Localita Vulcanello - Isola di Vulcano, Aeolian Island, Isola Vulcano, Italy
Upscale resort in a secluded location on the rocky coast
Michelin-starred restaurant with inventive Sicilian cuisine
Guest rooms have flat-screen TVs and free minibar items
Many units boast balconies, some with jetted tubs
Two infinity pools and deck with private sea access
Full-service spa with sauna, steam room, and thermal pool
Pasta and seafood restaurant and casual poolside eatery
Half-board (breakfast and dinner) plans, and room service
Concierge, business corner, and a meeting room
Free Wi-Fi throughout
Free roundtrip shuttle to Porto di Levante and ferry port
Free on-site parking
Secluded location that's far from the ferry and the airport
Rocky beach with no sand
Guest rooms look a bit dated and lack kettles
Fee for breakfast
Therasia Resort is a seasonal four-pearl hotel in a secluded location at the northern tip of Vulcano overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea. Its 97 guest rooms feel a bit dated, and none have coffeemakers, but all come with flat-screen TVs, minibars with free items, and free Wi-Fi, and some have balconies with sea views. Features are impressive -- particularly the Michelin-starred restaurant that serves innovative Sicilian cuisine -- and there are two sea-facing saltwater infinity pools, a full-service spa with a thermal pool, sauna, and steam room, and a fitness center. The main drawbacks are its distance from the ferry, and a beach that's picturesque but rocky. Travelers looking for a stay with a sandy beach can consider The Hotel Mari del Sud Resort, which is also closer to the ferry.
Scene
Well-heeled couples dine in a Michelin-starred restaurant and relax by the infinity pools
The seafront Therasia Resort is housed in square, whitewashed buildings typical of the Aeolian Islands, and situated on grounds with palm trees, scrubby hedges, and wildflowers. Superb views of the sunset, Tyrrhenian Sea, and the neighboring Lipari island can be seen from many vantage points around the resort, particularly from the two infinity pools and the seaside terrace. Interiors are fairly simple, but large windows in the public spaces let in ample natural light. The Therasia is the ideal spot for a relaxed summer vacation for those who don't mind the secluded location. The resort draws mostly well-heeled older couples.
Location
Sea-facing resort at the north end of Vulcano, a five-minute drive from the ferry
Therasia Resort is situated on a promontory overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea at the northern tip of Vulcano, the southernmost of the Aeolian Islands. Driving to Porto di Levante, where there's the Fanghi mud baths, shopping, restaurants, and the ferry port, takes about five minutes. The Valley of the Monsters lava-created rock formations are a three-minute drive, the Sabbie Nere black-sand beach in Porto di Ponente is about five minutes by car, and it's roughly a 10-minute drive to Gran Cratere steaming volcano.
The closest airport is Reggio Calabria Airport, and to getting to the resort is about a three-and-a-half-hour journey that involves driving and taking two ferries. Some guests arrive from the mainland at Vulcano Heliport, located a one-minute drive away.
Rooms
Spacious with Mediterranean-inspired details and sea views, but decor is dated
Spacious guest rooms and suites feature Mediterranean-inspired accents and a look that's simple and uncluttered, but decor is a bit dated overall. The highlights include lovely majolica headboards, and many units boast balconies with sea views, but generally expect plain all-white furniture, floor tile, and walls. Higher-end rooms add striped chairs and more art and decorative objects, and some have balconies with jetted tubs and expansive furnished patios with pergolas. Standard amenities include flat-screen TVs, minibars with free water and soft drinks, and free Wi-Fi, but units lack coffeemakers or electric kettles. Bathrooms have a similar style, with lava stone and Sicilian cotto tiles, and they're well-equipped with hairdryers, makeup mirrors, bidets, terrycloth robes, and rainfall showers. Upgraded units add bathtubs.
Features
Michelin-starred restaurant, private beach, two sea-facing infinity pools, plus a spa
Therasia Resort offers an attractive array of features that cater to its upscale clientele. Topping the list is the main restaurant, which has earned one Michelin star for its modern and creative Sicilian cuisine prepared with fresh and seasonal ingredients from Sicily and the Aeolian Islands. A second on-site restaurant serves fresh seafood and pastas and has an outdoor terrace with sea views, and there's a poolside eatery and bar that offers light fare for lunch and dinner in summer. There's also a hot buffet breakfast for an extra charge. The resort offers half-board (breakfast and dinner) plans, and room service is available.
There are two seawater infinity swimming pools overlooking the sea and the neighboring islands, and a deck spanning the rocky coastline with thatched umbrellas and sunbeds, but no sandy beach. For wellness, the full-service spa has a steam room, sauna, an indoor thermal jetted pool, and a menu of treatments, such as scrubs with local black sand and seaweed. A small but serviceable fitness center has up-to-date equipment.
Other amenities include a meeting room, wedding services, a business corner, free parking, and a free roundtrip shuttle to Porto di Levante and to the ferry port. Staff can arrange scooter and boat rental and hiking, snorkeling, and diving excursions. Wi-Fi is free throughout.