Masseria degli Ulivi — Hotel in Noto

This is a well marketed Masseria in beautiful countryside close to Noto and the other major centres of the Val di Noto. Its immediate attractions are its large and well-designed swimming pool and tennis court and the peaceful setting along a quiet lane way. But we enjoyed the excellent food in the restaurant most of all. Excellent food is important because although Noto isn’t far away, we decided that the winding roads at night weren’t compatible with drinking wine! Not only was the food good but the service was exceptional from our two main waiters, Marco and Gabriele. Their knowledge of the wine on offer was excellent. And they were both personable and helpful with our attempts at Italian! ||Breakfast is excellent too with a huge display of freshly baked cakes and pastries as well as eggs, cheeses and meats.||That said, our travel agent made a mistake with the bookings and we were put in a standard room. We’d been travelling in Italy for six weeks when we arrived at the Masseria and we needed space and a private place to relax. The standard room was so small we couldn’t pass each other and there was no where to store large suit cases. The standard room might be fine for visitors coming with hand luggage from somewhere in Italy for an extended weekend, but totally unsuited a week’s stay for international travellers. There seemed to be no effective air-conditioning either. The bed was bouncy and there was only one additional pillow. Some rooms are up stairs.||The. Masseria seems to have been built as a hotel, and not as its publicity says with rooms which would have been used for agricultural purposes in the past. It’s attractive but the place lacks a sense of tradition or “soul” compared with Fattorias or Masserias I’ve stayed in previously in the Mezzogiorno. But, good for the food, the fantastic service and the swimming pool and don’t have a...

Masseria degli Ulivi is a sophisticated oasis, perfect for those who are seeking tranquility and true relaxation. We stayed at the Masseria for four wonderful nights. Each day starts with a delightful breakfast filled with treats both savory and sweet. Must trys are the cornetti (croissants) filled with pistachio crème, the crostata with fruit and the fruit bowl with local fresh fruit. Dinner at the Masseria was an exceptional experience with wonderful food and wine, featuring local specialties and a well curated menu. We ate there three nights and there was plenty of variety. Choosing what to eat each night was the most difficult part of the stay. The staff are really kind and helpful – making bookings for us at local places that we wanted to visit - not that we wanted to leave the gorgeous surroundings. Masseria degli Ulivi is an amazing base from which to explore the surrounding area, especially Noto and other cities of the southeast. ||||If you don’t leave, a beautiful pool, olive groves, tennis and bocce courts, ping pong, and a wellness area with salt pools offered many options throughout the day to pass the time and relax. Wifi worked great, and each room had its own personal access. The rooms are tastefully and sparingly decorated, clean and comfortable. And we had wonderful sleep thanks to the stillness, quiet, darkness at night. The clientele are also courteous and respectful of other guests personal space and relaxation, creating a communal peaceful atmosphere. ||||One of the most fantastic hotel experiences we have had in recent years, we cannot recommend Masseria degli Ulivi enough. We are already looking forward to our return. Many thanks to Corrada, and all of the staff at Masseria (especially Marco, Carlo and Ana Lisa) for making this visit...

Every year we travel to a Masseria in nearby Sicily: I take my four children, with their partners and our five grandchildren, for a total of 14 people. This year we went to the Masseria Degli Ulivi, It was the first time we went there. The whole complex is lovely: large areas of very well kept lands, for a total of K Sq M. The lodgings are very spaced out, giving a sense of space. The area is very tranquil, and affords a very relaxing restful stay. Rooms are large and very comfortable, tastefully furnished in style of a Masseria. The breakfast is very good, with a wide range of both savouries and sweets: all are home made and really excellent, with an ever changing offering of delicious sweets. The restaurant is Michelin mentioned: food was excellent. Staff is very courteous and friendly, right from the owner Toto, to the restaurant staff, up to Corrada who runs the admin part.||We made use of the heated spas, table tennis tables etc.||This Masseria is highly recommendable under every aspect: we are already planning our...