Abbazia Santa Anastasia Relais & Winery

6/10

Pleasant

08 Jan 2026

Franc

Nice location in the vineyard in the top of the hill. Great view to Lipari Islands. But terrible road to property and bad sound isolation between rooms. Our neighbor family with two child's laugh talking until midnight and then we heard baby crying until 2h. Excellent breakfast with real red orange "spremuta".

Leisure Partner

2/10

Poor

20 Oct 2025

Audra

Old. Run down. Bad smell.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

18 Oct 2025

Lincoln

Everything about the hotel was fabulous

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

22 Sep 2025

ANDREW

Beautiful setting, quiet and luxurious. Food was amazing. We had the Chef’s special menu for 50 Euro as it was so good. We had to leave early in the morning due to a train strike but they provided breakfast before we left which was nice of them. We were travelling by train and it was quite expensive for a taxi from Cefalu but worth the trip. Great view from pool. Would recommend and would be nice for a special occasion.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

17 Jul 2025

Claudio

excellent place

10/10

Exceptional

06 May 2025

William

Great place to relax, all peronnel were welcoming and responsive. Greta wine, great wiews

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

27 Oct 2024

Barbara

We spent three days at the property. Have absolutely no complaints. The restaurant meals, complimentary breakfast and their snack bar food were all fabulous. We participated in a wine tasting dinner, it was great. Also did a wine tour which was very interesting. Their staff are lovely, the grounds are extensive and make for fabulous hiking. All around, we'd go back in a heartbeat.

Leisure Friends

10/10

Exceptional

26 Oct 2024

Martin

Lovely property with spectacular views through the mountains to the coast. Friendly relaxed atmosphere and really helpful staff

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

23 Oct 2024

Sally

What we really loved about this stay was that we felt completely relaxed in a peaceful environment. The whole atmosphere was that staff were there if you needed them but it was relaxed and unobtrusive, leaving you at ease just enjoy the space. We had 2 nights here as part of our extended stay in Sicily and it was just lovely

10/10

Exceptional

19 Oct 2024

Tracy

This Agrotorismo Property is a Farm/Winery. Vineyards surround the drive into the property. The hotel portion is as stunning as the photos indicate. The staff amazing, the breakfasts abundant and delicious. We opted to stay on site for dinners and were delighted with the exceptional meals. One evening a wine and food paring was offered, 6 courses with 5 wine parings. By my standards, extremely reasonable, unforgettably sumptuous and delightfully informative.
We walked up to the viewing area for a spectacular view of the property and surrounding area. Well worth the climb.

I truly hope we have the opportunity to return.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

22 Sep 2024

Kaytlyn

I really enjoyed our one night here. It was a beautiful property and a huge vineyard! I was disappointed because it seemed like they were short staffed and when we went to the bar at 9pm no one was there to serve us. So there wasnt much to do, maybe because it was a Monday night?
It would be a great place for a girls trip.
Overall great stayand lovely facility.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

24 Aug 2024

Benjamin

Grounds are beautiful, rooms are very very nice, everything is very modern but maintains the feel of staying in an old monastery

Leisure Family

6/10

Pleasant

06 Aug 2024

Georgia

For a 5 start this hotel needs to be updated. I ve been there for the last 14 years and the decor is still the same. As a travel agent traveling the world I suggest some more modern furniture and bigger tv to welcome an international clientele . I would not rate it a 5 star but 4 at the most

Business

10/10

Exceptional

01 Jun 2024

Martin

Staff excellent
Dining and Breakfast Excellent
Big pool

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

20 May 2024

Sheri

The property is beautiful in a relaxed but elegant setting. Rooms feel a bit dated but the quiet atmosphere, wonderful breakfast on the patio by a fountain and loads of flowers, fine dining, and beautiful grounds for wandering make Relais Santa Anastaaia a perfect place to enjoy Sicilian cuisine, AND convenience to Cefalu.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

09 Nov 2023

Jean-Philippe

Excellente

Very very good!

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

07 Nov 2023

Arlene

Very peaceful environment in a beautiful winery. Staff were very friendly and our room upgrade really sealed the deal.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

04 Oct 2023

Adrien

Santa Anastasia is a gorgeous oasis set against the lush hills of Castelbuono. My Mom and I immediately felt transported back in time as we drove through the front gates of the property. Our check in was quick and seamless. We were tickled with delight as we entered our beautiful rooms and explored the historical property. It really felt like we'd entered a classic Italian movie set. We were easily able to order drinks and food and enjoy them while soaking up the warm Sicilian sun beside the pool. The dinner at the on-site restaurant was absolutely lovely.

