Country House Villadorata
Country House Villadorata is a small boutique hotel near the Baroque city of Noto in southeastern Sicily, set amidst olive groves and only a short drive from the secluded, crystalline beaches.
I was looking for a small house and found this place the very first day. I fell in love and decided to invest all of my energy into it.
Monaci delle Terre Nere
The hotel gracefully combines Sicilian elegance and wonderful grounds with eco-friendly standards.
You'll find yourself in the ideal spot for adventurous Etna-excursions as well as laid-back luxury.
The more private suites are about a 300-metre walk from the main house with the restaurant and pool.
How would you describe Monaci delle Terre Nere in a nutshell?
Monici delle Terre Nere is a noble boutique hotel in Sicily, Italy. This 18th-century villa is set onto the foothills of Mount Etna, looks towards the Mediterranean Sea, and has 8 guestrooms and 19 suites. Monica delle Terre Nere is one of three Eco-Bio certified hotels in Sicily and also has an 60-acre organic farm, a vineyard and an organic vegetable garden. The hotel elegantly combines traditional Sicilian architecture with contemporary luxury. It has a beautiful view and energy and is a very precious, discreet and unpretentious hideaway.
What made you choose this area of Sicily?
I am originally from Sicily, but used to live in England and the US. I was looking for a small house in the area and found this place the very first day. I fell in love with it and decided to invest every drop of my energy into it. I have a love of farms and working the land and brought my know-how in dealing with life to this adventure.
Was it your plan to open a small boutique hotel?
Not at all. I felt the place was too big for myself and I had many friends coming and going. So I thought I may as well open it up to people as a small hotel. It gives me joy to have people stay here and enjoy the place.
Tell us a little about the restoration of the hotel.
The restoration took about three years. We used only local materials and as little chemicals as possible and are about to get an eco-tourist certification.
What about the interior design of the hotel?
We had an architect who helped us with that. But the idea behind it comes from my girlfriend and myself. I decorated the house with different things I have collected over the years, especially paintings from the British-Brazilian artist, Olivier Mourao.
Our rose-colored 19th century villa is surrounded by an estate of 40 acres, with an organic farm, ancient vineyard terraces and fruit trees. It is an awe-inspiring setting, extremely picturesque, as we are set in between Mount Etna and the Mediterranean coast. Monica delle Terre Nere has 8 hotel rooms and 12 suites. Some are part of the main villa, some are in other buildings, such as the housekeeper's cottage, the converted barn, a rural lava stone building and several small cottages. These are scattered over our estate, not too far from the main villa but far enough to ensure the tranquility and privacy many of our guests are searching for. Guests really enjoy looking through all our different options and choosing the dwelling that they like best.
Both Superior rooms are located in the ancient stable block, close to the main building and accessible via a shared sheltered narrow patio, with tables and chairs for breakfast or drinks alfresco. Big floor-to-ceiling sliding doors serve as the main entrance 'door' to these elegantly appointed rooms which also have a private courtyard.
The rooms feature:
King-size bed
Luxury bedlinen by Primolino
Luxury 500-650gsm organic cotton towels and bathrobes
Organic bathroom amenities from Anyah, our chosen eco-friendly brand
Complimentary bottled water
Mini bar with a selection of Monaci’s own wines and carefully-chosen local specialties
A plate of fresh organic fruit from the garden, hand-picked by our head gardener
Fresh flowers from the estate’s organic gardens
Writing desk
Walk-in showers
In-room air-conditioning with individually-controlled thermostat
In-room safe
Complimentary wi-fi throughout
Nespresso coffee machine
Evening turndown
Bathrobes, slippers, hairdryer
The Deluxe rooms range from 28 - 40 square metres. The rooms are located in different parts of the estate around the main building. Spacious, airy, with high ceilings, all the Deluxe rooms offer outside space or gardens for al fresco lounging. They have sea-views or garden vistas with uninterrupted views of the vineyards.
