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Travel + Leisure
21-05-2025
- Travel + Leisure
This Hotel on One of Sicily's Best Beaches Has Newly Renovated Plunge Pool Suites—and Michelin Guide Dining
'It's an unforgettable arrival,' Marilena Calabrò, hotel manager at Mazzarò Sea Palace, said with a smile, catching me staring out at the perfect blue bay from the lobby. The beautiful beaches, rich history, and generous people of Taormina, Sicily, stole my heart years before the town's White Lotus fame, and I've been returning almost annually ever since. But while I'd long heard about the Sea Palace, this was my first time checking in. It was nearing the end of the 2024 season, and Calabrò was busy preparing the property for a renovation, which just debuted in March 2025. Still, she slowed down and took her time to show me all the ways in which the seafront property, revered for its relaxed approach to luxury, embodies what she affectionately referred to as the 'Sicilian spirit.' A first-time visitor might think they see Sicilian spirit in the turquoise Moorish heads and ceramic sea creatures dotting the lounge and outdoor bar, or in the rounded cacti and stone walls lining the plunge-pool balconies. They wouldn't be incorrect, but the Sicilian spirit is much more than that. To me, it's a feeling you get when you are warmly welcomed into a place by people who love their home and genuinely want to share it with you. For me and my now-husband, the day we checked in represented the calm before the storm in every sense of the phrase. We left all of our relatives up in the center of Taormina, a few miles away. The sun was shining, the bay of Mazzarò was glistening, our lounge chairs were waiting for us in the sand, and cocktails were flowing. The next morning, we'd wake up on the day of our civil wedding to the type of torrential rain Taormina rarely sees; the kind that halts traffic and causes rivers to run down the dramatic hillside. But down at sea level, wrapped in the comforting cocoon of Mazzarò Sea Palace, we didn't really mind. I took my time enjoying a pistachio granita and brioche from the breakfast buffet, because I believe no day can go wrong when you've had ice cream for breakfast. Sure enough, the rain stopped just in time for our little ceremony in town. We were able to fold away the white umbrellas that had been kindly loaned to us at the hotel and spend the rest of the day strolling Taormina's charming main drag, Corso Umberto, soaking in streams of well wishes from strangers passing by. Surely it was that Sicilian spirit working in our favor once again. Here, my review of VRetreats' Mazzarò Sea Palace. Mazzarò Sea Palace sits directly overlooking the beautiful bay for which it's named, with loungers in the sand and an expansive deck offering outdoor cocktails, bites, and a sea-view swimming pool. A fresh renovation debuted in March 2025, bringing modern updates to already charming rooms and suites. The hotel has six private pool suites, kept secluded with picturesque stone walls that block out other guests but leave views of the bay unobstructed. Chef Riccardo Fazio's two restaurants, Blum (2025 Michelin Guide) and Armònia, and the Almarè Bar, all make the most of the hotel's scenic surroundings and Sicily's natural ingredients. After undergoing renovations between the 2024 and 2025 seasons, Mazzarò Sea Palace has a total of 68 rooms, including six suites. Every key comes with a sea view, and every suite comes with a private plunge pool. The team at Milan-based architecture and design studio made the rooms lighter and noticeably more contemporary than before, without erasing the Mediterranean design influences that lend it its signature Sicilian charm. We stayed in a deluxe room with sea view and found it to be the perfect mix of cozy and modern, with gently arched ceilings, a marble bathroom with a spa shower, and a marble balcony with two lounge chairs pointed toward the coast. Playful touches like the ceramic octopus guarding our Nespresso machine made it feel like home. Scenic views from the Bar Mazzarò terrace. Like the island it sits on, Mazzarò Sea Palace is a destination for gastronomes, with two restaurants by young, experimental Sicilian chef Riccardo Fazio. At the fine dining concept Blum, recognized in the 2025 Michelin Guide, he uses rare local ingredients, like Tuma Persa cheese, almost a lost Sicilian art, and blends unexpected flavors within traditional Italian dishes like ravioli. Though there are only 12 seatings per night, the ambiance is relaxed and intimate, not pretentious. The seafront terrace is the initial attraction for many at Armònia, but Fazio doesn't sit back and rely on the view. The menu here is more traditional, with fresh crudos, seafood pastas and risotto, raviolo alla norma (the famous Sicilian dish with eggplant), octopus in a marsala sauce, and lasagna bolognese. Still, you'll spot Fazio's inventive touches throughout. Finally, at Almarè Bar, sip volcanic wines from the neighboring Etna region and taste cocktails made with seasonal, locally grown fruits, herbs, and spirits. A sunny afternoon in Taormina is best spent lounging or paddle boarding on the calm Bay of Mazzarò, and the hotel offers direct access. Of course, both kids and adults also enjoy the panoramic