We loved the place, and even though our Italian was bad and Rosario wasn't much better with English, we had a wonderful conversation when we got there. He told us about visiting Etna and gave us some coupons.
I suggest walking to restaurants (10-15 minutes), as parking in town is an absolute nightmare.
There is a thermostat in the room, however it had no battery in it. We really didn't need heat or air so it was no big deal. Not sure how that works in the dead of winter or summer(we were there the 1st week of October), but I'm sure Rosario( who lives in the house to the right) will work with you on that one.
Pros:. Private parking, wifi, comfy bed, great water pressure, a drying rack for laundry, a radio, close to town, complete kitchen WITH an ice tray (important for Americans), Rosario was very helpful with directions to Etna and shopping. Charming little apartment complete with a kitty that will sit outside your door in the morning. I also like that you can lock the louvered doors while leaving the glass one open to take advantage of the breeze at night.
Cons:. As I've found to be the norm in Italy, electric breakers are easily flipped. FYI, it's below the tv with a smoky plastic panel covering it. Nothing against Rosario on this one, that's just the way things are. I recommend not using more than 1 burner on the stove, and not while the hair dryer is being used. Cranking it up all the way(my husband was impatient with coffee making) also seemed to exasperate the breaker. Having an additional full size blanket would come in handy on cool nights. There was a twin size, which worked fine for us since I'm the one that gets cold, and my husband doesn't.
Remember!! Just about everything shuts down between 2 and 4. Plan your shopping trips accordingly.