Unforgettable Hospitality

Guest: Cailin (Dublin, Ireland)
Date of Stay: 05/09/10 Review Submitted: 08/24/11

Our family stayed at Giuseppe's place for a blissful week. Although it's taken us a long time to write, we often reminisce about our Orange Grove days - a lovely pool, spacious, clean, cool accommodation with all conveniences and a stunning view of the enigmatic Mt Etna- all this within easy driving distance to Sicily's attractions and a short spin to Catania airport. What made our trip unique and memorable were the touching surprises from thoughtful hosts - bowls of oranges from the grove, Sicilan Pasta Al Norma and granita at the local cafe - treats we'd never have got at a hotel. The hospitality was really icing that couldn't be beaten - always helpful and considerate and never intrusive. We'd recommend it to all!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, age 55+, families with young children.

Great location, great value, wonderful people!

Guest: Margaret (Los Angeles)
Date of Stay: 06/16/10 Review Submitted: 08/09/11

My husband and I stayed at Orange Grove for five days. The villas are spacious, clean and comfortable; Guiseppe (our host) is charming and gracious; Stefania(his assistant) is fluent in English and oh so willing to be helpful, even driving us to the airport when our taxi did not come on time! The other staff members are equally warm and helpful. The location is ideal for exploring Sicily, has a great view of Mt Etna and perfect for relaxing at the end of a busy day. A car is essential, preferably with a GPS. We loved being able to breakfast in the morning on the terrace and use the free WiFi to check on the news back home. A giant mall with a huge supermarket and tons of stores just opened in June, five minutes drive away, and it's good place to shop in air conditioned comfort, All in all, Orange Grove is great find with very reasonable prices that we'd recommend to anyone going to Sicily.

Recommended for:People with disabilities, adventure seekers, romantic getaway, sightseeing, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children.

A warm welcome to a very convenient location

Guest: Brendan (London, UK)
Date of Stay: 07/10/11 Review Submitted: 08/01/11

I'm glad we choose this for a two week summer stay. It is very convenient with good access to the airport and to Catania. If you are the sort of guest who likes visiting the ancient sites and beautiful architecture of Ortigia, Siracusa, Noto, Taormina and the Aeolian Islands, or simply visiting the beach then the location is very well situated. You don't need to drive across country for miles before you reach the Autostrada network and this cuts down journey times. We had two weeks of unbroken sun and cloudless skies. When you return you can relax back in the pool, soak up the view of Etna and enjoy one of Umpatisa's wood based barbecues. Stefania was trully helpful and a great source of advice. Guiseppe's cooking was wonderful. So fresh, so healthy and wonderful both to look at and taste. He also intervened to help out when our hire car broke down. A great holiday memorable for all the right reasons.

Recommended for:Sightseeing, age 55+.

What a great experience!

Guest: Rick & Suzanne (United States)
Date of Stay: 09/06/10 Review Submitted: 10/01/10

We stayed at Orange Park for three weeks and it was an absolutely wonderful experience. The accommodations were perfect and the entire staff was great. The grounds and property are beautifully maintained with a variety of flower and vegetable gardens among the orange grove. Our villa clean, comfortable and felt like home with all the conveniences and amenities of home. The staff was the best. They were very friendly, attentive and extremely helpful. I will miss my morning cup of espresso! The villa's close proximity to the the Autostrada was another advantage. This made it very easy to travel all cities and sites within Sicily. A car or driver is need since the site is not within walking distance to a city or town. We hope to return to Orange Park and would recommend it to anyone looking for a unique place on a truly amazing island.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, romantic getaway, sightseeing, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children.

Wonderful people! Wonderful grounds!

Guest: Lisa (Santa Fe, NM)
Date of Stay: 06/12/10 Review Submitted: 08/15/10

We spent 2 glorious weeks as members of the Orange Park family and left very unwillingly as our vacation came to an end. Don't let the access road fool you, beyond the entrance gate is a clean, friendly paradise reserved for those savvy enough to find this hidden gem. Giuseppe, the owner, is a love--kind, caring, outgoing and generous. His immediate staff, Stefania and Sandra, who both speak excellent English, are warm, friendly, informed and aim to please. The ground staff, Umpatista (please excuse the spelling!) is attentive to any need you might have--from finding towels, to sweeping out your unit, to building you a fire for the grill. As well, other guests were as friendly as the hosts and we have remained in contact with people we met here. Our apartment (2 bedrooms/bath/kitchen) opened up to an eating area with a view of Etna framed in the kitchen doorway. We ate every meal there. Don't miss the dining-in service--a local cook serves a truly authentic Sicilian meal (with tablecloth and cloth napkins!) including antipasto, pasta, meat and vegetables and fruit. It reminded me of my grandmother's cooking--she was from this area. We took daily trips to places as close as Catania or as far away as Siracusa or Piazza Amerina--the entire East coast of Sicily can be easily explored from this spot--an easy off/on from the ring road around Catania. On hot afternoons or when the kids needed a break, the swimming pool and grounds provide ample amusement for everyone. Be sure to climb Mt. Etna. It is a one-in-a-lifetime adventure! Our family views this is a destination for years to come as we made friends for life in this family-friendly compound.

Recommended for:People with disabilities, adventure seekers, romantic getaway, sightseeing, pet owners, age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, families with young children.

Guest: Rob Pappalardo (Half Moon Bay/CA/USA)
Date of Stay: 07/20/08 Review Submitted: 07/20/08

Where do I start? Our stay at Orange Park was wonderful. The property itself is lovely. 10 acres of orange trees completely fenced and gated with a view of the hills towards Etna. Since there are many cottages and a converted farm house it is the perfect intimate spot for a group of people to rent together or for an extended family. In addition to the trees, the flowers around the property were lovely. The accommodations were wonderful. Spacious, clean and well maintained. We had a full kitchen a fridge, living room plus the bedrooms. Immediately outside were a picnic table and bbq. The pool (with outdoor shower) was large and clean with a brand new gigantic covered picnic area adjacent. Also they were completing a brand new spa and massage area. The location is perfectly located. Right off the autostradas. We did day trips all over Sicily with no problem. But what made it best of all was the people, they made us feel like family. Very kind, fun and extremely helpful. Just wonderful people. Giuseppe the owner is on the property everyday and can provide you with lots of insight on the local areas and answer any question you want to know about orange groves. Stefania, goes above and beyond. She was kind enough to go with us to visit family we had never met and act as translator. She fit right in. Lastly there is Umpissa, who takes care of your every need on the property to ensure your stay is everything you need it to be. Lastly the price can't be beat. We felt like kings. Like we had our own estate. Don't miss this gem just minutes outside Catania.

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