Reviews of Zash Country Boutique Hotel & Spa

Overall a positive experience, a good compromise to unplug and relax for a weekend.

This is a superb hotel beautifully appointed from the gated entrance, up the long drive to the welcome you receive. We had a room overlooking Etna in all it's snowy glory. What a sight to wake up to. And that was after a fabulous meal in their 1 star Michelin restaurant. From the amuse bouche to the teramasu, simply a delight.

Hotel has a beautiful setting - Etna view on one side, sea cost on the other; the premises are surrounded by the citrus gardens. It’s an old mansion delicately restored; especially the dining area which was transformed from an old vinery. Restaurant itself is good, vine list is rich. So that’s all about the strong sides. However, the place is nothing in common with feeling at home; seems it’s not designed to be a friendly “home away from home” - what I expected from a countryside hotel. It’s even surprising to meet so cold and official atmosphere in a countryside hotel. Yes, people do the job, but it’s very formal; as for me it is in the air. The final detail was on our party of 5 people departure - the restaurant was opening at 7.30; we were leaving with transfer at 7.45. So we just expected to sit with coffee and croissants for the breakfast together.. I came early, warning the guys in the kitchen gently that we are leaving soon; just it was no difficulty to pay a little attention to the matter; however, the people after 7.30 started setting the buffet with zero attention to the waiting guests. The way of communication - when we ask them to do smth for us - they just turned their backs to us and continued their slow motion around the kitchen and hall. Would like to say that I was super surprised how it is possible… So, beautiful place, but never come there again. You feel like asking the staff for audience, and they estimate if you deserve it or not. PS: Rooms are normal, but in my room 1 bathroom fittings were broken; room is acceptable , but not good.

Ambiance and Michelin restaurant was phenomenal. Hotel room, spa and service was second to none. Citrus groves provided an earthy experience and Mt. Etna active night view was amazing.

The hotel is marketed as a luxury experince with prices to match. It is heavily focused on design. Design can be comfortable as well as interesting and beautiful. Not really the case here. The pool suite we stayed in was a glass box. Super hot even with ac or sit in the gloom with curtains closed. ' Bath' towels ( no bath) were hanging in the loo. Sheets did not fit the bed. The sunlonger was v uncomfortable and if you lay against the cushion it fell into pool. No umbrella provided for shade. The pool was dirty as was the lounger. We requested a clean up but none was forthcoming.

Relaxing experience overall. The rooms are comfortable with stunning views of the beautiful land. We enjoyed all of our dining options, for a few day trip we felt we had everything we needed on site. The view of Etna from the pool was really gorgeous. Our room had a private tiny pool which seemed to justify some of the high cost. We would love to return.

It’s a shame this review isn’t higher. If I could sum up zash in two words it would be “untapped potential”. This property is stunning, and the food is excellent, but for the price of a private villa at $1190 euros it’s not worth it. As a fan of modern architecture, it is sight to marvel. But ultimately we felt the experience lacking due to the lack of service and minor details. PROS -Beautiful property is idyllic citrus groves -Private villa has its own pool, sauna and steam room -Amazing restaurant (good service at the bars and restaurant) CONS -We found a giant hairball right when we came into our room by the bedside table -Hotel staff comes off disgruntled and generally not helpful -Turn down service was virtually non existent (we left our key card in room and they didn’t clean anything and glasses sat on our deck for 2 days) -Nothing was self explanatory in room and the staff wasn’t very helpful (ac unit, sauna, etc) -then minor things were just icing on the cake, like when we left our kindle and it was just we can’t help figure it out (again minor but at that point we grew accustomed to generally unhelpful staff)

The place is stunning! When you enter the property you start finding out different parts of the hotel that are just beautiful! The restaurant is ESPECTACULAR! The staff was great at all times. Now the not so fun part…. Very noisy, you can hear the footsteps of your neighbors. The mattress is very hard as well as the pillows. The room is very small and minimalist, a lot of light enters de room for those who like a dark room. The shower is very small I don’t know if it was my room’s. The railway is terrible!! The train never stops going by, not even at night. We went to have dinner to other hotels around and they looked very nice too without a railway. For the price I payed I expected more confortness.

This is a superb small hotel, situated in a large orchard at the foot of Mount Etna. The room was fine--minimalist but large enough and with an excellent shower, but the reason to stay here is the outdoors. The pool is extraordinary, large enough for lap swimming and surrounded by comfortable lounge areas--and a terrific bar. And the restaurant is incredible: 2 star food in a 1 star setting (they're building a new restaurant facility on the property. We would return here in a heartbeat.

