La Mandarola is an oasis! We rented the villa with a group of friends as a home base to tour parts of Sicily. It is a half hour/hour drive to some of the most beautiful towns and beaches on the island so it was a great location. The drive up the switch back trail, when we first arrived, was a bit daunting but we got used to it. The house is a sprawling villa with a beautiful pool and grounds and there is lots of space for places to gather indoors and outdoors. The kitchen was well equipped and the bedrooms had everything you could need. We had a few issues when we arrived but Benoit and Alessandro were very responsive and things were remedied quickly. The only negative comment about the house was that we weren’t told that we would need bottled water until after we arrived which was late in the day. We would have had to drive back to the local town to pick up water for that evening if Alessandro hadn’t offered to bring some over. Otherwise, the holiday was perfect!

A group of 4 stayed here for 9 days. The layout is very spacious and all bedrooms have their own bath. Kitchen is huge and has everything...really...as we were all cooks and had everything. Gorgeous grounds! The owner put me in contact with Kirstn who cooked for us 2 nights and we should have had her more often! She was fantastic AND JUST BOUGHT A PROPERTY UP THE ROAD so she is easy to reach! One warning: this property is fairly remote and the road to it is narrow and curved but once you are there it is great! The town has a great Pasticceria and pizza and is only 20 minutes to Noto and about 30 to Siracusa. Look for the nature reserve beach! There was no trash there! No screens which is typical so watch the mosquitos! But really, BEST POOL EVER!!!!!!!!!!! It was really a great experience! Thank you Benoit!

Because it was not possible to pay the second payment via my creditcard. I was in the week via our arrival stressful because the second payment didn,t go through. The owner was very Coöperatieve and helpful. The second payment was payed in cash on arrival. Please look into this problem as why the second payment did'nt work

Where to begin? The villa itself is stunning and the photos don’t do it justice. Have stayed in many rentals homes before but this villa is by far the best equipped. You have everything you would need and the furniture, crockery etc is of the highest standard. There is ample space for a large group. The pool is huge and there are two outdoor eating areas plus two more indoor. The kitchen is one of the highlights and 3 of the four bedrooms have en-suite bathrooms. You can tell that a lot of love and care has gone into this place to make sure that guests have the best time possible. The location is also excellent, nestled between many iconic landmarks in eastern Sicily. Benoit is an excellent host who went above and beyond to make sure we were well looked after whilst respecting our privacy. It is somewhere we will definitely be coming back to in the not too distant future.

If you are looking for an authentic, high-quality property located near numerous attractive destinations in Sicily, this home is for you. Carefully restored with high-end material and stylishly decorated, this property provides a calm, comfortable oasis in sun-soaked Sicily. The home, its many terraces and the extended property provides numerous spaces to relax, play and gather with family and friends. The pool and surrounding deck with many lounge chairs is a pure pleasure. The well-equipped kitchen is designed for cooks -- with two sinks and lots of counter space. Benoît was a gracious host and kindly provided many recommendations and advice during our visit. He also co-ordinated two meals with a local chef, who delighted us with her copious cooking of Sicilian dishes. Hugo, the property manager was kind and helpful. The location allows for easy visits to Noto, Syracuse, Cavagrande and nearby beaches. Mt Etna and Taormina can be visited in a day trip. Overall, we will fondly remember our visit and hope to return.

A lovely house in a beautiful setting. Lots of room and well maintained. Really beautiful setting and large grounds. Pool was excellent - diving board and large pool area. We had a wonderful time and would definitely recommend. Benoit was very helpful and responded straight away. Perfect holiday.

We absolutely loved La Mandarola and hope to return. It is a wonderful home, beautifully laid out, spacious and welcoming, and with a delightful variety of well-designed spaces inside and out. We spent a great deal of time sitting at the dining table in the courtyard or up in the shaded area by the pool. Its location makes it generally peaceful and you really do feel you are in an oasis, away from everyone and everything. The wildlife around the property is wonderful – we have never before shared a swimming pool with goldfinches, swallows and a sparrowhawk! We were very happy to see so many lizards, geckos and beautiful butterflies. The gardens around the house are an ongoing project - as gardens always are - and the drive and area around the house are already beautiful. We would love to see how the garden changes with the seasons and matures over coming years. It was wonderful to have the vegetable garden! The aubergines, peppers and tomatoes were flourishing and it was fantastic to be able to cook them fresh from the garden. So, too, the lemons – we’ve never before been able to pop out and pick a lemon from the tree for the evening gin and tonic! The pool is fabulous – it is an excellent size for swimming and the quality of water is wonderful! And Sicily is fabulous. The people are so friendly and welcoming. We made use of our host's kind suggestions for meals out and thoroughly enjoyed it. The landscapes and towns are stunning and there is great food and wine to be enjoyed. We did a fair amount of exploring but were always happy to return home to recharge our batteries at La Mandarola. It is in a great location for exploring the south-east of Sicily – though you do, of course, need a car. (Make sure you visit Modica and eat at Accursio Ristorante if you can - the staff are fabulous and the food is amazing and a joy!) We had to drive from the UK to Sicily and our host gave us invaluable advice on planning our journey down (it made a huge difference for us), and he was on the end of the phone if we had any problems. We were greeted on our arrival by Enzo, who gave us a warm and friendly welcome and was always ready to pop in if needed - it is always reassuring to know you have someone around just in case! We are very grateful to our host for sharing his lovely home in Sicily with us! Thank you!

We were 3 couples that shared the villa for a week. We all wished we had more time here. All accommodations were as stated -- clean, great beds, delightful pool, expansive garden. The kitchen was fabulous -- top of the line equipment and more than enough service for 30 people! Quiet beyond compare in the early AM. Could sometimes hear cowbells from neighboring herd. Eating outside together was lovely. Hired terrific chef late in the week for one night-- wished we hired her earlier in the week for more nights. Meals were delicious. Benoit was responsive to all requests and all his suggested recommendations for restaurants were superb. Thank you.