We would have loved to enjoy this place even more, but, my Mom experienced a medical issue on our first night and was rushed to the hospital in Cefalu via ambulance. The ER doctor quickly diagnosed her with a kidney stone, kept her overnight, and released her in the morning with medication to help with the pain. The doctor, nurses, and ambulance drivers were amazing and provided her with amazing care.

We owe a huge thank you to Antonio, the late-night front desk clerk at Santa Anastasia, who called the ambulance for my Mom and helped them navigate to the front door of the property. We're also super thankful to the staff at Santa Anastasia for checking in on us throughout the whole situation. It was very appreciated.

I'm also owe a thank you to the waiters and chef at the Santa Anastasia restaurant for making me a vegan-friendly meal and dessert.

I highly recommend Santa Anastasia and would stay again in a heart beat.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

27 Dec 2022

Fabrizio

Pros : magic place !
Cons : difficult to find because there are not directions in the road

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

27 Sep 2021

Louis

Loved our room the Grand Suite. Great bathroom.

10/10

Exceptional

17 Oct 2020

Jack

Peace, quiet, wonderful views and scenery

What an amazing place! The setting is stunning, with hills, vineyards, and olive groves all around. At night the sky is full of stars (so little light pollution), and it's so peaceful and quiet. There are some great walks in the area too.

Otherwise, my room was spacious and comfortable (only slight hesitation is that the mattress wasn't in its first flush of youth), the bathroom was very well equipped (great water pressure), the food and wine was first class, and the service was good too. I'd love to go back.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

23 Sep 2020

Bill

An almost unique hotel. Secluded location. Excellent staff. Both before and during our stay. Would highly recommend.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

20 Nov 2019

Verified traveler

This was truly a gem to find tucked into the hills above Cefalù. This 800 year old winery has exceptionally helpful and resourceful staff and a chef who is second to none. Large, spacious and well appointed rooms. We were so enchanted we prolonged our stay. Panoramic views down the valley and interesting towns to see. Castelbuono is charming and home to the best panettone. This is shipped worldwide to everyone from the Pope to Bruce Springsteen. We will be back!

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

23 Oct 2019

Verified traveler

Old property with a lot of charm. Location exceptional. Good breakfast

Leisure Family

6/10

Pleasant

23 Sep 2019

Verified traveler

Not up to the standard we expected - scruffy grounds, poor breakfasts, dark rooms, lack of touches (eg tea/coffee facilities in room), being shared extra for other than coffee in flasks at breakfast etc

Leisure

10/10

Exceptional

22 Sep 2019

Verified traveler

Superb location, well run and good breakfast.
Only complaint is that the vegetables associated with the main meals were not to our taste as they were bland

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

18 Sep 2019

GillScott

The beautiful location and building.
The restaurant, especially the evening meal.
Comfy bed.

Leisure Friends

10/10

Exceptional

14 Sep 2019

Gareth

Excellent Views and Wine!

Fantastic stay, the grounds the hotel are located within are stunning. The views of the surrounding valley are breathtaking and the food and wine is excellent! Also, the room was huge and extremely comfortable.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

11 Sep 2019

Verified traveler

Wonderful - enjoyed the peace and quiet, with fabulous food and wine, surrounded by stunning scenery

Partner

8/10

Excellent

25 Aug 2019

Verified traveler

Stunning location and well kept property. Wine shop was closed on each occasion we visited. Feedback was provided that breakfast needed to be replenished, post which hotel management ensured was corrected and certainly improved. Some super staff onsite.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

02 Jul 2019

G JAMES

Great accommodations

Excellent service from the moment we arrived.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

24 Jun 2019

Verified traveler

A terrific spot. An excellent kitchen. Very nice rooms. We were there 3 nights and wish we’d been able to stay longer,

Leisure Partner

6/10

Pleasant

12 Jun 2019

Danielle

A bit disappointed

Driving up to Relais Santa Anastasia through the vineyards was amazing. The hotel is very nice, but a bit dated. We checked in and they were very helpful at that point. We went to the pool area which was very nice, but there as there were no umbrellas to shade you so it took away from the experience. Dinner was fabulous and the wine was great! We even bought some to take home. We asked for a late check out and were told that it was ok and the following day told it was a mistake. The next day we went to breakfast and it was horrible. The staff was not helpful and rude, there was no food and what was there was not good (stale bread). This is not what is expected from a 5* hotel. Overall, this hotel needs some improvement if it wants to call itself 5*.

