My boyfriend and I stayed at Novella's place for 3 weeks...this place is an absolute dream! Novella and her husband went above and beyond to make our stay perfect... and it truly was. They even were gracious enough to pick us up from the train station and drop us off on our way home. The apartment is a mansarda with an AMAZING terrace that has a 180 degree undisrupted view of the sea. The apartment was spotlessly clean and supplied with EVERYTHING we needed for a perfect and comfortable stay. The fridge was even supplied with welcome local Messina beers to try and jam, local nut spread and toast for breakfast! (Novella also thought of the smallest details, such as ice packs in the freezer for packing beach lunch, condiments for cooking, laundry detergent, etc...) The location is nestled directly in front of the sea with lots of free beach to choose from, but also beach clubs if you prefer umbrella service. Nearby, walking distance, are all the things you need... supermarket, fresh fruit and veggie market, pharmacy, bakery and lots of restaurants and bars to choose from. Also, Novella graciously allowed us to borrow her bicycles and kayak, so that we could explore. In addition, communication with the host was always clear, quick and efficient for anything we needed. I can't rave enough about this place and the hosts...it is an absolute gem and I highly recommend this place. Five stars all the way!