Words by Andrea and C. Rametta, photos by Signum
Signum Hotel is a sophisticated and still authentic escape to have a regenerative travel experience in Salina, the greenest one of the Aeolian islands – Sicily. I visited this unique and secluded place in September last year and I had an inspiring chat with Mrs Clara Rametta, owner of the Hotel and mayor of Malfa – the town where Signum is located. This interview to Mrs Clara will let you grasp the conscious ethos of this gem as well as part of its incredible story.
“SIGNUM WOULD NOT BE SUCH ON ANOTHER ISLAND AND SALINA WOULD NOT BE THE SAME WITHOUT ITS SEAL”
Clara Rametta (CR): Signum is a project I started with my husband, Michele Caruso, in 1988. What Signum is today was the vision we had when we decided to restore some ruins which became the first guest rooms of our hotel. Since the beginning we decided to change our lives to dedicate all our hearts to this dream, Signum.
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CR : When Massimo Troisi stayed at Signum during the shooting for the movie Il Postino, the Michelin Star got by daughter and chef of the hotel, Martina, but, above all, I would say passing the baton to our kids – Luca and Martina – who are dedicating themselves making our Signum dream come true.
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CR : We want to provide that kind of hospitality that makes you feel at home : we are a family run hotel which has been thought to be shared, a place where our guests can feel comfortable while being always able to choose among different options.
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Clara Rametta (CR): Signum is a project I started with my husband, Michele Caruso, in 1988. What Signum is today was the vision we had when we decided to restore some ruins which became the first guest rooms of our hotel. Since the beginning we decided to change our lives to dedicate all our hearts to this dream, Signum.
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CR : When Massimo Troisi stayed at Signum during the shooting for the movie Il Postino, the Michelin Star got by daughter and chef of the hotel, Martina, but, above all, I would say passing the baton to our kids – Luca and Martina – who are dedicating themselves making our Signum dream come true.
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CR : We want to provide that kind of hospitality that makes you feel at home : we are a family run hotel which has been thought to be shared, a place where our guests can feel comfortable while being always able to choose among different options.
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CR : I have always had a thing for art, unique works and objects with a story to tell. I enjoy mixing and matching different styles to give a singular entity to every space. We found the vintage pieces in different antique shops, whereas the Sicilian Masters’ art works as well as the valuable fabrics that adorn the spaces have been passed down in our own family through generations.
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CR : The Gesù Bambino statue in the concierge. An antique piece and a sort of guardian for us, I couldn’t imagine it anywhere else.
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CR: At Signum everything is bonded to its habitat, highlighting the authentic beauty of an Aeolian house. Here everything refers to the island’s nature and colours. Signum was born at the dawn of tourism in Salina and it keeps evolving together with its evolution. Almost unconsciously, Signum has always been a pioneer of the way Salina is promoting a kind of “good tourism” interested in the environment and linked to the island’s territory.
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CR : We are on an island, Salina, that is highly committed to sustainability. As a hotel, we have done a lot and we’ll keep improving our practices. If hotels improve themselves in the first place, then the journey towards sustainability for the island becomes easier. Signum tries to lead as an example every day.
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CR : To Malfa, sustainability is a yardstick to make all our choices.
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CR : A conscious traveller is someone who pays attention and is eager to learn. A traveller who cares for the destination she chooses, respecting a protecting it through her choices. A traveller who prefers the quality over the quantity.
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CR: “Le Balate” in Pollara are particularly dear to me – these are storehouses craved into the tuff that were used by fishermen in the old days, the small lake in Lingua – whose reflections of light are breathtaking, and “La praiola” in Rinella – a place by the sea that seems to be still in time.
