Eagle's Nest on the Mediterranean
BWM
Jakarta, Indonesia and Perth, Western Australia
Review Submitted: December 10, 2008
Date of Stay: December 2007
This is a wonderful property. The description cannot do justice to the setting or to the house itself. I went with a tough audience - my wife, three daughters aged from 15 to 23 (all of whom have spent their lives travelling all over the world), and a boyfriend of one of my daughters. The reaction was unanimous - best house and best holiday ever.
A couple of caveats first:
* the property is devilishly difficult to find
* the fireplace smokes heavily when the atmosphere is damp
* the house is, literally, "perched" on the edge of a precipice - it would be a nerve wracking place to stay with small children
These are not criticisms though - they gave the place a uniqueness and charm and sense of isolation that helped us to fall in love with it. We loved the winter tranquility of Callabria, and the opportunity it provided to get to know people whom, I expect, would be just too busy in summer. The house looks directly across at Stromboli. It is a transcendental experience to sit on the clifftop terrace on a warm evening with a glass of wine and watch as the dusk envelops the Mediterranean. Then to retire to the beautiful interior of the house and its excellent kitchen and fireplace.
The property includes one of the most perfect beaches I have ever seen (and I grew up on the northern beaches of Sydney and I am an oceanographer, so have seen plenty of gorgeous beaches by way of comparison). The stairs down to the beach would be daunting for some people (there are a few hundred of them, very steep), but we made the journey at least a dozen times, and found it delightful - and great exercise!
The house also has its own lap pool and a fantastic garden. The surrounding area is interesting, and shops, bars and restaurants are all within easy reach (some closed for winter, but those are the ones that you probably wouldn't want to go to anyway).
The house was clean, beautifully furnished and very well maintained. The owners could not have been more helpful and concerned - they helped us to solve many problems (even my daughter's lost luggage) from a distance (and anyone that can successfully deal with Alitalia, especially from a distance, has my admiration and respect), and introduced us to local people that could advise us on all manner of things - and by the end of our stay had become friends.
I would recommend this property to anyone that loves southern Italy, that loves architecture, that loves the ocean, that loves food, that loves exploring.
Owner's Response: First of all, I thank BWM for his kind words. About his "caveats" I will respond as follows:
1. I always encourage our guests to arrive during daylight hours, when it's much easier to get one's bearings. On average, most people find the place without difficulty, and I often call their cell, as they drive to the house, to give live navigation assistance. However, I will do my best to improve the driving directions I drafted, and enrich them with more maps.
2. Yes, when it's windy the fireplace doesn't work as well as it should. We found that building the fire on top of a grille (which is there on hand) makes it work much better. I will include those instructions in my booklet about the house.
3.There are barriers everywhere, but I am aware of the situation and always ask our guests with children to sign a statement that they are aware that children will have to be supervised at all times.
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Helpful votes: 8/8
