Donna Carmela Resort & Lodges is what happens when a family of plant growers opens a hotel. The Faro family, whose Piante Faro nursery has worked the lower slopes of Etna for nearly half a century, restored a 19th-century residence in Carruba di Riposto and wrapped it in subtropical gardens, olive trees and citrus. Around it they added lodges with lava-stone hot tubs and private pools, a garden-to-table restaurant and a direct line to their own Etna winery, Pietradolce. My one-line verdict: arguably the most relaxed and green of the boutique hotels between Etna and the Ionian Sea, ideal if you want gardens, good food and wine rather than a beach or a big spa.
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Quick facts: Donna Carmela Resort & Lodges
- Location: Contrada Grotte, Carruba di Riposto, on the coastal plain between Etna and the Ionian Sea, province of Catania.
- Rooms and suites: 26 units according to Small Luxury Hotels of the World and the Michelin Guide, split into rooms and suites in the main buildings and independent lodges in the garden.
- Price level: upper mid to high, depending strongly on the category; the pool suites and villa cost far more than a Superior Room.
- Season: no winter closure is published and guest reviews cover autumn stays, but opening dates are not stated anywhere official. Ask the hotel for November to March.
- Nearest airport: Catania Fontanarossa, about 44 km, roughly 35 to 45 minutes by car.
- Best for: couples, families with young children and food and wine lovers who want a quiet base for Etna and Taormina.
Check prices and availability
With only 26 units, the private pool suites and lodges sell out first in June and September. Compare dates before you commit.
Location and getting there
Carruba is a small hamlet of Riposto, the old wine port on the Ionian coast below Etna. The hotel sits inland of the coast road among nurseries and citrus groves, so you look up at the volcano on one side and, from some suites, out to the sea on the other. It is not a beach hotel: the nearby shore is black volcanic pebble, which is beautiful but less comfortable for toddlers than sand.
Catania Fontanarossa is about 44 km away. Most sources put the drive at 35 to 45 minutes, and the hotel arranges airport transfers (some listings say paid, others free, so confirm when you book). Taormina is roughly 20 km north, usually about half an hour by car, and the Etna wine villages are 20 to 50 minutes uphill depending on the slope. Booking platforms list a free shuttle service, but not where it runs, so ask the hotel whether Taormina is included on your dates. For transfers from the airport, read our guide to Catania airport transfers; a hire car makes the most sense here.
Rooms and suites
The hotel began around 2009 as lodging for clients of the family nursery and grew into a boutique resort. Expect lava stone, wood and linen rather than gilt and marble. SLH, Michelin and most booking platforms say 26 units (SmartFlyer splits them into 18 suites and 8 lodges); a 2019 Italian article counted 28.
- Superior Room: the entry category, around 25 to 30 m², in the main buildings.
- De Luxe Suite and Two-Floor Suite: roughly 45 to 60 m², the duplex sleeping up to four. Good for small families.
- Romantic Lodge: a freestanding garden lodge with its own outdoor lava-stone hot tub. Mario Faro has called it his personal favourite.
- Flora Lodge: a treetop lodge for two, the most unusual room on the property.
- Family Lodge with Private Pool and Jacuzzi Sicilian Villa: for four guests, with more space and privacy.
- Exclusive Suite and Grand Suite with Private Pool: the top categories, about 60 and 95 m², the Grand Suite sleeping up to six. Some units have sea views.
Sizes come from tour operator listings and differ slightly between sources.
Dining
The gardens, orchards and citrus groves supply the kitchen, and the jams at breakfast are made with oranges and lemons from the family’s trees.
- La Cucina di Donna Carmela: the signature restaurant, led by chef Piergiorgio Alecci, who trained at Therasia Resort on Vulcano and at the Four Seasons in Geneva. Sicilian cooking with contemporary touches, a tasting menu and an à la carte list of land and sea dishes, served in an elegant dining room and on a terrace under palms. Check current service hours.
- Sintesi: the more casual lunch option, with salads and light dishes.
- Rizo Bar: cocktails using herbs from the garden, with views over the grounds.
- Wine cellar: a glass cellar holding over 300 labels from Sicily and beyond, with Pietradolce bottles from the family’s Etna estate.
On Michelin: La Cucina di Donna Carmela is listed in the Michelin Guide 2026 as a recommended restaurant, not a starred one, and Michelin also includes it among its picks on the slopes of Etna. The hotel itself appears in the Michelin hotel selection. Some guests find the restaurant quite formal and the drinks pricey. If you want a starred dinner, Zash in nearby Archi holds a star (see our Zash Country Boutique Hotel review).
The travel agency SmartFlyer reports a second restaurant planned for 2027; treat that as a plan until the hotel confirms it.
Spa and pools
This is not a destination spa hotel. Until now, wellness has meant massages, facials, body scrubs and beauty treatments booked on request, plus yoga and a small fitness room with Technogym equipment that guests can reserve free of charge. One reviewer described the gym as very small. SmartFlyer reports that a new spa was due to open in July 2026; we could not confirm from the hotel that it has opened, what it includes or whether there is a sauna, so ask the hotel before you book if a spa matters to you.
The pools are a stronger point:
- Main pool: set among olive trees, lemon trees and palms, with service at the loungers by day. Some listings call it an infinity pool.
- Private pools and hot tubs: several lodges and suites have their own pool or an outdoor lava-stone hot tub, and some booking sites say certain private pools are heated in cooler months.
- Second pool: SmartFlyer says a second infinity pool is planned for 2027.
