If HBO series The White That lotus has peaked your interest in the southen Italian island of Sicily, you’re not alone. Travel agents have seen a huge uptick in enquiries since the series started in October, especially from US customers.
The particular series was filmed at the large Four Seasons ‘ San Domenico Palace hotel within Taormina.
But as a resident of the island, I recommend you dig a little deeper in your accommodation seach.
What’s the advantage of small hotels?
Sicily is full of unique small and boutique resorts that allow you to experience the local culture while still enjoying luxury .
But, as in many countries, what is meant by a boutique hotel isn’t always clear.
One of the options on this list is more of a business hotel, despite being called boutique. While another is a boutique hotel through and via – for all the right reasons. So make sure you do your research plus check that what you’re booking is definitely the particular type of resort you’re looking for.
Moving clockwise around the largest tropical isle in the Mediterranean, we bring you the particular best little hotels within Sicily’s most popular tourist destinations.
Where has been ‘From Scratch’ filmed in Sicily?
Netflix series ‘From Scratch’ has also peaked interest in Sicily since it was released earlier this year.
Based upon a best-selling memoir “an artist finds romance with a chef in Italy and embarks on the life-changing journey of love, loss, resilience and hope across cultures and continents”, according to Netflix.
In the third episode, Lino takes Amy back to where he was born and raised- north-west Sicily.
The hotel scenes were filmed at La Calette Garden and Bay, a hotel along with amazing sea views day and night.
Le Calette Garden and Bay is located 2km from the town centre, tucked away in the bay with sparkling blue water. It’s a small resort with everything you need on your doorstep. So much so that will I imagine lots associated with guests don’t even make it into Cefalu city. For those that do, the seaside resort is only a 20-minute walk away or accessible with the free hotel shuttle.
The main hotel area will be very spacious, with a gorgeous pool and bar area. 1 level down is a terrace where breakfast is served alongside stunning views out over the ocean. Still further below that is Calette Reef Club (open through June in order to September) exactly where there’s another bar, sun loungers plus a private deck. I suggest taking the ladder down to the sea and swimming out from here to discover the particular tiny hidden beach around the corner from the bay.
All of the particular Le Calette hotels are family-run and they’ve been in business since 1969. It shows in the smooth running and excellent service. Reception staff had been especially helpful; on-hand throughout my stay to answer any questions about the hotel’s services, such as the particular spa plus yoga classes.
Le Calette’s five stars really shine through within its selection of rooms. They feel large inside and out thanks to the private outdoor areas. The decor feels high-end and the small touches like fresh fruit really make the experience.
Double rooms start in €198 plus can be booked here .
Salina, Aeolian Islands – Principe da Salina
Salina is my favourite Aeolian isle and Principe da Salina has now become my favourite resort – certainly in Italy and maybe even in the whole of Europe. It was a real find and, it turns out, I was lucky to get a room at the particular last minute. It only has 12 available and had been booked out there for most of the summer.
There are so many small touches that complete this tranquil hideout, like the sulphuric geothermal pool, meant to improve circulation, and the linen sarongs for use by guests. Not to mention the exquisite home cooking, impeccable interior design plus an infinity pool in order to die for.
My garden room had a beautiful terrace complete with a hanging chair looking out to sea. It had been the particular perfect spot to curl up with the book, specifically as the whole hotel was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. This was one of my favourite things about Principe – the silence that envelops the particular whole place. Within a few hours of arriving, I’d forgotten about life stresses, safe in the knowledge that the only duty here was to relax and enjoy.
Needless to say, the quiet atmosphere makes it unsuitable with regard to families along with small children. Most of the other guests were couples or solo travellers . I got the feeling many associated with them had been escaping busy lives plus high-pressure jobs.
Principe is usually run by a family and you really do feel welcomed into their fold. The matriarch is the mastermind behind the food, made with local, seasonal ingredients. It is really high quality but very reasonably priced, with filling lunch plates from €10.
Anita, daughter and manager, will be happy to book you wine tasting from one of the nearby vineyards . She also gave us recommendations regarding restaurants inside Santa Marina, the centre of Salina, if you can call it that will. Though I must warn you, don’t expect to see much of the island as it’s hard to pull yourself away from the particular warm embrace of Principe.
Prices for a double room start at €170 and can be booked here .