Friends

6/10

Pleasant

19 May 2019

Verified traveler

Beautiful property. The restaurant is excellent. The winery produces good quality wines and winery tour is very interesting.
The main problem for us was that it is difficult to find. Signage too small from the main road and it is 7km out of Castelbuono so initially you drive to this village to find the hotel but it is way out in the countryside. No one in the village speaks English and so you drive around a long time until you stumble across it.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

20 Apr 2019

Pamela

Jewel of Sicily

Outstanding and perfect! The resort was beautiful. The food and staff were excellent. We are going back in a month.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

09 Nov 2018

Alex

The panoramic view that you can hike up to is probably the most beautiful view we've ever seen. Amazing staff (Maurizio, Alessandro and others!) and incredible food and wine - a really magical place - highly recommend!

10/10

Exceptional

01 Oct 2018

Verified traveler

Secluded gem

We arrived at this hotel after a horrendous journey getting lost and ending up in castlebueno itself. After receiving directions from a very friendly local we set off again and entered the hotel via a road in extremely bad repair. There is a good road which leads to the hotel so I would advise directions are checked thouroghly when travelling to this hotel.

Check in was easy and we were shown to our room (all the rooms are named after grape varieties) and a glass of sparkling brought to us as a much needed welcome drink. Breakfast was great with a varied selection - just beware they start clearing up around 10 even if guests are still eating.

The rooms are comfortable and clean. The WiFi was pretty atrocious and cut out completely for a couple of days. We stayed for 7 nights and I think this was long enough as, due to its secluded location, we ate in the hotel of an evening to avoid driving on the local roads. Cefalù is only 20 mins away and worth a visit. That said the meals and wine in the hotel were great but we like to have a bit more choice and move around. Although the hotel states the bar is open until 11, we visited it after dinner on a few occasions to find it closed. The hotel hosted three weddings during our stay and this caused minimal disruption.

There are some lovely walks in the ground and the pool area is beautiful. Some of thehotel general areas are a bit dated but it all added to to the charm of the hotel. The staff were all friendly and helpful

10/10

Exceptional

17 Sep 2018

Val

Fabulous hotel - spectacular renovation and views

Relays Santa Anastasia is a fabulous place to stay. The hotel is spotless, the rooms large and airy and it has excellent facilities. The only downside is that it is rather remote and there is nowhere other than the hotel to eat. This is not a problem as the food is superb, but for a longer stay it could be an issue.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

11 Sep 2018

Verified traveler

great spot. convenient parking. fantastic staff. Lots of area to walk around . easy access to autostrada and to towns around hotel, ie Cefalou. would go again in a minute. Loved our time there.

10/10

Exceptional

23 Jul 2018

Verified traveler

Lovely hotel, beautiful countryside

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

19 Jul 2018

Amanda

Beautiful and peaceful hotel set in vineyards and olive groves up in the hills. Very helpful staff at the front desk were always happy to assist with information on the local area, provide maps, book restaurants etc. The hotel has a very good restaurant with excellent wine which is produced in their own vineyard but meal portions were small meaning you needed at least two courses which became quite expensive and more choice would have been welcomed, particularly in regard to pool snacks. The breakfast which was included was excellent with fresh pastries, fruits and made to order eggs, bacon and coffee. The room was spotlessly clean. The only other improvements would be a bigger room safe, and in the bathroom, a larger shower, thicker towels and a wider variety of complimentary toiletries. Despite these suggestions we had a wonderful stay and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to others.

10/10

Exceptional

05 Jun 2018

kathryn

Extraodinary property

Extraordinary property. Loved loved loved this hotel. Staff was exceptional. 12th century Benedictine monastery converted to a hotel. Great food. Winery on the property. Didn't want to leave.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

05 Apr 2018

Glenda

A pleasant hotel situated amidst its own viheyard.

We only stayed for one night so our experience might not be typical. The hotel is nicely furnished with plenty of large comfortable public rooms. We dined at the hotel and that was very disappointing. While the dining room and staff gave the impression they were offering a fine dining experience, that, unfortunately, was not the case. I failed to finish my meal. Having said that, breakfast was very good.

8/10

Excellent

14 Oct 2017

Verified traveler

Great views

Isolated mountain side so have to eat at restaurant food a bit stodgy and catering to German tastes but lovely setting

10/10

Exceptional

10 Oct 2017

holiday

Beautiful Hotel in an exquisite area

We loved our two days there and wish we had planned several more... another time!