The rooms feature:
King-size bed
Luxury bedlinen by Primolino
Luxury 500-650gsm organic cotton towels and bathrobes
Organic bathroom amenities from Anyah, our chosen eco-friendly brand
Complimentary bottled water
Mini bar with a selection of Monaci’s own wines and carefully-chosen local specialties
A plate of fresh organic fruit from the garden, hand-picked by our head gardener
Fresh flowers from the estate’s organic gardens
Writing desk
Fully-equipped bathrooms with walk-in showers or bathtubs
In-room air-conditioning with individually-controlled thermostat
In-room safe
Complimentary wi-fi throughout
Nespresso coffee machine
Evening turndown
Bathrobes, slippers, hairdryer
All but one Deluxe rooms have fireplaces
The Suites are 50 and 45 square metres. Located in the main historical building, they feature a bedroom and comfortable living space with a cozy sofa-bed and fireplace. Fresco has a separate living room and Amabile is open-plan. Fresco has a private balcony and offers views over the Mediterranean sea and lava-stone walled Amabile looks over Mt. Etna.
The suites feature:
King-size bed
Luxury bedlinen by Primolino
Luxury 500-650gsm organic cotton towels and bathrobes
Organic bathroom amenities from Anyah, our chosen eco-friendly brand
Complimentary bottled water
Mini bar with a selection of Monaci’s own wines and carefully-chosen local specialties
A plate of fresh organic fruit from the garden, hand-picked by our head gardener
Fresh flowers from the estate’s organic gardens
Writing desk
Fully-equipped bathrooms with walk-in showers or bathtubs
In-room air-conditioning with individually-controlled thermostat
In-room safe
Complimentary wi-fi throughout
Nespresso coffee machine
Evening turndown
Fireplace
Bathrobes, slippers, hairdryer
The Suites Dependance are between 50 - 60 square metres. They are located all over the estate, either just a short walk from the main building or easily reached by our golf cart service. Tannico and Fragrante have a private terrace and jacuzzi, Vivace, Limpido, Minerale and Elegante have lovely outside space with sun-loungers or outdoor tables and chairs. Surrounded by fruit orchards, grassy lawns, or lavender hedging, these private Suites have wonderful views of the sea, vineyards or Mount Etna.
The rooms feature:
King-size bed
Luxury bedlinen by Primolino
Luxury 500-650gsm organic cotton towels and bathrobes
Organic bathroom amenities from Anyah, our chosen eco-friendly brand
Complimentary bottled water
Mini bar with a selection of Monaci’s own wines and carefully-chosen local specialties
A plate of fresh organic fruit from the garden, hand-picked by our head gardener
Fresh flowers from the estate’s organic gardens
Writing desk
Fully-equipped bathrooms with walk-in showers or bathtubs
In-room air-conditioning with individually-controlled thermostat
In-room safe
Complimentary wi-fi throughout
Nespresso coffee machine
Evening turndown
Fireplace
Bathrobes, slippers, hairdryer
All have a single bed or sofa bed included
The Suites Dependance Deluxe are 50 and 65 square metres. These are completely detached and located at a distance of about 300 metres from the main building, served by our golf cart service. Surrounded by nature, the Suites Dependance Deluxe are perfect for privacy and have their own private gardens. Sontuoso has views of the Mediterranean sea and the vineyards, and Complesso has views of Mount Etna and the vineyards.
The rooms features:
King-size bed
Luxury bedlinen by Primolino
Luxury 500-650gsm organic cotton towels and bathrobes
Organic bathroom amenities from Anyah, our chosen eco-friendly brand
Complimentary bottled water
Mini bar with a selection of Monaci’s own wines and carefully-chosen local specialties
A plate of fresh organic fruit from the garden, hand-picked by our head gardener
Fresh flowers from the estate’s organic gardens
Writing desk
Fully-equipped bathrooms with walk-in showers
In-room air-conditioning with individually-controlled thermostat
In-room safe
Complimentary wi-fi throughout
Nespresso coffee machine
Evening turndown
Bathrobes, slippers, hairdryer
Fireplace
Sofa bed included
The Suites Royal are 80 and 100 square metres. Fiore is a few minutes walk from the main building and Elegante can be easily reached by the golf cart service. The Suites Royal feature a large bedroom with a four-poster bed, and a separate living area with a fireplace. They each have a combination of single-, day- and sofa beds to sleep up to three additional guests. Fiore has two bathrooms, one with a bathtub and the other with a walk-in shower. Elegante has a single spacious bathroom with a sunken bathtub and a separate walk-in shower. It is perfect for families or friends travelling together.
