Zash Country Boutique hotel & SPA
Slow luxury. Raw lava stone walls meeting white resin floors, historic agricultural bones wrapped in contemporary design. Think rural chic without any chintz: exposed volcanic masonry, glass box bathrooms, Nespresso on the nightstand, and a Michelin star out the door.
The restaurant is closed on Tuesdays — plan your Michelin dinner accordingly
Why It Matters
One of Sicily's most architecturally distinctive small hotels — a retired winery transformed by a multi-award-winning architect, with a Michelin-starred restaurant in the original fermentation cellar, a helipad, and a lava stone pool overlooking Etna. Featured in the New York Times '52 Places to Go' in 2020.
Zash is a design boutique hotel carved out of a 19th-century Sicilian winery (a palmento) on the Maugeri family estate. The old wine fermentation rooms are now guest bedrooms. New glass-walled suites sit amid 13 hectares of citrus groves, with Mount Etna on one side and the Ionian Sea visible on the other. The whole place was built in 2011 by architect Antonio Iraci, who won the PIDA international hotel architecture award for it in 2013. The restaurant has held a Michelin star since 2019, confirmed again in 2026 under chef Giuseppe Raciti. Sixteen rooms total. It's small, deliberately quiet, and positioned exactly between Catania and Taormina.
Where You'll Stay
7 room types available
Blend Room
The Blend rooms occupy the spaces that once stored wine — the original cellar. White resin volumes were inserted into the old structure, creating bedrooms where white resin floors and walls contrast sharply with the exposed lava stone. Restored lighting makes the volcanic stonework a feature rather than a backdrop. Intimate and atmospheric.
32 sqm
Historic Room
Located on the first floor of the original manor house or the old caretaker's house, the Historic rooms feature high vaulted ceilings and wide windows overlooking the citrus grove. The materials and lighting are calibrated to create a dialogue between inside architecture and the surrounding nature. Sized between 35 and 40 sqm.
38 sqm
Iconic Room
The Iconic rooms are fully immersed in the garden or citrus grove, designed with floor-to-ceiling large windows that bring the green directly into the room. A mix of materials, lights and textures to make the stay as connected to the surrounding nature as possible. Sized between 30 and 40 sqm.
35 sqmPool Villa
Completely detached from the main building and set directly in the citrus grove. Both Pool Villas are designed with glass walls that make the grove a natural extension of the room. Each has a private terrace with an external tub at ambient temperature with air bubble massage. Glimpses of Etna on one side, the sea on the other. Queen size bed plus sofa bed.
Queen · 40 sqmPool Villa SPA
The top-tier option at Zash. Fully detached from the main building, surrounded by citrus trees, and built with glass walls. This 40 sqm villa has a private terrace, an outdoor tub with air bubble massage, and its own private sauna room — essentially a standalone wellness suite in the countryside. Absolute privacy. Queen size bed.
Queen · 40 sqmSPA Suite
A design suite set within the citrus grove and garden, built with glass walls through which Mount Etna is visible. The suite has its own private tub, sauna and Turkish bath built directly into the room. At around 50 sqm with a queen size bed and the option for a third bed. The most wellness-equipped room in the hotel.
Queen · 50 sqm
Unique Suite
Spacious two-room suites comprising a lounge and a separate bedroom with a king-size bed and sofa bed. Located either in the garden with a patio near the citrus grove, or on the first floor of the manor house with a terrace offering sea views. At 55 sqm, these are the most generous rooms in the main building.
King · 55 sqmThe Property
Eat & Drink
2 venues on property
Restaurant
Spa & Wellness
Treatment Menu
On Property
How you'll actually spend your days.
Private boat tours departing from the harbor of Giarre-Riposto to explore the Cyclops Coast or day trips to the Aeolian Islands.
Bikes provided free of charge for exploring the countryside and cycling to the beach (1.7km away).
Private gala dinner experience with the full Michelin-starred kitchen service — refined elegance and culinary excellence for special occasions.
Private dinner service available in-room, subject to room category (notably available for Pool Villa SPA guests).
The hotel has its own helipad. Helicopter tours over the Etna area can be arranged directly from the property.
Guided private Jeep excursions to Mount Etna, often combined with visits to local wineries and wine tastings.
Organized excursions to the Alcantara Gorges (29km away) for rafting in the volcanic rock canyon.
Aperitif service at the glass and stone cube bar overlooking the lava stone pool. Guests can explore the cocktail menu in the open air.
Private cooking classes organized on request.
On-site wine tasting session focused on Etna terroir wines — Nerello Mascalese, Nerello Cappuccio, and Carricante. Includes background on local wine production traditions.
Yoga classes held outdoors in the orange garden with views of Mount Etna.
Amenities & Practical Info
The details that matter for planning.
Continental breakfast included or available; served with views of the property and Mount Etna.
Multiple outdoor event areas available for weddings and private events: pool area, orchard, winepress rooms. The property is a popular wedding venue in eastern Sicily.
The hotel sits within 13 hectares of working organic citrus groves — orange, lemon, and mandarin — that surround many of the rooms.
Pets accepted on request; charges may apply.
Seasonal outdoor pool constructed from Etna lava stone, with sun loungers, umbrellas, and a poolside bar. The pool faces the countryside and has views toward Mount Etna.
On-site helipad for helicopter arrivals and organized helicopter tour departures.
BUILD YOUR ZASH COUNTRY BOUTIQUE HOTEL & SPA PLAN
Rooms, dining, spa, and resort experiences — organized into one trip plan.
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