Seven Rooms Villadorata
Gargoyles and grandeur
Noto’s historic heart
It may once have been home to a prince, but Seven Rooms Villadorata's owner has now turned his Noto home into a luxe bed and breakfast that makes you feel like royalty: frescoed ceilings, ornate tiles and high windows add a stately air to this honey-hued Baroque beauty.
Facilities
Zimmer
Nine, including six suites.
Checkout
11am. Earliest check-in, 2pm. Let the hotel know if you're planning on arriving late, as the reception is closed after 10.30pm.
Weitere Details
Rates include in-room breakfast and free parking.
Also
Noto is home to Corrado Assenza's Caffé Sicilia, a dolceria on Corso Vittorio Emanuele that is often said to make the world’s best ice-cream (+39 0931 835013).
Hotel Closed
5 November 2022 till 31 March 2023.
Kostenfreies WLAN
At the Hotel
Free WiFi throughout. In rooms: flatscreen TV, air-conditioning and Officine Villadorata bath products.
Our Favourite Rooms
Each of the nine rooms is named after a wind. We loved Austro (wind of the south) most: two enormous French doors open onto a balcony overlooking the golden rooftops and rolling countryside. It was the prince’s bedroom and all of his gilded tiles and frescoes have been restored. Schirone (wind of the south-west) is smaller, but the views are just as good.
Packing Tips
Leave the beach towels and big brollies at home – the hotel has all beachy bases covered. There’s a nature reserve nearby, so don’t forget your snorkelling gear.
Also
Smoking is permitted on balconies and the terrace. Two-night minimum stay.
Kinder
Only those 14-and-over are permitted in tranquil Seven Rooms Villadorata; an extra bed (€150 a night, for each guest) can be added to some rooms.
Galerie
Food & Drink
Top Table
Breakfast out on the patio if it’s sunny, or in the library if it’s wet and windy.
Kleiderordnung
Crisp cotton and linen to keep cool as the Sicilian temperatures soar. (If you're here in winter, stay ahead of the game with cashmere and a raincoat.)
Hotel Restaurant
There’s no restaurant at this boutique B&B, but you will be treated to a wholesome spread of fresh fruit, yoghurts, cereal, meats, cheese and pastries in the morning.
Hotel Bar
There isn’t a bar, just a white Smeg fridge tucked away next to the library stocked with free-for-all still, sparkling and flavoured mineral water. There’s also a Nespresso machine for endless espressos.
Last Orders
Breakfast is served from 8am until 10am.
Room Service
None.
Planes
Fly to Catania and you’ll be an hour away by car. Both British Airways (www.ba.com) and EasyJet (www.easyjet.com) fly direct from London Gatwick; Alitalia (www.alitalia.com) has routes via Milan and Air Malta (www.airmalta.com) via Munich. London Stansted, Brussels Charleroi and Rome Ciampino all fly direct to Comiso, which is a 90-minute drive from the hotel.
Trains
The closest train station is half an hour away by car in Syracuse, the nearest big town up the coast towards Catania. Trains connecting both towns take around an hour and 20 minutes (www.trenitalia.it).
Automobiles
From Catania, the hotel’s an hour south; take the A18 road until the Noto exit. Take the second exit at the first roundabout, the first exit at the second and the second exit at the third. Take the country road Via Napoli, and once you've passed the public gardens and the Polizia Municipale, turn into Via Camillo Benso Cavour – from there, the villa is at number 53. From Syracuse, allow half an hour for the drive. To reach Modica, to the west, use the SS115, picking up the SP17 and SP28. Parking is free for guests of the hotel.
Worth Getting Out of Bed For
Golden Noto has several Baroque buildings to explore and a whole lot of gargoyles to gawp at. The Palazzo Villadorata has been meticulously restored – live the life of Sicilian nobility by wandering within its walls (+39 0931 835005). Climb up to the bell tower of Chiesa di San Carlo al Corso for a wide-ranging view over Noto’s rooftops. Nine kilometres south of the city, you’ll find excavations of an ancient Syracusan colony, Eloro, and there are golden beaches on either side of the ruin. Further afield, venture to Modica, or up the coast to Syracuse. The Vendicari Nature Reserve is a wild coastline of sheltered coves, a sandy beach and three marshes – birdwatchers will delight.
Earn or Redeem Points with World of Hyatt
This Mr & Mrs Smith hotel participates in the World of Hyatt loyalty program. As a member, you can earn and redeem points and enjoy exclusive benefits for qualifying nights. .
