Verdura Resort has further cemented its place among the continent’s elite golfing venues after retaining its position as Italy’s number one in Golf World magazine’s new rankings list of the ‘Top 100 Resorts in Continental Europe’.

Home of the Rocco Forte Sicilian Open, the deluxe resort was rated sixth in the latest benchmark industry poll of Europe’s premier places to play and stay, one of eight Italian resorts to be included in the updated list.

Assessed over five different categories – golf courses, accommodation, practice facilities, accessibility and amenities – Verdura scored a total of 91.6 points of out of 100, with the magazine’s judging panel praising the venue for being “high calibre in every category.”

The Top 100 panel said: “Verdura is a stunning Sicilian resort and, like most of the destinations in the top 10, boasts two high-quality courses. The East is ranked 61st in our Top 100 Courses in Continental Europe while the adjacent West is hammering on the door.

“The East is comprised of two returning nines, while the West enjoys a links-style, straight out and straight back design. Both enjoy spectacular sea views courtesy of Kyle Phillips’ intelligent routing that sends several holes of both out along the cliff edges.

“There’s also a nine-hole par-three course crafted by the same designer. Overall, Verdura is high calibre in every category.”

Nestling adjacent to the Mediterranean in 230 hectares of stunning landscape, Verdura’s world-class golf facilities include two outstanding 18-hole championship courses – the East Course and West Course – as well as a par-three nine-hole course, double-ended driving range and first-class academy.

The award is the latest top international honour to be bestowed on the exclusive resort – a Rocco Forte hotel and European Tour destination – with other accolades including being the recipient of an ‘Editors’ Choice Award for Best International Resorts’ from Golf Digest magazine, the world’s best known golf title, for the last three years.

Antonio Castelo, director of golf at Verdura Resort, said: “The new list features some of the biggest and most celebrated names in European golf, so to be ranked inside the top 10 and retain its place as Italy’s top-rated golf resort is a huge honour, and testament to the high-standard of facilities and service that we continue to offer our golfers.

“Verdura may still be relatively new compared to other resorts but, having hosted a European Tour event the last two years, it is now firmly established among the world’s premier luxury golfing venues and we’re determined to continue building on our success in the coming years.”

Situated on Sicily’s southern coast between Agrigento and the fishing city of Sciacca, an 80-minute drive from Trapani and Palermo airports, Verdura Resort features 203 rooms and suites, all with a sea view, as well as six villas which offer a perfect solution for family holidays, each with its own private swimming pool.

Away from the fairways, the resort features an array of other luxury sports and lifestyle facilities, while guests also have the opportunity to sample, on and off-site, a taste of the gastronomy, wine, history and culture that has made Sicily famous across the world.

ENDS

High-resolution images of Verdura Resort may be downloaded for editorial purposes from here.  

About Verdura Resort
Since opening in 2009, Verdura Resort, a Rocco Forte hotels resort, (www.roccofortehotels.com ) has quickly established itself amongst Europe’s premier contemporary exclusive golf and lifestyle destinations.
The resort is set in 230 hectares of stunning landscape overlooking the Mediterranean with 1.8km of private coastline, and offers golfing guests and families an unparalleled modern five-star experience on the largest island in the Mediterranean. The resort is located on the southern coast of Sicily between Agrigento and the fishing city of Sciacca, an 80-minute drive from Trapani and Palermo airports.
Verdura features 203 rooms, suites and villas all with sea views, and is a paradise for golfers with its outstanding facilities. Players from all over the world come to enjoy the two 18-hole championship courses and a nine-hole par-three course, with all three links-style layouts designed by world-renowned golf architect Kyle Phillips, built to the highest specifications and playable all-year-round.  A member of the exclusive European Tour Properties network as a European Tour Destination, Verdura was the host venue for the 2012 Sicilian Open and is home to the European Tour’s Rocco Forte Sicilian Open. The resort’s East Course is ranked as one of the finest in continental Europe while its beautiful West Course, also a par-72, provides the ideal complement and features one of the most memorable finishes anywhere in the world with the final four holes set alongside the Mediterranean. The courses are matched by outstanding practice amenities including a double-ended driving range and excellent golf academy.
Verdura’s other sports facilities include six tennis courts; a 60m two-tiered infinity pool; numerous watersports, one football pitch; a 170sqm fully-equipped gym and a collection of running trails through olive and lemon groves. The resort’s award-winning 4,000sqm spa complex includes 11 treatment rooms, gym, yoga studio, a 25-metre indoor lap pool, four outdoor Thalassotherapy pools, a double-height steam room, male and female saunas and a spa bar for healthy alternatives.
Guests can sample an authentic taste of traditional Sicily with an array of dishes at one of the resort’s four restaurants and five bars – with  fresh, organic produce sourced straight from Verdura’s own garden. In addition, visitors can enjoy an array of cultural and culinary experiences where they can discover the secrets of Sicilian cooking, with menus inspired by celebrity chef Fulvio Pierangelini, and taste the many famous wines of the region. There is also plenty to keep the younger members of the family entertained with dedicated kids and teen clubs providing a variety of fun-packed activity programmes throughout the year.
Verdura Resort has received widespread international recognition and won numerous awards since opening. Among its most recent honours, it was ranked fourth in Golf World’s inaugural list of the ‘Top 100 Golf Resorts in Continental Europe’ and named by Golf Digest as a recipient of an ‘Editors’ Choice Award for Best International Resorts’ in 2016, 2017 and 2018. In addition, the resort won the title of ‘Italy’s Best Golf Hotel’ at the 2015 World Golf Awards’; retained its place in Golf World’s benchmark ‘Top 100 Courses in Continental Europe 2015/16’ rankings and claimed a ‘Golden Award for Golf’ at the 2015 Voyages & Hôtels Readers Awards. It was also named ‘Best Family European Golf Resort‘ by the 2011 Tatler Travel Guide, while it was the recipient of two accolades at the 2015 Spafinder Wellness Travel Awards in the ‘Best for Couples’ and ‘Wow Factor’ categories.
Rocco Forte Hotels
Established by Sir Rocco Forte and sister, Olga Polizzi in 1996, Rocco Forte Hotels is a collection of 11 individual hotels and resorts. All of the hotels are landmarks, both old and new, occupying magnificent buildings in exceptional locations. Led by a family who has been in hospitality for four generations, the hotels are united by their distinctive approach to service ensuring guests experience the best of the cities and surrounding areas.
Rocco Forte Hotels comprises: Hotel de Russie, Rome; Hotel Savoy, Florence; Verdura Resort, Sicily; The Balmoral, Edinburgh; Brown’s Hotel, London; The Charles Hotel, Munich; Villa Kennedy, Frankfurt; Hotel de Rome, Berlin; Hotel Amigo, Brussels; Hotel Astoria, St Petersburg; Assila Hotel, Jeddah.
Future openings: Rome in 2018, Shanghai in 2018, Puglia in 2018.