Modica – Modica Boutique Hotel
The first thing that struck me about Modica Boutique Hotel was the location. It is in the shopping area associated with Modica, rather than within the historic centre , and is attached in order to a petrol station. Despite this slightly odd choice of location, there’s a lot to recommend about this company hotel.
This has the spacious and well-designed lobby area, designed by CaberlonCaroppi, that leads on to the restaurant. Food is definitely served right here all day and there is a good selection of Italian and international dishes.
The particular rooms are all off long corridors and each floor offers water plus ice stations. There are usually rooms in order to suit a variety of budgets, but all are spacious and thoughtfully designed.
With easy access to the main road in plus out of Modica, this is the perfect location for business travellers. The WiFi has been flawless as well as the rooms are very quiet. This atmosphere made it a great place to work — and obtain a great night’s sleep. There’s also a meeting room on the ground floor intended for hire.
If you do want to explore the old town or visit the hotel’s private beach , there are usually shuttle services to both. This is the perfect way to reach the old city, especially, as narrow streets and lack of parking mean it is too much hassle in order to take your own car.
Double rooms start at €90 and can be reserved here .
Mount Etna – Monaci delle Terre Nere
If you want hikes and adventure during the day and peace and solitude by night, this can be the location for a person. Wine lovers furthermore take note.
Monaci delle Terre Nere is certainly a 25-hectare estate in the foot associated with Mount Etna, Europe’s largest and most active volcano. They grow the grapes for six types of wine (all delicious) alongside more fruit and vegetables than you can imagine.
The produce grown upon the estate is woven into every part of the particular experience, through the fruit basket awaiting you in your room towards the lunch plus dinner menu which changes daily. I did feel the food has been overpriced, especially for Sicily where you can usually eat to get €30 a head including wine. But the helipad gave me the sense that money’s not an issue for most guests right here.
The rooms are in chalets dotted round the Monaci delle Terre Nere. There is so much land between them that will you feel like you’ve got your personal estate. Until, which is, the golf buggy sails past the window – the particular mode of transport used to ferry guests around.
I was in a Deluxe Estate Suite and it had been breathtaking. It had the bedroom, a living room, two bathrooms and even a walk-in closet. The particular sofa within the living room also doubles up because a bed so you can comfortably fit the group associated with friends here.
I had been with Monaci in late September and it was a cloudy and grey weekend. This particular isn’t unusual for Mt Etna, where the weather is as unpredictable since the volcano itself. I would normally have already been disappointed, yet our suite was so special that I was happy not to feel compelled to venture out. I lit the fire, connected up the in-room Bose speaker plus whiled the afternoon apart, ending with a dip in the private swimming pool.
All within all, Monaci is a great choice if a person want luxurious while experiencing the majestic Mt Etna.
Costs for the double space from €395 and may become booked here .
Noto – Masseria degli Ulivi
Lots of the filming for The White Lotus has been done in Noto, so it should definitely end up being on your own itinerary.
Masseria degli Ulivi is a 10-minute drive from Noto, one of the island’s best baroque towns, and Sicily’s gay capital . Yet staying right here, you wouldn’t know you are so close to a busy metropolitan center. Masseria degli Ulivi feels like a real countryside retreat .
The olives that will the resort is named after create oil late into the year, but it’s available to buy year-round. We sampled it at dinner and it was golden in colour and rich in flavour.
Homemade produce is a signature here, with freshly baked bread at supper and homemade jams on breakfast. Almost all of these treats were exceptionally good, making the particular food the best part of the remain.
At the centre associated with Masseria will be a large outdoor pool which looks out on the countryside. Like the whole hotel, this area is simply designed. You won’t find any manicured lawns or even velvet sofas here. Instead, the décor is traditional Sicilian style. In keeping with this particular, our room was decorated in calming whites and neutral colours.
Unlike most hotels, there’s no USB outlets or fancy tech. But I actually enjoyed this as it designed switching off my devices for an impromptu digital detox . The particular service is usually similarly unfussy. The staff are around if you need them, but they’re not really intrusive or even overbearing.
Overall, I had the really relaxing stay at this laidback country hotel. I’ll definitely be back.
Double areas start at €101 plus can be booked here .
_Ruth Wright was a guest of Modica Boutique Resort , Monaci delle Terre Nere and Masseria degli Ulivi .
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