Via Cesare Battisti 4, Castel di Tusa, Italy | (937) 315-4602
Quirky art hotel in a traditional fishing village in northern Sicily
One-of-a-kind art rooms designed by Sicilian and international artists
Collection of standard hotel rooms with Sicilian folk art and balconies
Free breakfast with cakes, croissants, and yogurt
24-hour reception
Free Wi-Fi throughout
Highly conceptual art rooms aren’t for everyone
All rooms lack traditional amenities like TVs and minibars (pro for some)
No hot items offered at breakfast
No wellness facilities
Hotel-Museum Atelier sul Mare is a truly one-of-a-kind waterfront property in the tiny Sicilian fishing village of Castel di Tusa. Of the hotel’s 40 rooms, more than half are totally unique, highly conceptual “art” rooms designed by artists from around the world, like Italian sculptor Paolo Icaro and Chilean filmmaker Raul Ruiz. There are also standard hotel rooms for more traditional travelers -- these too are exceptionally expressive, with Sicilian tiled floors and walls painted various bold colors and covered with original art. No rooms have conventional amenities like minibars, TVs, or coffee/tea facilities, though some rooms do have private balconies facing the pretty Tyrrhenian Sea. The rooms are most notable aspect of the hotel, though there is also a free breakfast served daily and a lounge filled with books, ceramics, and, of course, tons of contemporary art. For a Sicilian beach stay in a livelier area, consider booking a hotel in Cefalu, a 35-minute drive to the west.
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What’s the Scene Like at Hotel-Museum Atelier sul Mare?
An art-filled oasis that lacks traditional hotel comforts
Think of Hotel-Museum Atelier sul Mare as more of an art gallery where you spend the night, rather than a traditional hotel with regular amenities. Owned by Sicilian artist and avid art collector Antonio Presti, who bought the 1960s hotel in 1990 (and who also founded the nearby Fiumara d'Arte, an open-air art museum), Atelier sul Mare an experiential, immersive experience filled to the brim with one-of-a-kind contemporary art, furnishings, ceramics, and installations from around the world. Every inch is put to creative use, from the lobby wallpapered in newspapers to the abundance of local pottery, much of it from the Sicilian ceramics center Santo Stefano di Camastra. Art is everywhere, traditional comforts are nowhere; the hotel cherishes artistic immersion and appreciation of the natural landscape over traditional hotel objectives.
It’s certainly not for everyone, but many travelers are surprised by how deeply the Atelier sul Mare experience (or some aspect of it) resonates with them -- many TripAdvisor reviewers use descriptors like “extraordinary” and “magical." It comes down to a matter of taste: some find the whole package -- the highly unique and abstract rooms, the lack of amenities, the quiet beach location -- dreamy, wonderful, and even spiritual, others weird or as far as off-putting. The front desk staff will allow you to see various rooms and pick your favorite, if availability allows. For travelers who feel awkward in one of the hotel’s 26 art rooms, which tend to sacrifice creature comforts and common sense in the name of art (the heavy, hard-to-open metal door of the "The Shadow Line" room seems patently unsafe), there are more traditional hotel rooms. Hotel staff will also happy provide tours of the art rooms not currently occupied by guests.
Where is Hotel-Museum Atelier sul Mare Located?
On the beach in Castel di Tusa in northern Sicily
Hotel-Museum Atelier sul Mare is located in Castel di Tisa, a quaint fishing village with a picturesque rocky beach. There are two or three restaurants within easy walking distance, but little else; the village practically shuts down in low season. It’s an area for peace, quiet, and a sense of Sicilian daily life. Castel di Tusa is a 35-minute drive from the lively beach town of Cefalu. The hotel is a two- to three-hour drive from Catania Fontanarossa Airport, depending on the route you take (through the interior or around the northeast coast), and an hour-and-a-half drive from Palermo Airport.
What are the Rooms Like at Hotel-Museum Atelier sul Mare?
Mix of conceptual art rooms by international artists and standard hotel rooms -- but all without traditional amenities, like TVs and minibars
Of Hotel-Museum Atelier sul Mare’s 40 rooms, 26 are totally unique art rooms, designed by international artists such as Italian sculptor Paolo Icaro and Japanese conceptual sculptor and architect Hidetoshi Nagasawa. Each art room is full of meaning and creativity yet totally unlike any other room in the hotel -- or anywhere else in the world, for that matter. For example, Hidetoshi Nagasawa’s "Mystery for the Moon" room is without electricity, only candlelight. The ceiling of the room “La Torre di Sigismundo” by Chilean filmmaker Raul Ruiz opens up to the sky at the press of a button, allowing occupants to sleep under the stars. The dramatic Trinacria room (named after the ancient name of Sicily) features a sharply triangular bed and a floating red triangular “wall” in the middle of the room. The triangle theme is inspired by the shape of Sicily, and the red wall is meant to symbolize the warmth of the Sicilian people. Everything else in the room -- the walls, floor, and ceiling -- are black, intended to represent the lava of the volcanic island. Trinacria is designed by the late Italian sculptor Mauro Staccioli, the same artist who made the “Pyramid 38th Parallel” (also commissioned by Presti), a pyramid sculpture on a hilltop in Tusa. Many guests are delighted and moved by their experience in the rooms; others find them uncomfortable and strange. It’s simply a matter of opinion.
For travelers wanting a more conventional stay, there are 14 standard rooms with conventional beds and layouts, as well as private balconies with two sets of doors, glass and shuttered, so that you can hear the waves at night. These rooms too are like galleries, with blue-and-white tile flooring and boldly painted walls packed with original paintings, art posters, and more. All rooms -- art and standard -- are intentionally without traditional hotel comforts, such as TVs, minibars, and coffee/tea facilities. Bathrooms have either tubs or showers, hairdryers, towels, and a few custom-made bath products with lines that sum up the hotel’s ethos, like “Listen the silence,” printed on the packaging. Wi-Fi is free in the rooms.
What are the Features at Hotel-Museum Atelier sul Mare?
Free breakfast and an art gallery-like lounge
Considering that the hotel values the serenity of its surroundings and artistic immersion, it’s not surprising that there are few features here to distract guests. There is a simple breakfast laid out each morning in a room off the lobby; breakfast consists of soft slices of bread, ham, Swiss cheese, yogurt, honey, two cereal options, cake, and croissants. Juice and coffee can be requested and classical music -- Mozart, Bach, Vivaldi -- plays in the background. Below the lobby, there is a multipurpose lounge area that serves as a library, event space, and ceramics shop. As you’d expect, it’s full of fascinating artworks, including a car door and part of a bicycle mounted on the wall. Wi-Fi is free at the hotel.
