Hotel Signum, Salina
Tucked up high in the hills in the village of Malfa is the enchanting Hotel Signum, a friendly and romantic family-run hotel. Unlike the Capo Faro, the other luxury hotel on Salina, the Signum is less flashy and more discreet, half-hidden among citrus groves, mule tracks and wildflower meadows.
This was where the cast and crew stayed whilst shooting Il Postino and you can see why. The 30 light and airy rooms are all individually decorated with tiled floors and wrought iron beds; our favourites are rooms 11, 12 and 34 with their spectacular views of the sea. Rooms without a sea view overlook the lush and verdant gardens created over a series of tumbling terraces filled with scented jasmine, lemon and lime trees. The entire hotel is an endless discovery of quirky touches such as the old pharmacy cabinet in reception which is used to store guests’ documents.
The owners Clara and Michele are the unofficial food ambassadors for the islands and this is reflected in the superb restaurant which is one of the best of the islands. Local ingredients, including the fat juicy caper bud that grows wild along the cliffs, are combined with homemade pasta and the freshest of fish. The tasting menu is particularly impressive. The open air restaurant is rustically simple, lit with oil lamps and candles and incredibly romantic. Salina produces some of the finest wines in Sicily including the irresistible sweet wine called Malvasia that is best enjoyed watching the sun set over Stromboli and, if in luck, watching sparks fly from its active volcano.
Service is excellent; the helpful concierge can arrange visits to local wineries, caper farmers and outings with the local fishermen and at the right time of year, access to the riotous annual caper festival in Pollara. Despite not being on the water’s edge, the infinity pool makes you feel as if you are dipping your toes onto neighbouring Stromboli. The recently-opened thermal spa adds another dimension to this already pretty perfect hotel. The design of the spa is based on the same design shared by the Ancient Greeks when they inhabited Salina and includes treatments based on the rich minerals including a fabulous massage on a bed of thermal rose salt.