8/10

Excellent

14 Sep 2017

Lynn

Lovely winery

The hotel is part of a winery and is about 20 min drive from Cefalu. It is set amongst vines and olive trees. It has a great restaurant where we had lovely food and service. It also has a lovely pool to relax after a day of exploring the surroundings.
The room was OK. It was a little dark and dated furnishings. The complimentary toiletries were not great, luckily I had my own body lotion and conditioner.
We also had some lovely wine tasting.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

12 Sep 2017

Verified traveler

Excellent hotel
Great food and wine
Great staff

6/10

Pleasant

09 Sep 2017

Joopjoopjoop

Rated 5 * but not quite up that standard

To be fair it's a very pleasant hotel tucked away in a mountain setting serving excellent, though limited, evening meals. But for a five star hotel it dishes up poor breakfasts. The Wi-Fi is dire, there is a lacklustre phone/mobile data service and the hotel's website video shows massages but in reality there are none. The pool is fine with plenty of sun beds, though possibly not enough with parasols, useful especially for the elderly and those with children. But there is nothing else to do at the hotel other than sun bathe. The hotel is some way from beaches and Cefalu some 20/25 minutes drive away. The decor is in excellent order and the rooms quite large for Italy. This area of Sicily is not blessed with loads of 5* hotels so the Santa stands out well. But it falls short against far superior hotels elsewhere in Italy, and Europe, which also boast a 5 star rating.
Santa is a pleasant, top-end priced medium hotel which is good for this part of Sicily. Unpleasant, but unremarkable, stay.

10/10

Exceptional

12 Jul 2017

Mimmo

Great Break at the Relais

I wanted to stay in a hotel on the north coast of Sicily for a few days as I was going to holiday in the south. I'm familiar with southern Sicily and the Western Sicily from Palermo to Sciacca as well as the dry, arid interior, but apart from visiting Cefalu, I haven't really become familiar with this part of the island. It is really another facet of Sicily. The Relais Sant'Anastasia is set in a national park on top of a mountain looking down to the spectacular coast line.The Sea on the north coast is a lovely turquoise colour and venturing inland from the coast, the hills and mountains rise steeply and are covered in forests; a complete contrast to the interior towards Enna and Caltanissetta. Despite temperatures hitting 43 degrees on the Catania - Palermo motorway, at the Relais, its was a lovely cool 26 degrees. The views are spectacular and from the vantage point which will be about 900m above sea level, you can enjoy some spectacular views. As its in a national park, its a great location if you just want to get away from it all and enjoy peace and tranquility.

10/10

Exceptional

07 Jul 2017

Pej

The property is stunning and the location beautiful. Breakfast was good and we had an evening meal in the restaurant which was delicious. The bar was often closed when we returned from an evening out, although it was not late.

10/10

Exceptional

05 Jul 2017

Glyn

Peace and quiet in the Sicilian Hills

Amazing place if you want peace and quiet. Miles from anywhere so car is a must. Beautiful place. Can't recommend highly enough. Restaurant is superb too, as are the staff, couldn't be more helpful.

8/10

Excellent

31 May 2017

Verified traveler

Charming and Quiet with lovely views
Restaurant was average as was breakfast

10/10

Exceptional

30 May 2017

Amanda

Perfect stay for a relaxing weekend! It was so quiet and secluded, it felt like we were the only ones there. Breakfast, lunch and dinner was excellent as well as their wine selection. Would definitely return for another trip to the Cefalu area.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

31 Oct 2016

Verified traveler

Lovely hotel. Unfortunately could not use the pool as it was too cold but it was the end of October .

10/10

Exceptional

12 Oct 2016

John

Excellent getaway close to Cefalu

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

26 Sep 2016

Mike

Best 5 Star in Region

This resort just continues to excel I've been there several times through the years and they get better and better. The rooms, the staff and the restaurant excel in all areas. I can't wait till my next return

10/10

Exceptional

11 Sep 2016

Michael

Amazing retreat

Thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Santa Anatasia, amazing setting up in the hills. Hiring a car is essential if you wish to explore the area but you could easily spend a short time here chilling out by the pool. Breakfast was tasty with a good spread of local cheeses,meats and pastries. Meals in the restaurant were well prepared but a little on the expensive side. Staff were all very helpfully, the hotel manager even escorted us on an informative tour of the winery at short notice. All in all really enjoyed our three night stay.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

10 Aug 2016

Chrisi

Fantastic place!

