Terre di Romanello Relais in Val di Noto

My wife and I spent three days here in September as part of an organised Sicily tour. The photos online make the hotel look appealing, and the setting is very picturesque. But our stay left us feeling that management is much more focused on making a profit than on giving guests a pleasant experience they’d want to repeat. In our case, a dispute over a very poor meal

The breakfast was good quality with a nice range, but when we arrived the charcuterie section was nearly empty and hadn’t been replenished as often as we’d have liked. Staff were polite, though we didn’t feel the warmth or attentiveness people had praised in other reviews. There was a certain aloofness that left us feeling somewhat unwelcome. The hotel’s setting is breathtaking, and the rooms and amenities had drawn us in. Those parts didn’t disappoint: the rooms were spacious, beautifully decorated and had incredible views, while the pool was a great place to relax and take in the scenery. We’d booked a room with a whirlpool bath for a little extra luxury, but its odd placement made it feel awkward to use and out of place.

The staff were very friendly, dinner was delicious, and breakfast was okay. We loved that people didn’t reserve the pool loungers with towels, so there was always a spot. The complex is beautiful, with a view of Noto, and the room was nice too. Everything is quick to reach by car, and we had a really relaxing stay. A couple of things could be better. The cleaner wanted to come at 9 each morning while we were still asleep, then didn’t come back at all. We couldn’t use the air conditioning at night, and without mosquito screens on the windows we ended up with lots of mosquitoes and bugs in the room.

The setting is wonderful, parking is easy, and the hotel was very clean with super friendly staff. Breakfast was excellent, much better than at most Italian hotels. We’d definitely come back and strongly recommend it.