Verdura Golf & Spa Resort

If golf isn’t quite the first thing you think of when you think of Sicily, you’re not alone. But don’t let that fact count against the Verdura Golf & Spa Resort; after all, if they’re successful, it’ll soon seem like the most natural association in the world. And while the olive country of Mediterranean Italy may not immediately recall the links at St. Andrews, it is a stunning setting for a boutique-style luxury resort, especially one by Rocco Forte.

We generally don’t place much stock in brand-name hotels, but Mr. Forte’s name has so far exhibited a pretty strong correlation with a certain tastefully decadent luxury, as well as a visual style that’s at once classic and modern, thanks to the Forte family’s Director of Design, Olga Polizzi. Here on both counts Verdura is no exception. It’s built on a slightly larger scale than some of his urban properties, with 203 rooms and suites set on a mile-long stretch of southwestern Sicilian coastline, with two 18-hole golf courses, a short course (9-holes) and a spa complex that’s itself the size of some boutique hotels.

Four restaurants keep guests comfortably fed, and for such a stylish place, it’s remarkably family-friendly — there’s a separate pool and children’s club, and even menu accommodations for picky eaters. In a way it's the classic Forte luxury boutique, grown up and moved to the seaside — a confident first step indeed.