Villa Magarà

The animals and the grounds were the best parts of our stay. They were lovely, cute and entertaining, even though they were very close to the apartment. The man who looks after them clearly cares about them and works hard. The pool area was nice too, and the property has beautiful views and great vegetation. I can see why Villa Magara gets good ratings for its grounds and animals. The staff were pleasant and informative, and we enjoyed being in my grandfather's hometown of Ceflau, but we rarely looked forward to returning to the apartment. It wasn't comfortable, practical or functional for a larger group. With some proper cleaning and thought, the three-bedroom place could be great, but it wasn't. Our complaints aren't about the rustic style the property advertises. The big terrace was the listing's best feature, but the furniture made it a poor shared space: there was one small table with four seats, one of them broken, and two uncomfortable wooden church Pughs facing the unit's uncovered waste bins. It felt as if the manager hadn't considered how many people a three-bedroom apartment might hold. The listing photos also don't show the current view. Vines and trees now block much of the ocean view seen in the pictures. At a glance the apartment looks fine, but the furnishings are cheap and the layout is poor. The kitchen had plenty of utensils and dishes, but the TV was tiny and partly blocked by curtains and the mug racks. The terrace door was difficult to close and seemed partly broken. The washing machine was useful, except taking the key card out to switch off the lights stopped the cycle. It only ran while we were in the apartment, which was annoying. We sometimes smelled sewer gas from the kitchen sink, and by week's end there were ants on the floor and counters. No cleaning service was offered. Both bathrooms were awkward. The main shower is a slippery, curved tub with two levels that you sit down in. It shouldn't be used as a standing shower, and my parents struggled with it. The other shower is made of stone that looked dirty, with no shelves or hooks for soap, shampoo or washcloths. Water sprayed from the crusty shower head onto the toilet beside it. A 10€ showerhead and a 5€ shower caddy would make a big difference. Only two of the three bedrooms had AC, which wasn't mentioned in the listing. The fan in the room without AC was caked in dust, and dust bunnies blew around the room. The ceiling or fan clearly hadn't been dusted. My mattress there was comfortable enough, though others complained about theirs. I could have managed without AC and slept with the windows open, except roosters woke me at 4:30 am every morning. There's no indoor living area either, and a couch would help. The WiFi didn't work for five days, despite our telling reception on arrival, and only came back the night before checkout. With spotty cell service too, it was hard to plan activities. We could only rent one beach towel. Breakfast had to be ordered for the next day before 7pm, which was odd, so a late check-in meant no breakfast the first morning. There's a nice mocha pot, but when I asked reception for coffee grounds, she looked at me as if that was a strange request. Coffee grounds are standard at most hotels and Airbnbs. The place was disappointing for the price. The furnishings and fittings were generally poor quality, the shower head had no pressure because water came out around the sides, and the shower doors were broken. You had to yank them into place, and the handles sometimes fell off. At the start of showers, the water ran brown for a while. Staff said there was a problem with the local supply, but still. The table shook if you breathed near it and was uncomfortable to eat at, and there was only half a roll of toilet paper. During our three nights, the room was never cleaned. I don't want to have to ask for basics while on vacation; comfort is what you're paying for.

The views were amazing, and the location worked well for families wanting to visit the center of Cefalu. The kids especially loved the mini zoo behind the hotel, which I hadn't seen mentioned in the reviews. The hostess was friendly, and everything else was good. Just be aware that the style is rustic, and the boiler took too long to reheat, so it was hard for our family to shower on the same evening.

The sea views were a highlight, with both sunrise and sunset visible, and we loved seeing the cute farm animals. Villa Magara was spotless and had everything we needed for a comfortable stay, even a longer one. Luciana was incredibly friendly and quick to respond, with great suggestions for local food and places to visit. The rest of the staff were welcoming too. We'd happily stay again.

The worst part was the condition of the room. There were over 20 flies in the apartment. The floor was dusty enough to leave a grey layer on our slippers. The rooms felt damp and smelled that way too; after the first night we woke with blocked noses, then noticed mold in the corner by the bathroom and black spots across the ceiling. I messaged the staff and was told a "Maintenance Man" would come early the next morning to clean it. Nobody showed up, and we had to sleep there another night. It made me wonder whether we weren't worth the effort anymore. The apartment was basic and seemed okay at first, but it didn't look like the photos. Most things were poor quality: the shower head had no pressure because water came out the sides, and the small shower had broken doors that needed an awkward yank to close. The handles sometimes fell off. At the start of showers, we had to let brown water run for a while. Staff said the local supply had a problem, but still. The table wobbled if you breathed near it and was uncomfortable to eat at. There was only half a toilet paper roll, and nobody cleaned the room during our three nights. There wasn't much provided, either. Please don't say I could have asked. On vacation, I don't want to worry about basic things. Comfort is what you're paying for, and at this price it was still subpar. The location itself was good, close enough to Cefalù by car and with a sea view. Staff communicated and even helped fix a booking mistake I'd made. I'm surprised by all the positive reviews, though maybe those guests stayed in the better buildings. The "cheaper" red buildings should be avoided. Not again.