This is What It is Wish to Keep on the Mazzaro Sea Palace

“It’s an unforgettable arrival,” Marilena Calabrò, resort supervisor at Mazzarò Sea Palace, mentioned with a smile, catching me staring out on the excellent blue bay from the foyer.

The attractive seashores, wealthy historical past, and beneficiant folks of Taormina, Sicily, stole my coronary heart years earlier than the city’s White Lotus fame, and I’ve been returning nearly yearly ever since. However whereas I’d lengthy heard concerning the Sea Palace, this was my first time checking in.

It was nearing the tip of the 2024 season, and Calabrò was busy making ready the property for a renovation, which simply debuted in March 2025. Nonetheless, she slowed down and took her time to point out me all of the methods during which the seafront property, revered for its relaxed strategy to luxurious, embodies what she affectionately known as the “Sicilian spirit.”

A primary-time customer may assume they see Sicilian spirit within the turquoise Moorish heads and ceramic sea creatures dotting the lounge and outside bar, or within the rounded cacti and stone partitions lining the plunge-pool balconies. They wouldn’t be incorrect, however the Sicilian spirit is rather more than that. To me, it’s a sense you get if you find yourself warmly welcomed into a spot by individuals who love their residence and genuinely wish to share it with you.

For me and my now-husband, the day we checked in represented the calm earlier than the storm in each sense of the phrase. We left all of our kin up within the heart of Taormina, a number of miles away. The solar was shining, the bay of Mazzarò was glistening, our lounge chairs have been ready for us within the sand, and cocktails have been flowing. The following morning, we’d get up on the day of our civil wedding ceremony to the kind of torrential rain Taormina not often sees; the sort that halts visitors and causes rivers to run down the dramatic hillside.

However down at sea degree, wrapped within the comforting cocoon of Mazzarò Sea Palace, we didn’t actually thoughts. I took my time having fun with a pistachio granita and brioche from the breakfast buffet, as a result of I imagine no day can go unsuitable whenever you’ve had ice cream for breakfast. Certain sufficient, the rain stopped simply in time for our little ceremony on the town. We have been in a position to fold away the white umbrellas that had been kindly loaned to us on the resort and spend the remainder of the day strolling Taormina’s charming foremost drag, Corso Umberto, soaking in streams of effectively needs from strangers passing by. Certainly it was that Sicilian spirit working in our favor as soon as once more.

Right here, my assessment of VRetreats’ Mazzarò Sea Palace.

The Rooms

After present process renovations between the 2024 and 2025 seasons, Mazzarò Sea Palace has a complete of 68 rooms, together with six suites. Each key comes with a sea view, and each suite comes with a non-public plunge pool.

The workforce at Milan-based structure and design studio De.Tales made the rooms lighter and noticeably extra up to date than earlier than, with out erasing the Mediterranean design influences that lend it its signature Sicilian appeal.

We stayed in a deluxe room with sea view and located it to be the proper mixture of cozy and fashionable, with gently arched ceilings, a marble lavatory with a spa bathe, and a marble balcony with two lounge chairs pointed towards the coast. Playful touches just like the ceramic octopus guarding our Nespresso machine made it really feel like residence.

Meals and Drink

Just like the island it sits on, Mazzarò Sea Palace is a vacation spot for gastronomes, with two eating places by younger, experimental Sicilian chef Riccardo Fazio. On the positive eating idea Blum, acknowledged within the 2025 Michelin Information, he makes use of uncommon native components, like Tuma Persa cheese, nearly a misplaced Sicilian artwork, and blends surprising flavors inside conventional Italian dishes like ravioli. Although there are solely 12 seatings per evening, the ambiance is relaxed and intimate, not pretentious.

The seafront terrace is the preliminary attraction for a lot of at Armònia, however Fazio doesn’t sit again and depend on the view. The menu right here is extra conventional, with contemporary crudos, seafood pastas and risotto, raviolo alla norma (the well-known Sicilian dish with eggplant), octopus in a marsala sauce, and lasagna bolognese. Nonetheless, you’ll spot Fazio’s ingenious touches all through. Lastly, at Almarè Bar, sip volcanic wines from the neighboring Etna area and style cocktails made with seasonal, domestically grown fruits, herbs, and spirits.

Actions and Experiences

A sunny afternoon in Taormina is finest spent lounging or paddle boarding on the calm Bay of Mazzarò, and the resort provides direct entry. In fact, each youngsters and adults additionally benefit from the panoramic pool, on a wood deck above the seaside. Between the fashionable gymnasium, spa, and wellness heart, it’s straightforward to show your keep right into a well being retreat, till aperitivo time, a minimum of.

A devoted concierge workforce makes reserving excursions close by and throughout Sicily’s east coast straightforward, from boat rides and scenic treks to historical past excursions and ceramics courses. Households and {couples} additionally love the cooking courses provided on-site.

The Spa

The Hyd’Or Spa provides tailor-made therapies, from facials to massages to lymphatic drainage, and prioritizes utilizing fragrant, domestically sourced components, like contemporary citrus. I visited for a manicure and pedicure and located attentive, customized service in a serene setting.

Accessibility and Sustainability

The resort encompasses 4 flooring which are accessible through two elevators. Armonia restaurant and Almarè Bar are each on the bottom flooring. All rooms besides for 2 have walk-in showers. VRetreats prides itself on its dedication to sustainable tourism and practices the Gabbiani Verdi protocol, which follows 17 sustainability objectives set by the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Growth.

Location

Situated on the Bay of Mazzarò, lower than three miles from the hilltop historic heart of Taormina, the resort provides direct seaside entry and a quiet environment by dusk. The easiest way to get into Taormina correct is through a scenic cable automotive (known as the funivia), which runs each quarter-hour and is just some minutes’ stroll from the resort. Tickets are €10 round-trip. Taxis are additionally straightforward to come back by and take about quarter-hour to drive into city. The closest airport is Catania–Fontanarossa, about an hour’s drive away.

Nightly charges at Mazzarò Sea Palace begin from €900 per evening.

Each T+L resort assessment is written by an editor or reporter who has stayed on the property, and every resort chosen aligns with our core values.