We stayed at the Santa Anastasia for 3 nights in July 2016 as part of our trip to Italy. After a rather steep and winding approach the hotel appeared around a bend in the road looking like a stone-built country house, set within vineyards. The property itself is amazingly well done, with many decorative touches. The hotel staff were extremely professional, friendly and helpful. We had the opportunity to tour the Santa Anastasia winery and tasted many of their wines. They have a beautiful pool, many private sitting areas, and a very relaxed feel. This was easily one of the best places we stayed in Italy. A highlight not to be missed is their restaurant. The dinner menu is absolutely amazing and the breakfasts were wonderful!! Even a recent hillside fire that scorched the land close to the Santa Anastasia wasn't enough to spoil the experience.

10/10

Exceptional

09 Jun 2016

KellKat

Wonderful stay!

We absolutely loved our 4 nights at Relais Santa Anastasia! The setting is gorgeous (an old abbey) and the staff delightful, particularly the wait staff who went out of their way for us at every turn. Wonderful food, both for dinner and breakfast (we never did need to eat lunch!) and the wine is terrific, too. We enjoyed touring the working winery and relaxing on the beautiful grounds. Amazing views and hikes, comfortable rooms, the splendid pool and the surrounding vineyards, along with the outstanding restaurant (and its great staff), make Relais Santa Anastasia an undiscovered gem. We cannot wait to go back! Highly recommended!

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g670766-d308500-r381241844-Relais_Santa_Anastasia-Castelbuono_Province_of_Palermo_Sicily.html#

10/10

Exceptional

23 May 2016

jorge

Magical place

Friendly reception staff, great food,

Partner

8/10

Excellent

29 Mar 2016

Verified traveler

Quiet location, Fantastic staff. Room Noise

The hotel is located remotely in the hills above Cefalu and nearby Castelbuono. The facilities are beautiful. Breakfast was plentiful. Had a light dinner in the restaurant - italian with a northern european spin. Room was very spacious and comfortable, however, we could clearly hear all noise from other rooms - conversations were very clear, toilets flushing, etc. Thankfully we were surrounded by people who kept similar hours of sleep to us.

10/10

Exceptional

02 Nov 2015

Gill

Vineyard with a view

Relais Santa Anastasia is absolutely beautiful and espouses philosophies we hold dear to our heart. The restaurant is sourced with local produce including all the wine, and breakfast is a delight with home made jams and marmalate from nearby Castelbuono. The views are gorgeous, but if you want to escape you are near enough the coast for the beach and are also able to explore inland.

10/10

Exceptional

19 Oct 2015

Verified traveler

Lovely spot up a mountain!

Beautifully restored monastery. Great restaurant. Food and service five star.

10/10

Exceptional

29 Sep 2015

berh

Wonderful setting

Lovely setting, great walking, food and wine were good. The only downside was that it was a distance from anything else

8/10

Excellent

23 Sep 2015

Verified traveler

Beautiful grounds And a grea and a great spot to

The staff was amazing, the overall facility was amazing, but the rooms are a bit standard and the Decour and lighting in the restaurant left something to be desired. A few too many florals and bright lights for my taste.

10/10

Exceptional

31 Aug 2015

Mr. M

Fantastic hotel for a relaxing holiday

Great relaxing holiday! Brilliant hotel. In a great location not far from beach or walking routes. Lovely food and good wine

10/10

Exceptional

20 Jul 2015

Gordon

All round winner

Great hotel. Lovely setting. Good pool. Restaurant on site and quality breakfast. Also winery on site. Well staffed all helpful and attentive. Car essential.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

03 Jul 2015

Joseph

Relax in the Sicilian hillside

Great secluded hotel, where you can relax and get away from the hustle and bustle. We cannot say enough good things about the friendly staff. We hope to visit again. The food and wine is excellent too!

Family

10/10

Exceptional

30 Jun 2015

Kenneth

A Hidden Gem Right Outside of Cefalu

This hotel should not be missed. If you are planning to visit Cefalu, it is only a few miles away and nestled in the mountains. The staff, accommodations, restaurant, pool, gym and wine tastings were the nicest of our entire trip to Sicily. It is reasonably priced for what is provided and will absolutely leave you wanting for more. I wish we could have spent all 10 days here.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

20 May 2015

Verified traveler

Quiet and Relaxing

Beautifully restored and maintained property. Quiet and peaceful. Though there were quite a few guests, it felt empty because of the way the rooms are distributed around the property. Definitely and older crowd though there is alot of hiking, biking and beach available. Breakfast buffet was quite nice. Staff was helpful when approached. Restaurant was competent but rather blah and the wait staff is a bit disorganized. The rooms were very nice as was the pool. It was a nice change after the hustle and bustle of Rome. If you have a car, it is a nice base for exploring.

10/10

Exceptional

28 Apr 2015

Verified traveler

This is an excellent hotel with good facilities and fine restaurant and house wines.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

27 Apr 2015

FoodAndHistory

Douce et Quietude -- A Haven.

