Review: Adler Spa Resort Sicilia

Before meeting my transportation to Adler Spa Resort Sicilia, I spent a few hours wandering the streets of the seaside city of Palermo, Sicily. I found that it embodied a similar carnival-like ambience to the one depicted in the second season of HBO’s popular show “The White Lotus” — though a bit more family-friendly. 

The busy capital city of Sicily and its street food scene offered an interesting contrast to what awaited me 80 miles away on the island's southwestern coast at Adler Spa Resort Sicilia. Opened in late 2022, the newest property in the portfolio of family-owned boutique hospitality group Adler Spa Reports & Lodges trades that boisterous vibe for a calmer, holistic and historically rooted immersion into the region.

Prior to the buzz of the recent season of “The White Lotus,” which was filmed on location in Sicily, the appeal of the Mediterranean island that lies south of the Italian Peninsula was rooted in wine culture, natural landmarks such as the Turkish Steps, family ancestry journeys and ancient ruins. 

There is a cohesive flow between the interior design and the landscaping; winding paths and stairways underscore the way the 90 suites are terraced and built partially underground to maintain the look of the natural surroundings.

Upon my arrival at Adler Spa Resort, it was clear that the property leans into these longtime draws to the area; the architecture and landscaping emphasize the resort’s mission to engage guests in its fitness and wellness activities while also encouraging them to commune with Sicily’s natural beauty. I found it striking that even with Adler’s 21st-century approach to sustainable construction, the results evoke the ancient Greek structures found in the Valley of the Temples, a UNESCO World Heritage Site nearby in Agrigento.

The arrangement of the resort is best described as a sloped labyrinth, which made exploring the property both a visual delight and an easy workout after the two-hour drive from Palermo. There is a cohesive flow between the interior design and the landscaping; winding paths and stairways underscore the way the 90 suites are terraced and built partially underground to maintain the look of the natural surroundings. The hotel's lobby, spa, two-story dining compound and freestanding trio of saunas are framed with brown wood, glass, steel and building materials inspired by those used during antiquity. Subtle handmade adornments inspired by the different populations who have occupied the island over the centuries frame the walls of the spa and oceanview restaurant.

Adler Spa Resort’s Guestrooms

This immersion in history and nature continues into the hotel’s accommodations. The location of my Junior Suite included a view of the Mediterranean Sea, a corner of the adjacent Torre Salsa Natural Reserve and the spa’s thalassotherapy infinity hot tub. The nearly 600-square-foot room had a handful of tastefully plush furnishings that brought in the colors of the shoreline, from a sunset-orange velvet divan and ottoman to a king-size bed dressed in soft white linens and a sand-hued circular couch on the patio. 

A wall made from terracruda, an ancient building material, served as a headboard and separated the bathroom from the main room. Closets and other appointments were fashioned from wood that was finished just enough to leave a slightly rough texture, reconciling wellness retreat minimalism and Italian luxury. Generous bottles of Adler's own spa skincare and haircare line — imbued with fresh wood and citrus aromas — were positioned around the bath area.

As she showed me to my suite after check-in, Sara Manti, the resort’s sales and marketing manager, explained how the hotel’s sustainable bermed (partially underground) construction and landscaping allow clients to luxuriate in 360 degrees of Sicilian splendor while still fully shielding them from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. 

Wellness and the Outdoors

The walkways that connect the property's buildings are deliberately placed outdoors to ensure guests have “regular sensory contact with nature” at every possible moment, she told me. Manti also pointed out the resort’s access to the nature reserve’s beach at the bottom of the hill, and interesting signage at the trailhead detailing the historic and geological significance of the ground it is built on and into.

Of course, fitness and wellness are baked into Adler’s DNA, and tied in perfectly with the natural surroundings. The fitness area is broken up into three buildings connected by outdoor walkways; the enticing indoor-outdoor pool and workout class space are separated by a solarium with wide-screen views of the sea and forest. During my stay, I took advantage of the all-level yoga classes, taught in English and Italian, and found that light workouts on foot or e-bike could be integrated into cultural programs such as a visit to nearby winery Baglio Caruana. Complimentary hikes, e-bike rides, meditation sessions and pilates classes are abundant, and activities with a fee — all led by experienced guides on the hotel staff — are adaptable to clients of different fitness levels. There is also AKI Kids Club, tucked into its own little niche, providing complimentary educational, creative and sports activities for children ages 4 through 12.

The spa experience adds an extra dimension of pampering to Adler's formula. Services in Adler Spa's expansive catalog emphasize regional organic ingredients and techniques. Facials integrate Mediterranean Sea water or algae, while more complex body treatments mix thalassotherapy and volcanic elements. Even my Adler Essences of Sicily massage came with a choice of oils made from locally sourced fruit and nuts. There are 13 treatment rooms in which to unwind, along with three pools and three saunas: a dry Finnish sauna, a temperate bio sauna and a humid steam bath.

The Food

Although clients typically choose a resort such as this to clear body, mind and soul, a little bit of bacchanalian indulgence certainly can’t hurt — and Adler’s food and beverage program offers both extravagance and moderation. Farm-to-table cuisine is Adler’s specialty, and the fruits, vegetables and herbs served at the on-site restaurant and Osteria are grown on the hotel grounds, while the seafood, meat and all other produce are sourced from local farms and vendors. (Guests maintaining vegan, vegetarian or gluten-free diets are easily accommodated.) 

Although there were a few too many sweets in the breakfast buffet for my taste (the pistachio cream-filled cornettos were dreamy, however), and the smoothie station was almost hidden, everything from the a la carte menu was beautifully presented and portioned — from al dente pastas with imaginative sauces to perfectly executed meat and fish dishes.  

The cocktails, meanwhile, are on par with five-star, big-city properties, and the wine list includes biodynamic vintages from Adler’s Tuscan winery.

Adler beautifully blends luxury, wellness, culinary and nature experiences while offering clients a unique slice of Sicilian culture. Whether they indulge in the whole pie is up to them.