Donna Carmela Resort & Lodges, an SLH Hotel

“This was a wonderful stay!! Lovely staff, updated and chic rooms, beautiful property. Free breakfast every day was a huge highlight. Quiet and sunny pool, amazing restaurant on property for dinner. The location isn’t near a major village / town, but if you have a car and are happy to drive, it is perfect! So quaint and lovely!”

“Our stay at Donna Carmela was fantastic. The staff went above and beyond to make us feel comfortable. the room was spotless and well-designed with a view to the volcano! Breakfast was fresh and varied with local pastry We were also traveling with a baby, and the hotel was very accommodating, providing everything we needed. Highly recommended for anyone visiting Sicily!”

“We've spent a couple days after Christmas at this hotel - having experienced many Hilton and a couple SLH hotels, this is a top notch place with great crew, good location and fantastic views. Getting there by car is relatively easy from Catania airport, but make sure to have satnav available as the last couple turns can be tricky, especially at night. The hotel isn't very close to the major towns, but you can easily drive to Catania or Taormina within 25 minutes. The Superior room we were in had refined interiors, direct view on the Etna, and the fact that the volcano was erupting while we were there have only added to the experience (yes, it was visible from the room with a telescope). The crew was very kind to offer a small dinner of cold cuts into the room on the first night, as we've arrived after the kitchen has closed - this was a nice touch we've very much appreciated. As we were there in December, we didn't try out the pool and the hotel wasn't crowded at all, with nice Christmas decoration inside and outside. Breakfast was great with a lot of local pastries, cakes offered, and there was an option for a'la carte selection for hot food. We had one great dinner at the restaurant, where we went for the Il Viaggio tasting menu with the wine option. The wine pairings offered by the sommelier went very well with the dishes, the dishes were nicely prepared and tasted fantastic, the allergies were carefully taken of (some dishes were changed or updated). Also, the Creme brulee with the fine cocoa topping in my opinion was a creative and nice touch resembling the Etna eruption at the time. To sum it up, small luxury island in Sicily that's very much recommended for a visit.”

“We spent two nights at Donna Carmela earlier this month and overall had a very enjoyable stay. The hotel has a genuinely special atmosphere, set within lush, thoughtfully designed gardens that are a delight to wander. The planting is abundant and beautifully curated, not surprising when you learn the hotel shares its site with the family's plant nursery. It's one of those places that feels immediately calm and considered. Check-in was a little confusing; we were told our room was ready but were directed to the bar for a complimentary welcome drink before being given our key. A lovely gesture in principle, but as we had plans to visit Taormina that afternoon, we found ourselves having to return to reception to chase up our room key and retrieve our car from valet parking. On that note, the valet service itself was a nice touch, as was finding our luggage already in the room on arrival. There is also ample parking on site should you prefer to park yourself. The pool was wonderfully refreshing, and we made use of the small gym during our stay. Lunch at the poolside café was tasty and relaxed, exactly what you want after a morning's exploring. Dinner in the hotel restaurant both evenings was enjoyable, with flavourful, well-prepared food, though the menu felt limited. If you're staying more than two nights, you'd likely want to eat out at least once — there's only so much variety before you find yourself repeating choices. One highlight we'd strongly recommend: the apericena served alongside pre-dinner drinks in the bar was absolutely delicious and not to be missed. Breakfast was a real pleasure, served on a beautiful outdoor terrace with a generous spread of sweet pastries, fresh fruit, yoghurt, and eggs. A lovely way to start the day. Our only notable gripe was a practical one: our bedroom door was extremely stiff. Rather than being fixed when we raised it, a member of staff simply demonstrated that it required considerable force to open; my husband ended up shouldering it open every time we returned to the room, which felt like an avoidable inconvenience. There is also some construction work ongoing at the property, though this didn't affect us at all during our stay. Minor niggles aside, Donna Carmela is a beautiful, characterful hotel and we'd recommend it — particularly for a short break where you can combine it with day trips to nearby Taormina, Mount Etna and the surrounding area.”

“Had a wonderful stay at Donna Carmela, along with our friends to celebrate a special occasion. The service and staff were outstanding from top to bottom! Everyone on their team is very warm, welcoming, and professional. The breakfast each morning was incredible with an impressive assortment of pastries, cakes, loaves, tarts, as well as a small a la carte menu of hot items made to order. A big thank you to Aurora who helped plan and manage our group's stay, as well as Giuseppe at the bar for his great drinks and a fun cocktail masterclass. Some in our group also did the cannoli making class and LOVED it (great activity for kids). Aurora also helped our group coordinate a trip to Pietradolce winery on the North side of Etna, owned by the same family as Donna Carmela. This visit and wine tasting was also one of the highlights of our trip! Highly recommended.”