If approaching from Castelbuono ignore your satnav's first invitation to enter an unsigned myriad of forest tracks. The most excellent Relais Santa Anastasia has a signpost off the SS286, closer to the coast than it is to Castelbuono. After a couple of kilometres up a well-surfaced track, the friendly welcome followed by the comfort of your room will remind you why you prefer quality to bland commercialism. Excellent food, their own superb wines, and the right blend of correctness and personal interaction from the staff made our stay absolutely perfect.

Leave your well fly-screened window open at night to enjoy a tinkling frog chorus during the hours of darkness followed by a rousing bird chorus as the sun illuminates your heaven.

Regrettably we didn't use the magnificent swimming pool with its panoramic views to the coast some 600 metres below, but we intend to return for much more than the brief two days we had.

Don't miss the wine tour or the sumptuous reading room.

10/10

Exceptional

25 Mar 2015

donna s.

A Magical Old World Winery and Resort in Sicily

This is an unusually breathtaking resort and working winery that is a little off the beaten path but should not be missed. The food, service and wine are indescribable. I really can't convey how magically this resort is with it's breathtaking vistas and old world mountain charm. Not that far from Palermo by car but if you come in the back way from Catania, expect to climb some steep mountain roads to reach your destination. The staff are superb.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

06 Nov 2014

Craig

Romance, Wine, and Food

A fantastic location, wonderful reception, incredible restarant. A perfect getaway spot for romantics, foodies, wine lovers, and active adults. Do a wine tasting, hike to the incredible view and be sure to enjoy dinner. The rabbit pasta is amazing. This is one of my top destinations in Sicily.

Partner

2/10

Poor

26 Oct 2014

Colette

You can't judge a book by its cover

It all seemed promising, an attractive hotel in the hills. They took our passports (more on this later) and we got ready for a swim. Pool was freezing despite the 80 degree heat but that's not unusual for Europe. The real trouble started at dinner. They gave us fixed price menus and left one a la carte on the table. In case the message wasn't clear, the maitre'd came over about 30 seconds later to take our order and again two minutes later. My pasta was inedibly salty; my husband's medium rare vension cooked to sawdust. The rest of the meal edible but not good. And, of course like the hotel not cheap. The next day in a hurry to get to the airport we neglected to notice they never returned our passports. Of course we should have remembered but I've stayed in quite a few hotels and the passports are always returned at check-in. How would you miss that when a guest checks out? Their response when we called from the airport? Complete denial of responsibility and a demand of 150 euros for the hour and a quarter drive to deliver them. I won't bore you with the expense of rerouted flights, pre-paid hotel no shows etc. I am not a complainer; I love to travel and 99 per cent of my travel experiences have been great. And when they haven't been, people usually go out of their way to help. You might get lucky here and have a good experience. But the Cefalu area is beautiful and I'm sure you would run less of a risk elsewhere. And for far less money.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

29 Sep 2014

Verified traveler

A true peaceful retreat

Fantastic views, very friendly staff and an excellent restaurant.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

03 Aug 2014

Verified traveler

A jewel in a vineyard

What a start to our holiday! Driving into the grounds of Relais Santa Anastasia, set in the Madonie hills above Cefalu in a vineyard. It was quiet, calm, beautiful. The facilities were excellent, the staff could not have been more helpful and the food - superb.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

24 Jan 2014

Alberto

Sicilian vacation

This hotel is absolutely amazing and beautiful, manager ans workers are there to help and make you happy. Everything is so clean and in magnificent working condition, breakfast with an outstanding view every single place you go in this hotel is beautiful. Keep the good work we will come back very soon.

10/10

Exceptional

19 Nov 2013

Nick

Wish we had stayed longer...

We booked this hotel as a stopover from Palermo to Modica for one night. We rather wished we had spent two nights here.

We had a simple but delicious light meal, selecting a couple of dishes from the full menu.

The organised wine trips could be interesting.

10/10

Exceptional

03 Oct 2013

Verified traveler

Italian villa in the hills

A beautiful retreat, only 1/2 hr from Cefalu. A great place to go to get away from the crowded tourist towns.

