Villa Enrica

Villa Enrica was a great place for our 20th Wedding Anniversary. Ornela gave us a really warm welcome, and Ben later kindly posted the keys we'd left behind at no charge. We enjoyed the stay and loved being there.

The hilltop setting means getting to most rooms takes a bit of fitness, and although the port, town, and restaurants aren't far, it's a steep climb. The hotel can arrange inexpensive transfers, so call them. Villa Enrica itself is a gem: the rooms are spacious, clean, and well kept, and the infinity pool has a sea view and a bar serving snacks. Breakfast on the terrace also overlooks the sea. Service was friendly and attentive. We absolutely recommend it and will return.

The views really stay with you, and I enjoyed my stay overall. The rooms are large and lovely, the terrace was spacious, breakfast was great, and the pool area is nice, with a reasonably priced lunch available. The shower in our room was extremely small, though. You get those views because the hotel is about a 20minute walk uphill from the main town. There isn't a shuttle, which is a real shame. They work with a local taxi company, but a 4 minute ride costs 10 Euros one way, or 15 euros to the main square. I don't mind walking, but there’s no sidewalk for much of the route and cars and motorbikes go past fast, so it didn't feel safe, especially after dark. That was the main downside. Budget for a couple of 20 euro round trips into town each day and it'll be manageable. In-room tea and coffee would help, and the shower toiletries are tiny sachets, barely enough for one shower.

The pool was very nice, and our beds were big and comfortable, though the rooms themselves were a little dark and didn't block much sound. Breakfast was the same every day, with some typical Sicilian food, and service was okay. We had to stay an extra day after rough seas made us miss our flight. We could have left earlier, but the receptionist and hotel never said anything about the weather or warned us. They also didn't help us find another way to travel, such as a private boat. Conditions around the Eolian islands can be unusual, so the hotel should give guests more open, daily updates about the weather.