The Sicilian Resort of Rocco Forte Hotels reopens on March 1st

Experienced international hotelier Giacomo Battafarano has returned to Sicily and been named as the new General Manager of Verdura Resort.

Battafarano, originally from Matera, brings a wealth of knowledge with him to the iconic Sicilian resort – a Rocco Forte Hotel – which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year.

After gaining a Master in Hospitality Management qualification at the LUISS School of Business and Management in Rome, Battafarano began his career in the luxury hotel industry with a five-year spell as Hotel Manager at Forte Village Resort. From Sardinia he moved to Portugal, where he held the position of Operations Director at Le Meridien Dona Filipa and San Lorenzo Golf Course.

He returned to Italy at the historic Hotel Imperiale in Taormina, where he oversaw its reopening after a complete renovation, while, in his most recent role, he spent five years managing London’s Xenia Hotel, which included supervising the total rebranding of the Kensington property.

"I am proud to be joining the Rocco Forte Hotels team and, in particular, to manage the Verdura Resort, a resort that has positioned Sicily among the most sought-after luxury destinations for international clients. It is particularly exciting to come back to this marvellous land, which hosted me in the past and which remains close to my heart,” said Giacomo Battafarano.

Sir Rocco Forte, Founder and Chairman of Rocco Forte Hotels, added: "We are very happy to inaugurate 2019 by welcoming Giacomo. I am sure that his experience will allow us to achieve great results in an exciting year for the property and for Rocco Forte Hotels.”

The appointment of Battafarano is part of an unprecedented moment of expansion for the Rocco Forte Hotels group which, in May 2019, will inaugurate its first property in Puglia - Masseria Torre Maizza in the province of Brindisi - and second property in Rome, the iconic Hotel De La Ville a few steps from Piazza di Spagna.

Overlooking a private beach bordered by the turquoise waters of the Mediterranean, Verdura Resort is ready to welcome guests next month from March 1. Ad hoc solutions for family stays and offers dedicated to golf enthusiasts are available HERE.

The resort’s world-class golf facilities include an outstanding 18-hole championship course as well as a par-three nine-hole course, double-ended driving range and first-class academy and Performance Institute.

Located 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, including six villas which offer a perfect solution for family holidays, each with its own private swimming pool.

Away from the fairways, the resort offers an extensive 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.

www.roccofortehotels.com/verdura-resort

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 18-hole championship course and nine-hole par-three course, with both links-style layouts designed by world-renowned golf architect Kyle Phillips and built to the highest specifications. 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 courses are matched by outstanding practice amenities including a double-ended driving range and excellent golf academy and Performance Institute.

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 top in Italy and sixth in Golf World’s updated list of the ‘Top 100 Golf Resorts in Continental Europe’, second in National Club Golfer magazine’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 2017/18’ rankings and claimed a ‘Golden Award for Golf’ at the 2015 Voyages & Hôtels Readers Awards. It was also the only Italian resort to be named in Conde Nast Traveller  magazine’s list of ‘The 14 Best Family Hotels in the World’ in 2018 and ‘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 2019, Shanghai in 2019, Puglia in 2019

www.roccofortehotels.com

Media Enquiries
Daniela Moore, Group Communications Manager
Rocco Forte Hotels
Email: dmoore@roccofortehotels.com