PLACES TO STAY
Villas
A hand picked selection of beautiful villas which you can book for a holiday and celebration in Sicily.
Massimo Villas – An authentic holiday experience in Sicily
Massimo Villas Collection offers an exclusive selection of wonderful villas in which to spend an unforgettable holiday in Sicily as well as in other popular holiday destinations such as Puglia, Tuscany, Sardinia and Formentera. This will be a unique holiday experience in terms of beauty and culture but most of all with a focus on personal contact with the guests.
How did the commercial idea for Massimo Villas come about?
Massimo Villas came into being in 2011 as the result of the experience of some travelling friends of mine who, when they arrived in Cefalù decided to buy some villas in the beautiful countryside that surrounds the town.
Because they weren’t based locally, they really needed a company who would manage this project for them and at the same time, would be able to commercialise these villas in order to generate an income as well as ensuring that they were well maintained, particularly during the winter months. Then it occurred to me that my presence on site could work as a link between the owners and local contractors and thus, we founded this English company which has now been up and running for around seven years now.
Where are these villas located?
We operate mainly in the northern part of Sicily, in Cefalù and the Madonie in particular, where we have the largest number of villas although over time, the demand for my expertise is now all over Sicily.
Because this is the type of business that relies heavily on word of mouth and personal recommendations, I have been contacted by other property owners in different areas of the island. From this, we have put together our portfolio and we have also started to include villas that are located in other regions but not too many of these because our main aim is to have a business model that always ensures a close personal relationship between the owner and the end customer.
The company’s focus is not predominantly about making big numbers but more about guaranteeing a wonderful experience to both parties between whom, we find ourselves as the mediators.
How important is it to have direct contact with your visitors?
There are some tourists who just fall in love with Cefalù because of the beauty of the place but also because of the unique experience they have enjoyed as a result of the mutually trusting relationship that has been built between us and them. This is why they are happy to recommend our accommodation to friends and family as well as the ultimate recommendation which is, actually returning to visit themselves.
The essence of the type of holiday we can offer is that of the desire to combine their culture with ours: One of our company’s greatest strengths is that of being able to establish direct contact between the guests during their holiday and those who are running the properties.
“The primary objective of Massimo Villas is to take care of the guests’ experience and enjoyment factor.”
What do the customers at Massimo Villas Collection love the most and in particular, what do they like the most about Sicily?
Tourists love our region because Sicily is an island of contrasts. What fascinates them the most is our way of life, what and how we eat, how we relate to one another – and how we gesticulate!
They are so appreciative of our culture and because of that, the possibility to be in close proximity to everything Sicily represents means that spending a holiday here in one of our villas can’t help but make them happy and contented.
How much does experience contribute to what’s on offer at the Massimo Villas Collection?
Another special feature at the Massimo Villas is our desire to satisfy our guest by providing them with unique experiences that are closely linked to our territory: nowadays, experience has become the commercial bench-mark par excellence. The fact that we are able to provide our guests with authentic experiences during their holiday and that they want to share these with their friends and family and thus, with potentially thousands of other users on social media has become an essential source of publicity for us.
This is why one of our main aims is to take care of the kind of experience the guests have whilst staying with us by providing our customers with incredible opportunities to enjoy our land and what it has to offer. One of the greatest pluses is, of course, home cooking which makes it possible to turn the villa into a real restaurant cooking together with the place’s chefs and spending a delightful evening together in which the children can also participate with small cookery courses just for them. This is one of the best ways to experience being a tourist thanks to the Sicilian cuisine with its wonderful variety of food – one of the flagships or our culture.
What is the most special experience you have been able to provide for your customers or what is the most different thing that they have asked from you?
Without any shadow of a doubt, one of the most typical requests is how to arrange to get to see Etna which is, of course, one of Sicily’s greatest tourist attractions. We are able to organise trips at high altitudes by using the services of professional local guides. As regards the rest, the main requests are for more information regarding some of the beautiful species of flora and fauna that are unique to this island, the best restaurants in which to eat and whatever other evocative experiences we would recommend as a way of getting to know Sicily more intimately.
One of the most extraordinary things I have been asked for was to arrange a tour about the Mafia. Tourists are extremely curious about something that has, unfortunately, become one of Sicily’s trademarks. They want to listen to stories about the Mafia and to visit the places with Mafia connections that may have appeared in films.
Why do tourists choose Massimo Villas?
More and more tourists are searching for a more personal approach. Massimo Villas was created for exactly that purpose. What drives us is not an interest in figures but a genuine interest in people. The things we care about the most are the type of warm welcome and the direct contact which I and my staff are able to offer all our guests. This is probably one of the aspects of our company that definitely makes us different from the rest and makes us more appealing to the eyes of a tourist.
