We recently had the privilege of spending two wonderful weeks at Cliff House. As its name suggests, the house is literally on the edge of a cliff. As such, the views are beyond spectacular. Sunsets over Stromboli and the Aeolian islands never got old. When not at the beach or pool, spending time on the terrace enjoying the view was everyone's favorite activity.
As noted by other guests, the house is not over-the-top, but it has everything (amenities, cooking utensils, dishwasher, laundry, A/C, etc.) one needs. At its heart it is a beach house; it is there to help you relax, which is exactly what it does. Staying at Cliff House helps you reconnect with nature, and the chaos and bustle of the world simply disappears.
The beach below the house is beautiful, and well worth the trek down (and up) the 400+ stairs. Given it's remote location, on most days the beach was deserted. We spent hours snorkeling and exploring the various coves and rock formations in the area. On the rare day we didn't go to the beach, we spent the day floating in the fantastic pool, enjoying its sea views.
Alessandra, our incredibly helpful and accommodating host, provided a very thorough overview of the area in the rental materials. Of her recommendations, we frequented the fish store, butcher (delicious rotisserie chickens), and market. We found that the fish store had the best selection of fresh fish at 7pm. We had a nice dinner at Donna Orsola, got coffees from Shaker Bar, and pizza from La Campagnola just down the street. La Porziuncola, a small market and ceramics store (also just down the street), has wonderful pottery and two delightful owners. Also, having Anna, the warm and lovely housekeeper, come by every few days was such a treat.