Verdura Resort wins top global honour for second year running

Sicily’s deluxe Verdura Resort has continued its momentous start to 2017 after receiving top international acclaim from Golf Digest, the world’s biggest golf title, for the second year in a row.
The exclusive golf and lifestyle destination has again been named by the magazine – which has more than 1.6m subscribers in the US alone – as one of the recipients of an ‘Editors’ Choice Award for Best International Resorts 2017’ in its annual list of the ‘Best Things in Golf’.
Revealed in the May issue of Golf Digest, the list features a select group of leading names from the global golf industry and was compiled in consultation with the magazine’s group of 27 international affiliate titles and its panel of more than 1,000 golf course raters.
Opened in 2009, Verdura Resort – a Rocco Forte hotel – has quickly risen to become one of the new modern stars of European golf.
Having been added to the prestigious European Tour Properties Network at the start of the year, the award-winning venue will have the honour of hosting the inaugural Rocco Forte Open – Verdura next month from May 18-21, five years after staging the 2012 Sicilian Open.
Max Adler, editorial director for Golf Digest, said: “We launched this program last year with the mission of identifying The Best Things in Golf, with an emphasis on lifestyle properties, products and services—and we were overwhelmed by the positive response from readers.
“Unlike our course rankings, this reward takes a wider view to consider the merits of all aspects of the resort property. Going forward, this program will continue to receive a similar editorial treatment as our annual Hot List, which has become the game’s authoritative review for golf equipment.”
Verdura Resort has enjoyed a hugely impressive last 12 months with bookings increasing dramatically across its golfing sectors, and its success on the course has been reflected off it with the resort winning a number of other top international accolades including being named as Italy’s number one golf venue in a list of continental Europe’s top 100 golf resorts.
Marcello Della Vecchia, Director of Golf Sales at Verdura Resort, said: “It’s a very exciting time for everyone here, and receiving such top international acclaim for the second year running is deserved reward for all the hard work that has gone into making Verdura Resort a leader in the European golf and lifestyle market.
“Our exclusive world-class facilities have made the resort hugely popular with golfers, couples and families and we’re relishing the chance to showcase what we have to offer when the European Tour visits next month.”
Nestling on the coast in 230 hectares of stunning landscape, Verdura Resort is ideal for a golf break and features two outstanding 18-hole championship courses – the East Course and West Course – as well as a par-three nine-hole course, all designed by Kyle Phillips.
Complementing Verdura Resort’s outstanding golf courses are extensive golf practice facilities including a double-ended driving range and outstanding academy. In addition, guests can enjoy numerous other sports and leisure amenities including six tennis courts, an array of different watersports, a 170sqm fully-equipped gym and an award-winning 4,000sqm spa complex.
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.
Away from the fairways, the resort features an array of other luxury sports and lifestyle facilities while guests also have the opportunity to sample a taste of the gastronomy, wine, history and culture that has made Sicily famous across the world.