The rooms feature:
Four-poster bed
Luxury bedlinen by Primolino
Luxury 500-650gsm organic cotton towels and bathrobes
Organic bathroom amenities from Anyah, our chosen eco-friendly brand
Complimentary bottled water
Mini bar with a selection of Monaci’s own wines and carefully-chosen local specialties
A plate of fresh organic fruit from the garden, hand-picked by our head gardener
Fresh flowers from the estate’s organic gardens
Writing desk
Fully-equipped bathrooms with walk-in showers
In-room air-conditioning with individually-controlled thermostat
In-room safe
Complimentary wi-fi throughout
Nespresso coffee machine
Evening turndown
Fireplace
Bathrobes, slippers, hairdryer
Space for three additional guests included
Located atop a hill, with amazing views of the estate, the vineyards and the Mediterranean sea, this Suite two bedroom comprises the Suite Royal Elegante and the Suite Dependance Elegante, offering a total living space of 150 sqm. With a large living room, two large bedrooms, two bathrooms (including one fitted with a sunken bathtub), it also has a beautiful dining table, a comfortable chaise longue (which can be made in a single bed), a sofa bed, floor-to-ceiling windows and high, wooden-beamed ceilings. The second bedroom also has its own entrance, making this suite particularly suited to bigger families but also friends travelling together. Housed in its own renovated rural building, it is away from the main structure and boasts a large private garden for plenty of alfresco moments.
The room features:
King-size bed (two bedroom)
Luxury bed linen in organic cotton
Luxury 500-650gsm organic cotton towels and bathrobes
Organic bathroom amenities from Anyah, our chosen eco-friendly brand
Complimentary bottled water
Mini bar with a selection of Monaci’s own wines and local specialties
A plate of fresh organic fruit from the garden, hand-picked by our head gardener
Fresh flowers from the estate’s organic gardens
Sitting area
Private gardern
Fireplace
Writing desk
In-room air-conditioning with individually controlled thermostat
In-room safe
Complimentary wi-fi throughout
Nespresso coffee machine
Evening turndown
Walk-in Shower
Bath thub
Extra bed (on request)
Sofa bed
Baby cot (on request)
Bathrobes, slippers, hairdryer
View: sea
Distance from main building: 350 metres
At our restaurant Nerello the majority of the food is organic and all our dishes are seasonal. Italian cuisine is based on simplicity, which is very evident in how we do things. We serve pastries from a local baker, our own bread with marmalade or quiche with wild herbs. There is, of course, also fresh fish from the sea cooked in a thick layer of salt to preserve all the flavors and a wonderful selection of wine. There is also our bar Convivium, which is quite a unique corner, perfect to gather and enjoy.
During the day we highly recommend a swim in our outdoor black lava-stone infinity pool overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, one of our holistic spa treatments, or a bike ride with the free bikes that are available to our guests.
Wine tasting is very popular, obviously. There are some really cute restaurants around Mt. Etna and the nearby towns often host different festivals. They’re pretty cozy, like in old times. It’s quite a spectacle, and the food is fabulous.
Taking a drive is incredible too, especially for people who love nature. We have lots of forests in the area with all kinds of trees, including chestnut, oak and cypresses. It’s gorgeous territory.
Mt. Etna is an interesting place and now is the best time to visit because within the next 10 years, it’ll become far more popular. One of the most beautiful roads in Sicily is here and you can drive by all the vineyards. They’re exceptional, offering some of the best wines in the world. Some of the vineyards have vines older than 150 years.
We even offer wine tours. We are in contact with the best people in Mt. Etna and organize lovely tours for our guests.
Touring the crater is also incredible. And you can ski Mt. Etna in the winter. It’s quite a different experience because you have the view of the sea. It’s really unique.
Monica delle Terre Nere is located in a small Catania provincial town, only 35 kilometres from the next airport, yet right on the foothills of majestic Mount Etna. Catania is the next big city, a 30-minute drive from the hotel, with a gorgeous historical center and a lively atmosphere. This part of Sicily has been famous for wine for over 2,000 years and there are about 20 different varieties of grapes grown here. The hotel is at about 500 meters above sea level, so we get the Mediterranean breeze, the temperatures are more moderate here and the views are just incredible.
Sicily is a place that can be enjoyed all year round. Summer is obviously a joy. In winter there is still plenty of sun but we have wood fireplaces in the suites as well. At the end of February, there is also something called Le Contrade dell’Etna which is a tour hosted by a wine producer. They show you how they make real, organic wine without sulfites.
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