15 of the Best Luxury Hotels in Sicily

There are many places that you could say ‘have it all’. But, when it comes to assets, do they have what Sicily has? Or is this island in the middle of the sparkling Mediterranean really as special as Homer and Virgil, and everyone else who has ever marvelled at it in poetry or prose, say it is. Sun drenched, surrounded by sea of the most brilliant azure, and ringed by an undulating topography of dramatic cliffs and sandy coves, Sicily doesn’t stop there. The interior is wild, and in some places arid and others quite lush. It’s got smoking Etna, and a dozen or so off shore islands to explore, and that’s before you start on the island’s history. You can see it in the great variety of architecture, and taste it in the wide variety of flavours. And what could be more luxurious than ‘having it all’ and then rounding off the island’s appeals with a reservation at one of the 15 best luxury hotels in Sicily...

Our recommendations for top luxury hotels in Sicily range from luxurious Sicilian beach hotels and resorts, to rural escapes, to chic hotels in Palermo and some of our favourite honeymoon hotels in Italy. We’re recommending spectacular views, Michelin-starred food, elegant decor and all the trimmings, in an island setting that really does have it all.

Some of Sicily’s Best Honeymoon Hotels

• If you’re looking for a really special hotel on Sicily the Belmond Villa Sant'Andrea is a very strong contender to start with. It’s beautifully located around the perfect ‘c’ curve of a Sicilian bay, by a stretch of private beach, but along from a gorgeous clifftop. Inside the hotel are 71 rooms and suites, all light and airy with a beachside colour scheme and unfussy details, most of them with private terraces and balconies, plus an excellent spa and a restaurant with a terrace offering more of those perfect, remember-forever views.
• For the best of Sicilian spectacular glamour and spectacular views you’ll want The Ashbee Hotel, a gorgeous grand villa with just 25 rooms and suites. Inside you can expect floor-to-ceiling windows, parquet floors, decorative wallpapers, designer furniture and, in some rooms private terraces and hot tubs. But there are numerous terraces to share, worthy of a film set, a pool with an incredible view of the coast and an excellent fine dining restaurant specialising in Sicilian and Mediterranean food.
• The Grand Hotel Timeo has incredible panoramic views over the medieval town of Taormina, which you can enjoy from its romantic terraces, or from its elegant bar or restaurant, or from the privacy of your own balcony, which might even have your own private hot tub on it. There’s a pool terrace too, with a view, and you even a terrace with a view as part of the spa — you can even enjoy a massage with a view. Inside the decor is traditional and elegant, in pale colours and high quality fabrics and fittings.
• Lovers of history or food will love the Villa Athena, a five star villa set within a UNESCO World Heritage site. If you want to look our of the open doors of your suite, and across your private terraces and see a Doric tempe, or several, then this is the place for you. Inside the rooms offer the height of Sicilian elegance, wonderful tiled floors and shaped wood furniture in pale colours. There’s also a fantastic restaurant, and a luscious garden with a pool.

For seaside luxury

• On the historic harbour of Syracuse, right opposite the water, is the Ortea Palace, a beautiful 1920s era building with 75 cleverly designed rooms and suites. Most of the rooms have huge windows, and have been arranged to make the most of them, even if a mezzanine floor has been added. The Tower Suites are especially impressive, with panoramic sea views, huge bay windows and two private balconies. There’s also a first class spa, and an impressive Sicilian restaurant.

For a Luxury Retreat

• Dimora Delle Balze is a beautifully converted masseria in a pristine part of rural Sicily — it’s something like a gorgeous old stone farm complex with a semi-fortified wall and towers, plus ancient olive trees and orchards. It has just 12 rooms, and they’re very chicly decorated with contemporary fabrics and a few choice artefacts and plants, to make the most of the wonderful stone walls and other original features. There’s also the sort of pool you could expect to see in a tropical island resort. Remote, quiet and traditional, you’re not far from Syracuse and the coast. They have family suites too, and plenty of space for kids to enjoy themselves without bothering anyone.
• If you’re coming to an island because you’d like to relax against sea views, as well as a rural backdrop, the Baglio La porta di San Gerardo might be more to your taste. There are only ten rooms and suites, all of them with wonderful views, and contemporary decor featuring plenty of natural materials. There’s also a huge pool and a wellness centre. Plus a fantastic restaurant with a fantastic view. Perfect if you want to relax. And affordable too.
• Surrounded by orange groves, rolling farmland and peace-inducing views of rural Sicily, Donna Coraly has just five suites, carefully designed with both style and energy efficiency in mind. This ecologically friendly approach includes using a lot of their own produce on their tables, including their own cheese and olive oil, as well as fruit and vegetables. There’s a large pool, big gardens and a restaurant with a terrace.