10/10

Exceptional

28 Sep 2013

Verified traveler

Mountain views

Delightful hotel with very pleasant service and very good cuisine

6/10

Pleasant

24 Sep 2013

AnnieB

Peaceful hill haven

You climb the hills, studded with almond trees, and arrive at the most beautiful, elegant, and calming former monastery; the small chapel is still open from the courtyard.The rooms are splendid, large, beautiful bathrooms, though a comfy chair would have been appreciated at times.The staff are friendly, helpful, and cheery. The pool overlooking the stunning hills, is a delight, and even though the September wind made it a little chilly, it was warm enough to swim.I imagined the delight of sinking into the huge, deep red sofas in the hotel when logs crackled in the fireplace , and settling down to a good book.
The hotel is elegant and secluded, the place to stay after a frenetic day or two sight seeing or visit to noise and chaos of Palermo. Without a car you are pretty much stuck and taxis are expensive, and most people returned for dinner rather than wind their way back through the hills the dark.Food here is fair to good, not by any means among the best in Sicily.Breakfasts are very disappointing.But it would be hard to leave without feeling life is very good indeed after a little stay at Saint Anastasia.....

10/10

Exceptional

26 Aug 2013

Ann Marie

Relais Santa Anastasia is a Destination Hotel

Beautiful location in a vineyard. Be sure to take the tour and taste (and buy!) their wines. Food is outstanding.

10/10

Exceptional

19 Jun 2013

Verified traveler

Lovely hotel in a mountain setting. Wines and dinners are fantastic as well as all immenities. Staff was incredible (with the exception of one waiter) but most were very attentive and friendly. Will return again soon.

8/10

Excellent

29 May 2013

robin

Relaxing hotel

A lovely hotel with excellent facilities in beautiful countryside. Good restaurant and interesting winery tour. Very good pool and terrace for lazing in the sunshine.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

03 May 2013

Susie

An oasis of beauty and calm

This hotel, which is in the most beautiful surroundings of its own vineyards and olive groves, is an oasis of clean and simple luxury. The national park which surrounds it is absolutely stunning: forested mountains full of beautiful birdsong and marvellous vegetation and wildlife. But the element which truly places it above and beyond a 5 star experience is the quality of the staff: they are, without exception, kind, considerate, charming and helpful. We will be recommending it to everyone we know, and returning as soon as we can.

10/10

Exceptional

07 Apr 2013

Verified traveler

Amazing place

Fantastic hotel, the highlight of our stay in Sicily.
Would definitely go back there. Breakfast was amazing, and the location unique.

10/10

Exceptional

08 Nov 2012

Traveller from GA

Awesome country hotel near Cefalu

Relais Santa Anastasia is awesome. The beauty of the area is absolutely breathtaking and it is worth the long drive up the very bumpy 2 mile driveway. The comfort and beauty of the hotel was magnificent and better than anywhere I have stayed in Sicily or Italy. The buildings and furnishings are absolutely charming and I fell in love with this spot. The breakfast buffet was also the best I have had in Sicily and Italy. Unbelievable pastries were offered (the ravioli with ricotta is to die for!) Be prepared to be very hungry to enjoy all that they offer for breakfast. There were only a few things I did not like. The dinner was not so good and quite costly. I ordered the pasta (primi) which was fabulous and then cinghiale (secondi). The cinghiale (wild boar) was terrible. I love cinghiale but their version was very tough and chewy. I could not eat it. The staff at the front desk was a tad bit snobby but this is a 5 star Euro hotel, so I guess that is to be expected. I asked for a guest laundry and they said that was not possible in Sicily. After travelling for about a week, I needed to wash some clothes. They should offer a guest laundry facility. On the whole, I recommend this hotel very highly. You will not be disappointed with the facility - just be careful what you order for dinner.

8/10

Excellent

18 Oct 2012

GJW

Lovely location, service could improve

This is in a beautiful location, with stunning viewsand away from the tourist hustle, and the layout of the old monastery is lovely. Rooms are clean and roomy, if a bit basic (and bed is rather hard and noisy). Reception staff are pleasant, as are someof the restaurant staff. We had poor experience with food service on first night, spoiling the meal. On complaining to the maitre d' he suggested we try again the next night, and indeed the subsequent two dinners were good. But the staff on the breakfast service are very inattentive. If the hotel is to retain its 5 star pretensions, it real needs to improve organisation of kitchen and waiting staff.

10/10

Exceptional

05 Oct 2012

Family Todd

Away from it all tranquility

We didnt want to leave the hotel at the end of our stay. The staff were unobtrusive but always helpful when asked. This is not a hotel where people are visiting the sunbed to offer drinks. The setting is beautiful, in the hills, so is not really convenient for anything else but walking and the on site facilities.The food was good if a little pricey on the set menu, and in three days we felt no need to go anywhere else.