pool, on a wooden deck above the beach. Between the modern gym, spa, and wellness center, it's easy to turn your stay into a health retreat, until aperitivo time, at least. A dedicated concierge team makes booking excursions nearby and across Sicily's east coast easy, from boat rides and scenic treks to history tours and ceramics classes. Families and couples also love the cooking classes offered on-site. The Hyd'Or Spa offers tailored treatments, from facials to massages to lymphatic drainage, and prioritizes using aromatic, locally sourced ingredients, like fresh citrus. I visited for a manicure and pedicure and found attentive, personalized service in a serene setting. The hotel encompasses four floors that are accessible via two elevators. Armonia restaurant and Almarè Bar are both on the ground floor. All rooms except for two have walk-in showers. VRetreats prides itself on its commitment to sustainable tourism and practices the Gabbiani Verdi protocol, which follows 17 sustainability goals set by the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Located on the Bay of Mazzarò, less than three miles from the hilltop historic center of Taormina, the hotel offers direct beach access and a quiet atmosphere by nightfall. The best way to get into Taormina proper is via a scenic cable car (called the funivia), which runs every 15 minutes and is just a few minutes' walk from the hotel. Tickets are €10 round-trip. Taxis are also easy to come by and take about 15 minutes to drive into town. The nearest airport is Catania–Fontanarossa, about an hour's drive away. Nightly rates at Mazzarò Sea Palace start from €900 per night. Every T+L hotel review is written by an editor or reporter who has stayed at the property, and each hotel selected aligns with our core values.
Telegraph
15-05-2025
- Telegraph
Don't believe what you hear – Spain still loves British tourists
While tucking into a huge sea bass and looking out across the bustling beach in Port de Sóller, Majorca, the hum of the famous tram in the background, it was hard to believe we're in a country that reportedly does not welcome tourists – and a town within it which made anti-tourism headlines all of its own recently. It was the last week of April and, despite already being busy (the AI images got one thing right: getting on the tram was like taking the Tube in rush hour), all the locals we met and everyone we encountered working in hospitality was pleasant and personable. In fact, lots of the staff we met were tourists themselves. We spent a few nights in the achingly pretty Fornalutx – rather like the Cotswolds of Spain – where we met a lovely hotel manager from the Midlands. She told us that the hostility stems from the fact that, like many popular hotspots in the UK, locals are being priced out of the property market due to a rise in holiday lets and second homes. Majorca's population has risen by a third, from 727,000 to 960,000, in the last two decades and the hotel manager said that Fornalutx, in particular, had become ridiculously expensive. Nevertheless, all the locals we encountered there were friendly and helpful. One of the Spanish waitresses in the café we went to on our first night spent much of her precious time gladly explaining best way to get to Sóller, and even gave us a few restaurant recommendations. When we arrived in Sóller (which is akin to the French Alps' Chamonix in spring, with mountains, wide skies and shuttered houses) and stopped to ask directions to our hotel, a kind local showed us the way. Later that evening we spotted one of the waiters who served us the day before. He told us he was from Buenos Aires and his colleague, also Argentinian, said that most of the people they work with love the Brits. When we returned home from our trip, I posted in a few social media groups asking about other people's experiences in Spain – and was inundated with positive responses. Holly Gaffney, a marketing manager currently holidaying and working in Alicante, said everyone she had encountered had been kind and friendly. 'One of my favourite moments so far was joining a walking tour, where the guide actually thanked tourists and spoke about how much they've contributed to the city's growth throughout history. It was a thoughtful moment that added even more meaning to the experience.' However, she admitted that she had also noticed a few signs of the reported anti-tourism sentiment. 'I've spotted a few posters here and there,' she said. 'But it seems to be aimed more at the housing situation than at individual travellers. It's a reminder of the broader impact of travel and how important it is to be a respectful, thoughtful visitor.' Editor Georgia Lewis, who visited Majorca in January and last September with her husband Paul, said that even though she only speaks basic 'Spanglish', she always finds staff in restaurants to be patient and polite. 'I've found people across all the Spanish places we've visited to be super-friendly and welcoming. By the end of our trip to Barcelona – for my birthday in March 2024 – we felt like we'd made friends with the people at the cafe where we had breakfast every morning, as well as the guy behind the counter at the grocery store where my husband bought his beer.' Lewis was also in Majorca when the Queen died in September 2022, and said all the front pages on Spanish newspapers paid tribute to her. 