Overall: The villa was very nice, a touch of old world charm with some modern amenities. The pool is the star attraction. Enjoyed Most: Kitchen overlooking the pool and deck which overlooked the town and sea. very quiet, except for the barking dogs down below but generally quiet, safe and secure. Enjoyed Least: Ground floor bedrooms have a peculiar layout. Didn't see the value of the mandatory maid/cleaning service (300 Euros) forced on the guests 5 days a week. We were 9 people and really didn't need a cleaning every day. The cleaning staff also kept irregular hours, arriving at different times each day. It was a bit awkward having someone flitting around while we lounged by the pool or napped. Surrounding Area: Beautiful view and an easy walk to the grocery store for supplies. Nearby Events or Locales: Located in Taormina. It was a challenging walk to town, better downhill than up. The evening return was always a dreaded challenge. Tips or Restaurants: Everything we needed and more was at the villa. Kitchen very well equipped and we made some memorable lunches and dinners during our stay. The local butcher shop is a wonderful experience and the owners very helpful. Restaurants of note Il Delfino by the sea at the base of the cable car. Ask for Alessandro and Angelo. In Taormina we liked Tiramisu Restaurant and a great restaurant famous for pizza about a 10 Euro cab ride up the hill. Highly recommend a visit to Castelmolo. A beautiful little town up the hill from the villa, (drive or bus it, don't walk) with a unbelievable view, great shops and restaurants. A feeling of being in the old world, fantastic. Directions: With GPS, which I highly recommend, the world is yours to discover. With this property, the address entrance is not accessible on arrival; you need to access by the side entrance which is impossible to find if you don't have specific directions. We fortunately were met by Gabriele who directed us to the right door, making our access easy and effortless. Check In Out: We arrived early and thanks to Gabriele, our property manager, he accommodated an earlier access to the property. He was also very helpful giving us the lay of the property, restaurant suggestions, made reservation on our behalf and all in all very pleasant to deal with. Check out prompt, efficient and fair as there where some extras to calculate such as coffee consumption and energy.