10/10

Exceptional

01 Oct 2012

Maeve

a place for relaxation and quiet

We spent 2 nights of our honeymoon at the SA. Service was pretty good, food was excellent and we did wine tastings with our meals which was lovely. Everything is prepared freshly, so you may have to wait. This place is simply for relaxation. the pool area is well kept and there are plenty of sun loungers.

8/10

Excellent

09 Sep 2012

Verified traveler

Get away from it all

Loved: the views, space, quiet, wines produced on site, the courtyard with it's own medieval chapel, the shaded 'park' next to the swimming pool, the friendly faces at dinner each night, the sky at night, the sense of tradition maintained. A great place to relax and just 'chill out' for a few days. Close to the motorway if you wanted to get out and explore. In the mid August heat, we didn't.

10/10

Exceptional

04 Jul 2012

Laurie

A wonderful retreat

We stayed at the hotel for three nights and thoroughly enjoyed it. The buildings and grounds are beautiful and the rooms very comfortable. The restaurant serves excellent meals and the staff is friendly. I would highly recommend it!

6/10

Pleasant

29 Jun 2012

Tony

STUNNING LOCATION - NEEDS BETTER CUSTOMER SERVICE

Disappointing arrival. Just given keys and directions to room - no offer of help with luggage or information about facilities. We had to find out about pool facilities and snacks and were given no information about what we could order for breakfast for about 3 days until a proper waiter offered us a menu! the bathroom products were of poor quality and towels old and worn. bathrooms needed updating. certainly not 5 stars. the location is stunning although isolated. 20 mins drive to coast or nearest hill town. Hotel were more interested in trying to get us to eat In their own restaurant rather than giving us information about interesting festival in local town which would have been very entertaining. A unique and beautiful place to stay but they need to concentrate on their guests' needs more. it seems the vineyard business takes precedence.

10/10

Exceptional

04 Jun 2012

Ronald

Excellent food and wine selection from their restaurant. Lots to see within the hotel i.e their winery.. Wonderful views from the swimming pool. We would go back to this hotel again.

Family

8/10

Excellent

13 Oct 2011

Vanessa

Beautiful Hotel

This truly is a five-star property in esthetics. The service when applicable was excellent by all staff except the restaurant staff. The night we stayed was very cold and because it was before Oct 15 there was no heat available. That's a bad idea for a 5-star property to allow its guests to be that uncomfortable, and we were. It was very cold that night. Also, there was no Satellite TV, which was a huge factor in us chosing this property to have a night "in" and watch a movie. It had been raining and we were told at first that the weather influenced the TV system. However, internet was working and upon asking a second time about the TV, we were told that the person who could "fix" it, wouldnt be in to work until the next morning. So we spent one night, no TV, no heat and then we left. I wish I could give them a rave review because the property is so beautiful, but those are 2 big factors for a thumbs down.
i

8/10

Excellent

13 Oct 2011

C

Beautiful Hotel

Absolutely gorgeous, but only an overall 4 due to really bad food. They desparately need a new chef.

10/10

Exceptional

07 Oct 2011

Simon

Relais Santa Anastasia Castelbuono Sicly

Made a last minute one night booking at a great rate and were delighted with this beautiful hotel, delightfully situated in the hills between Cefalu and Castelbouno, surrounded by a resp[ected vineyard. Wonderful large swimming pool, excellent room. Would like to go back again for a longer stay.

10/10

Exceptional

30 Sep 2010

Carol

Relaxing

Despite some negative reviews, we were very satisfied. Our room was lovely - clean, spacious and comfortable. We wanted to relax at the pool for the last few days of our 3 week holiday in Sicily and this was the perfect place. We had each of our evening meals at the restaurant and they were all very good. We would have preferred a vegetarian option in each category in the meals; however, we both felt that if we had asked for vegetarian earlier in the day there would have been no problem on the part of the restaurant accommodating our request. We were just too lazy relaxing by the pool! The relais is quite isolated and set in its own vineyards so quite beautiful as well. All said we went into Cefalu which only took a short time. Returning to the lovely pool, the only suggestion we would make is that some umbrellas be made available. My husband is very fair so the lack of them was harder for him. Should we return to Sicily we would definitely stay here again. It was a lovely chance to relax particularly after having done so much driving to see all the antiquities on the island. The staff both in the relais and the restaurant were extremely pleasant and accommodating.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

06 Aug 2009

Judy

A Wonderful Place

Hotel accommodated a small problem of ours with an upgrade. The room, and hotel was beautiful. We loved the scenic surroundings. We swam, hiked, and took a tour of the winery. If we return to Sicily, we will definitely stay here again. Also, the price was very good (the least we paid of the 5 hotels we stayed in Sicily).