'At the petrol station that morning, the guy filling up the car clocked my husband's Geordie accent and said, 'Sorry about your Queen'. My husband was a bit taken aback, but thanked him for his kind words and they had a chat that ended in a handshake. It was a lovely moment.' Meanwhile, therapist Rhian Kivits, who visited Malaga in March with her husband Rens, said they usually travel by Uber and have always found the drivers to be friendly and helpful. 'Most drivers chat about their own holidays (interestingly, they seem to like Spanish destinations – and who can blame them?), their favourite recommendations for day-trips and what life in Spain is like. Those who haven't spoken English always offer a greeting and a smile. And we are always wished 'safe travels' when we are dropped off at the airport.' Kivits says they often stay in Benalmadena, where they have a few favourite places to eat and a hotel where they regularly stay. 'Staff have remembered us over the years and usually remember our favourite drinks and meals, too. Some even refer to us as 'family'.' Writer Anna-Louise Dearden, who just returned from Malaga and Andalusia, said that although travelling solo in Malaga made her feel a bit like Shirley Valentine at times, most Spanish people were friendly. 'I think if you have a smattering of the local language, you get on much better,' she said. 'When I was in Andalusia with a group, the guy who spoke good Spanish had a whale of a time chatting to the locals.' So what's the truth of it? Have the Spanish really turned on tourists, or are visitors still mostly received with that traditional warmth that's kept us coming back for decades. Ultimately, it comes down to the old adage: treat others as you wish to be treated, says Kivits. 'Smile, make basic conversation, say thank you in Spanish and show them you appreciate Spain.' And with this simple ethos, there's certainly no reason to avoid this long-loved destination. With a bit of mutual respect, a Spanish holiday can remain a beloved British break.
The Independent
07-05-2025
- The Independent
Hotel manager sacked for ‘having sex with colleague after loud partying' wins claim for unfair dismissal
A hotel manager who was fired for playing loud music and allegedly having sex with a colleague in one of the rooms has won an unfair dismissal claim. Sebastian Kedracki was sacked after drinking and partying with a colleague and then spending the night in a room at the Club Quarters Hotel in central London without permission. An employment tribunal heard that on 29 December 2022, a colleague caught Mr Kedracki and the female colleague 'dancing around' to music 'like a disco club with the volume on maximum' in one of the hotel's offices. The colleague claimed the doors to the office were 'double-locked', but he could see the pair dancing with the lights off with 'several bottles of alcohol around'. The pair later moved to one of the guest rooms. Around 3am, one guest staying at the hotel in Covent Garden complained that she could hear 'loud music' and her husband couldn't sleep, the tribunal heard. After the complaint, colleagues used a master key to enter the hotel room and saw Mr Kedracki and the female colleague having a shower together. In a statement to the tribunal, one of the colleagues said he saw the pair 'having sex'. Mr Kedracki did not challenge this claim when cross-examined during the tribunal. The senior employee was suspended for the incident and underwent a disciplinary process, which resulted in his dismissal. Mr Kedracki began working at the Club Quarters Hotel in 2013, according to the central London tribunal. The property is close to the British Museum and the Royal Opera House. The tribunal also heard evidence from the female colleague, who was identified only as 'AB'. She said she had seen Mr Kedracki in the office working late and tried to help him. She said there were difficulties with getting home because of issues with the train, and she was struggling to get a taxi. The pair then decided to have a drink together. She said she was 'embarrassed' to find herself in this situation and apologised for staying in the hotel without permission. Mr Kedracki claimed the dismissal was an 'outrageous witch hunt based on inadequate evidence' and took the company that owns the hotel, Kingsway LIF Holdings Ltd, to an employment tribunal. His claims of unfair dismissal were upheld by Employment Judge Adkin due to faults in the hotel's investigation. Mr Atkin said the hotel did not follow the correct disciplinary process guidance because they used the same employee as the investigator and disciplinary officer. The judge concluded: 'Based on the evidence we have considered his conduct on 29 and 30 December 2022 as a senior employee in that hotel did amount to an abuse and a breach of trust as regards his management responsibility and also using hotel facilities without getting permission, playing loud music and drunkenly partying with a junior employee. 'He inconvenienced other guests and put his colleagues working on the night shift in an embarrassing and awkward position. 'He was not contrite or genuinely apologetic as he should have been during the investigation.'