Ok but overpriced. It’s a good property but doesn’t deliver at this price level. spa is probably the best part of the resort, although it’s very small. We had water leaks in our room after a storm, toilet amenities are cheap, Pool area is grammable but uncomfortable. Breakfast is very good. Dinner disappointing for a Michelin Star (separate review).

Great boutique hotel. Fine, small, only 16 rooms, beutifull rooms and grounds. Great restaurant for breakfast and dinner. Perfect romantic get away. Good service, great pool, close to amazing Etna park and mountain.

Zash is an extraordinary jewel in terms of both food and service, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend staying there; I'm already planning to return. Let me deep dive into this a little. My husband and I stayed there for ten days in June 2023 - longer than the average stay, but we were looking to check out of the world and relax. And this is exactly what Zash offers. The food is incredible, as you'd expect of a Michelin-starred restaurant. The menu offers three set meals of five to seven courses, but don't be put off: they are happy to let you mix and match between them, or simply pick fewer courses at an a la carte price. The service was impeccable, and the sommelier was extremely knowledgeable about wines: he was also smart in assessing budget requirements and matching that to your preferences. The complimentary breakfast was amazing, too: fresh pastries and savories every day, plus eggs, pancakes, etc. as requested, and the staff could not have been more thoughtful or attentive. Other reviewers mentioned the railway line near the hotel, and I was a bit alarmed when I read this having already booked, but I needn't have worried: it was more of a low rumble in the distance (I thought it was thunder at first) and the trains are very short so although frequent, it never lasted long. I wasn't once woken by trains at night or during my siesta, but those who are very light sleepers might want to invest in a "white noise" phone app, though I don't think you'll need it. Our room (a garden room very close to the main building) was wonderful and clean, and I loved the glass box shower (though we didn't really need two separate ones!) The only negative was the bed. Although it was a king and beautifully clean, the mattress was a bit of a nightmare. Admittedly I'm used to a Tempurpedic memory foam mattress, but this was sprung and I felt every single spring. Didn't sleep well, and very painful when I got up in the morning, but those less sensitive probably won't mind. As for the overall look and feel of the place, you won't find more beautiful gardens, and the pool was gorgeous. The double sunbed sofas were very comfortable (I should have slept on them at night!) though I'd say they were just starting to look a bit tired and one or two had small rips. I suspect Zash is just recovering after the trauma of the Covid pandemic, so I'd cut it a little slack, but a bit of low-level investment is probably due by next season. Finally, the location. Zash is off the beaten track, and frankly in a rather poor area. I never felt this was a safety issue, but the amount of trash thrown by the roadside was shocking, and a bit smelly when you had the car windows down. And yes, you definitely need a car if you want to go anywhere - nothing is in walking distance, but there are plenty of taxis. As for day trips, I'd recommend Taormino (a mountain-top town half an hour's drive away) - though it's pretty touristy, it's definitely worth a trip. The second season of White Lot

We had booked from December 20, 2025 to January 3, 2026. Upon arrival, we received an upgrade. After a 4-hour wait, we urged the hotel to let us know about the train, which was about 25 meters from the hotel (the main Catania/Messina line runs every half hour until 11:50 PM and then again at 5:40 AM!!). On December 21, we were given a room in the main building, which was better, but by no means good or perfect, and certainly not worth the price! The train noise was still audible and noticeable, and we could also hear the large exhaust fans of the much-vaunted Michelin-starred restaurant. The 5-meter-high rooms couldn't be heated adequately by the air conditioning/heating system, given the season and weather conditions. Ordering from the bar menu/small à la carte menu, with room service available from 11:30 AM to 9:30 PM, required prior arrangement with the kitchen, even within the specified hours. Wellness area: poorly ventilated, complicated to book (1 free hour per room! No indoor pool for swimming, only a whirlpool!). Restaurant ordering was extremely complicated; always the same set menu or à la carte for each table! In short, on December 28th, we left this entire rip-off prematurely. After complaining on-site and subsequently through the travel agency, falsehoods were given as the reason for our departure. After the second letter, the management didn't even bother to write a reply. We advise everyone who, like us, was misled by the photos to avoid a holiday at this hotel!!

Top restaurant! We had the 7-course tasting menu; excellent, refined cuisine and a very warm welcome. I highly recommend it.