For a Luxury Resort

• If you’re here for a relaxed escape in idyllic surrounds you might like the look of the Verdura Golf & Spa Resort, especially if your tastes run to golf, spectacular views of the coast and stylish contemporary decor! This is a big resort, with 203 rooms and suites — some of which have their own private pools. It also has two of its own 18 hole golf courses, four restaurants, two pools, an exceptional spa with an impressive range of treatments, and a kid’s club — because this is a fantastic place to come and relax with, and without, your family.
• The Villa Neri Resort is away from the coast, close to Mount Etna, in a serene, rural spot, where most windows offer views that feature nothing man made. Its 24 rooms and suites are huge, and chicly minimalist in their style, with features that range from in-room baths to hot tubs and private balconies and terraces. There’s a spa, which is the main draw for some visitors, an exceptionally large and elegant pool, and the food in the restaurant is excellent.

Our Favourite Luxury Hotels in Taormina

• Taormina’s Hotel Metropole is a five star hotel complete with a Michelin starred restaurant, a chic bar, a rather glamorous hey-day-of-beach-holidays-facade with a matching pool, a luxurious spa and 23 rooms and suites decorated with contemporary Italian designer pieces, and some nice antiques. It’s romantic, the ocean views are quite something, and you’re close to the beach.
• The Hotel Villa Ducale ticks a lot of boxes: it’s small and romantic and the decor is really charming, with a confidence in style and colour that would make many of us envious. There’s a lovely garden with a pool, and only 19 rooms and suites to share it between. But what really sets this hotel apart are its views, both towards Taormina and the ocean and towards Mt. Etna in the other direction. Some of the rooms have their own terrace, and there are larger ones to share, including one where candlelit suppers are served overlooking the bay. The hotel also operates a shuttle bus to the beach, which is only ten minutes away. The larger suites are suitable for families too.

For Family Friendly Luxury

• Perched on Etna’s slopes, Monaci delle Terre Nere is a deep pink villa which looks deceptively traditional as you approach, yet inside, stone walls, wooden beams and bare plaster mix with shiny glass, bright art works and bold contemporary lighting. The 19 rooms and suites are scattered throughout the grounds in converted farm buildings as well as some new-builds. Most Importantly it is comfy and not in the least pretentious, with plenty of space for your family to stretch out. And there is a cinema and excellent restaurant. Relax by the pool and gaze up at Mount Etna, or at the vineyards fanning out below you to the coast.

Some of the Best Value Luxury Hotels in Sicily

• Taormina’s Hotel Villa Carlotta is a sister to the Hotel Villa Ducale, down the hill from her, but still on the clifftop, closer to the bay and the Ionian Sea, with views of both the water and of Mount Etna. There are 29 rooms, suites and apartments here, and that’s the secret to the affordability of this villa, though all the rooms are beautifully decorated, with stone floors, opulent fabrics and delicate watercolours. The best rooms have sea views, but even the smallest have plenty of charm. There’s also a fantastic pool-with-a-view, and the sort of restaurant that’s so good it offers cooking classes. You’re only five minutes from the beach, but the hotel has a shuttle service, and you’re five minutes from the centre of town too. This is also an excellent choice for families, with four apartments, and several interconnecting rooms and suites.

Still not sure which to book?

• Browse through our list of all the best places to stay in Sicily.
• Or you could refine your search to just the best hotels in Palermo, the best hotels in Taormina or the best hotels in Catania or Syracuse.
• Or you could consult our Guru’s recommendations for 20 of the Best Boutique Hotels on Sicily, Sicily's 10 Best Wine Hotels or 13 of the Best Beach Hotels in Sicily.
• Alternatively, you could contact one of our friendly Gurus for personalised advice.