for a detox break: a private beach, pool, tennis court, scuba diving services and tailored tours to nearby highlights. The majolica-tiled rooms and apartments are former ancient cells where the so-called tonnaroti – aka the tuna trappers – would store the day’s catch.

Nature lovers will enjoy the tonnara di Scopello hidden in the pristine Zingaro natural reserve. Tiny reddish stone apartments, part of the abandoned tuna factory, rise in front of mesmerizing sea stacks and boast a private porch-dock. From their beds guests can dive right into the blue water and go for a relaxing morning swim. The only catch being that as a tourist hotspot for snorkelers and sunbathers the place tends to get overcrowded.

I personally once slept in an extravagant sardines storage building on the island of Favignana, renowned for its tuna delicacies even though the tonnara has long been shut and turned into a museum. I Pretti Resort, once part of the tuna factory, lives up to its name: it’s been restyled into an elegant hotel shaped like a horseshoe.

Each suite, where the poor sardines were cleaned and canned, has a private entrance and faces the internal garden where breakfast is served. While savoring a mouthwatering ricotta cassatella pastry you can admire the view of the mythological Egadi archipelago. The suites have ornate wooden beds with linen sheets and an equipped kitchenette. Luxuries no tuna fisherman could ever have dreamt.