My wife, my brother, and I had just spent 4 days in Rome (from the US). The plan was to meet 4 family members at the airport (coming in from Malaysia), and catch a flight down to Palermo. We were to arrive at Villa Cottone in the evening, but got delayed due to a last minute (literally) airline strike. It was a scramble to get all 7 of us back into Rome for 1 more night. We got lucky and caught a flight early the next morning, and Lia and Salvatore were there to greet us. They showed us all the ins and outs of the house, yard, and pool. Between my cousin to translate, Lia's English, and my limited Italian to her and Salvatore, we communicated very well.
The house was as nice if not better than the description and pictures. Though only 7 of us, the listing says can accommodate 13, and it definitely could. We had plenty of space. The weather didn't exactly cooperate with us in Rome or Sicily, but it was just amazing being back here after 15 years. Because it was just late spring, and the weather, the pool was a little chilly at first, but warmed up a bit after a few laps. The water was crystal clear, though my brother noted the diving board was a bit too stiff to get a springy dive. The lawn furniture was very comfortable, even if we didn't get a chance to lay in the sun much.
Lia and Salvatore had all kinds of info on things to see and do, including maps of local shopping, dining, and activities. We also invited (with Lia's permission) all of my relatives in Palermo over for a dinner/party on my wifes birthday. Even with a total of 27 of us (because raining- mostly outside under the covered area), there was plenty of room. I was tempted to try out the pizza oven, but didn't want my family to be "guinea pigs" , so we ordered in 12 pizzas from a local place. We made some additonal things, and my family brought even more food, as well as 3 different desserts.
Finally, throughout our stay, a number of questions came up about various things relating to the house. I was able to message Lia, and received very quick responses. Overall, everybody really loved the house, and we hope to return sooner than 15 years. If we have a large enough group, we will definitely hope Lia and Salvatore are still offering Villa Cottone. Lia and Salvatore- GRAZIE TANTO!!!
Titian, Namita, Jeff, Asha, Priya, Nikhil, and Jessica