Our research turned up contradictory information on two pool details. The Michelin Guide lists the outdoor pool as seasonal, while some booking platforms say it is open year-round. SLH and its partner booking channels also list an indoor pool that no other source mentions. It was not clear to us which applies, so confirm with the hotel before you book an off-season stay. A guest review also mentions the main pool getting busy with families in high summer.
Gardens, wine and activities
The gardens
Around 10,000 m² of gardens surround the hotel, according to the Michelin Guide, with century-old olive trees and subtropical species that reflect the nursery business. About 4 km away, the family’s Radicepura botanical park in Giarre is worth a visit; it hosts the biennial Radicepura Garden Festival, whose fifth edition took place in 2025, so the next is expected in 2027.
Pietradolce and Etna wine
Pietradolce is the Faro family’s winery in Solicchiata, on the north slope of Etna near Castiglione di Sicilia, known for Nerello Mascalese and Carricante labels such as Archineri and Contrada Rampante. The hotel can arrange a tasting and vineyard tour; by our estimate the drive takes under an hour, but ask the hotel for transport so nobody has to drive back. That family link is why Donna Carmela appears in our guide to wine hotels on Mount Etna. For other estates and guided tastings, see our Mount Etna wine tours guide, and for staying inside a north slope winery, our Dimora Cottanera review.
Everything else
There is no tennis, padel or golf on site. Free bicycles are available, and the concierge arranges cooking classes (guests mention an arancino masterclass), boat trips along the coast, horse riding, snorkelling and diving, and volcano excursions. Golfers can drive to the 18-hole course at Il Picciolo on the north slope, which we cover in our Il Picciolo Etna Golf Resort review.
What’s nearby
- Mount Etna: the summit area is reachable on a day trip, by cable car and four-wheel drive or with a guide. See our Mount Etna tours guide.
- Taormina: about half an hour north for the Greek Theatre, Corso Umberto and aperitivo with a view. Read where to stay in Taormina if you want to split your stay.
- Etna wine villages: Milo on the east slope and Passopisciaro, Solicchiata and Randazzo on the north slope. Our Sicilian wine guide explains the grapes and styles.
Donna Carmela vs other Etna boutique hotels
| Hotel | Location | Standout | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Donna Carmela Resort & Lodges | Carruba di Riposto, coast | Botanical gardens, lodges with private pools or hot tubs, family-linked Pietradolce wine | Families, garden lovers, wine plus sea |
| Zash Country Boutique Hotel | Archi, Riposto, coast | Michelin-starred restaurant, design in a former winery | Design lovers and gastronomes |
| Monaci delle Terre Nere | Zafferana Etnea, east slope | Own estate wines, Relais & Châteaux | Romantic wine estate stays |
| Il Picciolo Etna Golf Resort & Spa | Castiglione di Sicilia, north slope | 18-hole course among the vineyards, spa | Golfers who love wine |
In short: Monaci is the choice for sleeping on a working wine estate (see our Monaci delle Terre Nere review), Zash wins on cooking and design, and Donna Carmela is the warmest and most family-friendly of the three, with the garden as its signature.
Who it suits, and who it does not
It suits:
- Couples who want a lodge with its own hot tub or pool, hidden in a garden.
- Families with younger children: duplex suites and family lodges, babysitting on request, and children up to 7 stay free in their parents’ beds.
- Food and wine travellers who want Etna wine from the owners’ own estate and garden-to-table cooking.
- Travellers with dogs: pets are accepted on request (some sources mention a fee).
It does not suit:
- Beach lovers who want to walk to sand: the coast here is volcanic pebble and you need a car.
- Spa purists, at least until the new spa is confirmed open.
- Sporty guests looking for tennis, padel or golf on site.
- Those who want a lively town on the doorstep every evening.
Charlotte’s tip: book a lodge, then plan one wine day
Skip the Superior Rooms here and go straight for a garden lodge: the Romantic Lodge for two, or a Family Lodge with its own pool if you travel with children. Then ask the concierge to set up a Pietradolce visit with a driver on your second day, and book dinner at La Cucina the same evening so you can compare the wines with the food they were made for.
Practical tips
- Booking: reserve treatments, cooking classes and the Pietradolce tasting when you book the room, especially in June and September.
- Best rooms to request: the Romantic Lodge or Flora Lodge for couples, the Two-Floor Suite or Family Lodge for families, the Grand Suite with Private Pool for groups or special occasions.
- Season: May, June, September and October are the sweet spot. No winter closure is published, but some facilities, including the main pool, may be seasonal, so check what is open in winter.
- Getting around: hire a car. Taormina, Etna and the wineries are all within an hour, but public transport is limited. Our Italy travel planner covers car hire.
- Kids: welcome, with cribs and babysitting on request; extra beds are charged. Confirm the current child policy with the hotel.
Check prices and availability
Compare the garden lodges, pool suites and the Superior Rooms, and check which rates include breakfast or half board.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Donna Carmela have a Michelin star?
No. La Cucina di Donna Carmela is listed in the Michelin Guide 2026 as a recommended restaurant without a star. For a starred meal nearby, Zash in Archi holds one star.
Does Donna Carmela have a spa?
Treatments are available on request, plus a small gym. A new spa was reported to open in July 2026; ask the hotel whether it is running on your dates.
How far is Donna Carmela from Catania airport and Taormina?
Catania airport is about 44 km away, roughly 35 to 45 minutes by car. Taormina is about 20 km north, usually around half an hour.
Is Donna Carmela connected to a winery?
Yes. The owning Faro family also runs Pietradolce on Etna’s north slope, and its wines are served at the hotel. Tastings at the winery can be arranged.
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