When you have celiac disease, a holiday or a business trip can become a problem: it is difficult to find a hotel that guarantees the correct management and accommodation to celiac disease plus the desired standard of quality.
AIC, or the Italian Coeliac Disease Association, provides a list of facilities that are members of the Away-from-Home Feeding program, i.e. places that comply with the rules provided by the Association, that have followed a course and that are subject to periodic checks.
Among these, we have selected some that stand out for their comfort, elegance or for their specific peculiarities. A useful guide, though AIC advises you to consult the site at the time of booking or check their continued membership with the AFC Network.
A gluten-free trip: 7 hotels perfect for celiac sufferers
Lago Maggiore
In Stresa, the Grand Hotel des Iles Borromées & Spa is five-star luxury reflected in the waters of Lake Maggiore. The timeless elegance of the structure is seen in the hotel’s attention to the customer’s needs – even at the table. The restaurant, Il Borromeo, offers a splendid view of the lake and a profound accuracy in managing food issues: since 2011, the venue has adhered to AFCL’s regulations and executive chef Gianni Conti works in collaboration with the nutritional experts of the SPA Des Iles Centro Benessere Stresa.
For the menu, chef Conti elaborates on gluten-free seasonal options that allow the celiac guest to experience originality and pleasure at the dinner table. In the à la carte menu, gluten-free dishes are indicated with a silver tick on the left; moreover, on request, alternatives are on offer every day.
Spa manager Elisabetta Grassi explains: "We were very happy to offer creative, yet totally gluten-free cuisine, responding immediately and with great attention to a need of our guests that has gradually increased in recent years, as all available statistics indicate. We have adopted all the indications, and today we are a structure of excellence adhering to the AFC program.” A choice in step with the times that intersects with a personal story: "Certainly, the fact of having a celiac daughter,” says Elisabetta Grassi, “has made me more sensitive to those who can not enjoy a holiday or a reception dining in complete freedom. With this adhesion to regulations, we want to give those who suffer from celiac disease the certainty that all procedures are respected at the Grand Hotel des Iles as well as it is in the kitchen of their home.”
Among dishes on offer (that vary depending on the season) are the Pumpkin and saffron flower risotto, the Walk in the garden and in the fish market (scallops, prawns, asparagus, the Battuta di fassone al cucchiaio, bagna cauda cream, black bread chips), the Ravioli del Plin verdi ai formaggi ossolani e pancetta al burro bianco e timo serpillo, the Lombetto di sanato piemontese in a crust of crumbled macaroons with asparagus in butter and truffle sauce and finally, the Strawberry mint cream pudding.
Sardegna
The setting is Gallura on the Costa Rossa, the stretch of sea northwest of Sardinia set in the Gulf of Asinara between Santa Teresa Gallura and Castelsardo. Here, in the sea breeze, is the five-star Hotel Marinedda on Isola Rossa, part of the Delphina collection of hotels and resorts (that has been part of the AIC program’s circuit for 10 years).
All restaurants offer a selection of gluten-free dishes rich in taste and carefully prepared by the resort's chefs. Among the refined dishes on offer are the St. Peter's fish fillet browned with helichrysum leaves, vegetables and saffron sauce, or the lamb chops with melting potato and asparagus or the redfish soup and date tomatoes, Tramatza olives and creamy goat cheese.
The kitchen and dining room staff attend specific training and refresher courses every year to guarantee a professional catering service for celiacs. The gluten-free cooking service, made specially by Marinedda, is to be requested at the time of booking.
Romagna
The Riviera Romagnola is always a good idea when travelling with children. And if the needs of a family are combined with those of celiac disease, a valid option is the Hotel Internazionale in Igea Marina. The hotel is situated directly on the long beach gently sloping down towards the sea, perfect for families with shallow water, and it’s part of the Italy Family Hotels consortium, as well.
The hotel's qualified staff has attended the AIC course; an area of the kitchen is entirely reserved for the preparation of gluten-free dishes. Particular attention is paid to the preparation of tasty dishes, able to satisfy even the most demanding palates (such as those of children). The proposal for celiacs starts at breakfast: the breakfast with a gluten-free buffet is served in the bar area. The menu includes three first and three second courses (often even four). The menus for celiacs are identical to the others, the only difference being whether gluten is present or not.
The blue menu is the one with gluten, while the yellow one is the menu for celiacs. At lunch and dinner, the large buffet of appetizers, fresh vegetables and much more is all strictly gluten-free and therefore accessible to all without risk of contamination. Warm bread and side dishes, ice cream and gluten-free desserts are served for dinner. Very important is the care for little guests with celiac disease: the snack for children intolerant to gluten is rich and varied, and there is no shortage of nutella crepes, pizza, gluten-free ice cream.
Campania
An eighteenth-century villa between Vesuvius and the Gulf of Naples, just a few steps from the archaeological excavations of Herculaneum: Villa Signorini Hotel & Events (selected by Les Collectionneurs) welcomes its guests in elegant style: among period furniture, original 18th century frescoed walls and decorations on paper of the early twentieth century.
In the large garden, bordered by a wrought-iron fence and rose garden embellished with refined Italian-style flowerbeds, citrus groves and a notary fountain, is the AFC member restaurant Le Nuvole. The gluten-free menu proposed here is truly inviting: Cornetti di Bresaola with Ricotta cheese on a bed of rocket and grilled vegetables, followed by a Risottino with Asparagus and Provola Fumé and an Escalope with lemon and corn flour accompanied by browned potatoes with copper onions and tomatoes. And to end the evening on a sweet note, try the Caprese cake.
Puglia
Halfway between Turi, Castellana Grotte and Putignano lies the Masseria Gravelle, an 18th century mansion in light limestone of the Murgia. Here you’ll find a paradise of tranquillity and authenticity.
The restaurant, rustic and elegant at the same, collects delicious local products, vegetables and fruit, meat and cheese from the family farm. The large windows of the old barn (where the restaurant is located) allow the eye to gaze out over the olive, cherry and apricot trees. The restaurant is available upon reservation, and on request, offers gluten-free menus approved by AIC.
Sicily
VOI Baia di Tindari Resort is housed directly on the sea and adheres to the AFC program of AIC: the philosophy of the VOI Group is to allow those who require special attention in nutrition to fully enjoy their holiday.
So in the Sicilian resort, guests with celiac disease can find a dedicated corner with Gluten Free products at the central restaurant and at breakfast they will find gluten-free packaged products (assorted croissants, biscuits and other items). At lunch and dinner, they are sure to enjoy the Maître di Sala menu, from appetizer to dessert.
The Dolomites
An enchanted place between the Rosengarten and Latemar, made of woods and alpine pastures, paths and nature: the Ega Valley is a paradise for mountain lovers. And the Hotel Engel in Nova Levante (a member of Les Collectionneurs) welcomes guests to relax with wellness and good food. The cuisine, linked to South Tyrolean tradition, prepares gluten-free dishes upon request.