Staying at Samantha's was truly wonderful.
To start with, the place is lovely: prettier than the pictures suggest; more pleasingly laid out than the description suggests. So welcoming, comfortable, thoughtfully laid out. From the beautiful stone floors in the spacious, cool, clean rooms, with large comfy bed, to the beautiful, well-tendered garden with its bountiful fruit trees, flowers and herbs. There was a particularly generous, small fig tree that just kept giving.
The outside kitchen is equipped with all you need. And what a pleasure it is to cook outdoors, using freshly picked herbs from the garden, then eat while relaxing on the lounger chairs under the olive trees.
There are complimentary drinks in the fridge and Silvana brought in 6 bottles of water to save me the hassle of carrying such weight. I appreciated that.
The house is located a short walk to Pizzuta beach, from which you can access the wonderful beaches of Eloro and Marianelli (in my case, swimming. If you are swim-crazy like me, and have a dry bag with a bottle of drinking water, a bite to eat and sunscreen, you can even reach Calamosche by water - not to be missed).
After a long day soaking in salty water, arrive in the house and jump into the outside shower, tucked in between the kitchen and the fruit trees. What a refreshing treat!
Now to the best part of your stay: Samantha and her mother, Silvana.
Sam was staying upstairs, but she’s so discrete and quiet that I only realised I wasn’t alone in the entire place when I messaged her to ask her a question and she said ‘I’ll come down and explain it to you’. And there she was, super friendly and helpful. She speaks English like a South Londoner and is super fun to chat with.
Silvana is just out of this world with her kindness and wisdom. And her cooking is sublime.
It was a pleasure and an education to stay at their place.
I stayed there for 5 days and would have stayed for a month more. Highly recommended.