Of all the places we stayed in a week in Sicily, Vivien's was the most special: gorgeous and intimate, an old farmhouse in a quiet little valley between big hills. You have to stay here if you want somewhere peaceful and don't mind being kind of out of the way, which was exactly what we wanted after days on the road and in cities. The whole place was like the setting for a movie -- rooms decorated with the most beautiful and interesting objects from Vivien's travels, pool brimming with Sicilian tiles and fresh spring water, grounds bursting with old fruit trees and flowers, the whole place roamed by three friendly dogs, an irresistible cat and some horses (confined to a paddock, don't worry). In the mornings you get an amazing breakfast of Sicilian specialties and Vivien specialties out in the garden -- like if a friend who was a really good cook cooked for you, instead of the usual not-quite-satisfying continental stuff -- plus fascinating conversations with Vivien. The only downside (which comes with the peaceful location) is that it's a hard-to-find, narrow, unpaved, slightly steep drive down from the nearest village. Vivien promised to meet us in town and guide us down, but because there's no phone service in the house, didn't answer our phone calls. We ended up having to ask the nearest restaurant's staff to lead us there. On the other hand, she also offered to help us pay for a parking ticket, since we were leaving before the office reopened. Overall, the logistics weren't perfect but the hospitality was wonderful.