Michael's house was a wonderful base to explore a magical part of the world. The house was well thought out - everything we needed to enjoy and relax was there. His kitchen was excellent when we weren't eating out at the many amazing eateries in the area. The beds comfy. It felt very safe and there were no worries allowing the children to roam around the gardens and terrace to explore. I loved the location which is rural, so we could go at our own pace (lie-in until quite late) which is great for a family. And yet, we were only minutes away from a beautiful Baroque town where we ate, shopped and strolled many times. Also, nearby were some lovely sandy beaches. Michael has hit that spot with the feel and layout of the house between style, relaxation and practicality. We loved hanging out in the mornings and evenings as a respite to our daily tours. It felt like a home from home, nothing was too much of an effort: it was a perfect holiday. Michael helped with this as he has a very useful book full of suggestions for eating and visiting that we not have found by ourselves. I have no reservations about recommending this house as a great base for experiencing a spectacular part of Sicily.