Vacation Rentals by Owner

Wonderful Villa Amalia

Guest: Mary B. (Lakewood Village, TX - USA)
Date of Stay: 10/08/11 Review Submitted: 10/23/11

Ah! The Villa Amalia. What a wonderful place to call “home” on our visit to the Amalfi Coast! The villa is large and spacious offering unique spaces to allow for large groups to spread out in comfort. In every way, the villa lived up to our expectations. What you see on the internet is what you will find upon your arrival. I also cannot say enough about Antonio, our gracious host. We were there as part of an ancestral journey and Antonio’s effort to assist us was incredible. Without asking, he went far beyond what one would expect with the result that we were successful in our quest. We can never thank him enough. If you are planning a trip to the Amalfi Coast, I strongly recommend the Villa Amalia! Mary Begis, Lakewood Village, TX., USA

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Fred

Guest: Fred (U.S.)
Date of Stay: 09/03/11 Review Submitted: 10/26/11

My wife and two other couples stayed at the villa for two weeks in Sept. '11 and had a wonderful vacation. The location is fantastic for all the areas we wished to cover. The villa is spacious, clean and airy. The beds were firm and comfortable. The owner is a gracious host who wants his guests to be relaxed and happy. There were a couple of hiccups in the kitchen but he was immediately on the problem and worked to resolve the situation. He is fluent in French, as well as Italian, which helped greatly. The villa can easily accomodate four couples, each with a private bath and a 1/2 bath on the main floor. A very memorable vacation.

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

Family of 12 from the UK

Guest: Rosemary W. (Gloucestershire, UK)
Date of Stay: 07/30/11 Review Submitted: 08/12/11

WOW! was our first impression and it only got better after that! Antonio is the most magnificent and generous host, readily available but not at all intrusive. Nothing was too much trouble and he frequently did us kindnesses without being asked. The villa is sumptuous and extremely roomy, 14 of us at one point and we had plenty of personal space. Local area outstandingly lovely, Capri, Amalfi, Positano, Sorrento etc easily accessible along beautiful, windy coastal roads with magnificent views. Very large pool in beautiful garden, which we thoroughly enjoyed. Everything you would expect from a first class, authentic Italian experience. We highly recommend this villa and its host.

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

Beautiful location in quaint, non-touristy town

Guest: Terry B. (Fairfax Station,VA, USA)
Date of Stay: 05/22/11 Review Submitted: 06/20/11

We stayed here May 22-28, 2011 with 10 family members, ages 19-89. The villa is beautiful, as depicted by the website photos. The owner, Antonio, is gracious and accommodating, yet not intrusive (he lives next door). His helper, Paul, is WONDERFUL! Even as we arrived on a Sunday afternoon, Paul was there, always with a smile! and invaluable as he escorted my husband into town to find an open Pharmacia where my Mother-in-law could get her medications (which she forgot at home!) The bus stop to town is right outside the villa gate, and while you can walk into town, the walk back is more strenuous-uphill! (The younger ones in our group didn't mind at all) We used this location as a home base for touring the Amalfi coast, from Salerno up to Sorento, Pompeii and Vesuvius. The villa is ideal for relaxation and much more convenient than if we had stayed in individual hotel rooms for the week. The living area, kitchen, patios and pool area were very large and comfortable. The bedrooms and private baths were well appointed and comfortable. The downstairs levels of the villa had a game room and our young adults could play pool and pin ball all night without disturbing anyone else.The people of Cava were very nice and tried to communicate and help us wherever we went. It was wonderful experiencing the villa and town as the locals do. It was always nice to come "home" to Villa Amalia. The welcome basket Antonio provided on arrival (fresh meats, cheeses, fruit, and of course, wine!) was wonderful; he even included some sfogliatelle, knowing it is my mother-in-law's favorite! (a very special personal touch) The rooms were spacious and comfortable, the setting tranquil and beautiful, and Paul was outstanding as a friend and guide whenever we had a question. Antonio speaks Italian and French, Paul speaks Italian, English, and Ghanaian, and translations were always timely and very helpful. We were given a cell phone to use to call Antonio or Paul while we were out and about, in case we had any trouble. Our only suggestion, as it would be helpful for guests when they first arrive, would be for the villa to have some bus passes to sell guests as you can't get on the bus to go to town without a pass. We had some of the kids walk to town and back to buy passes for the group. Overall, we could not have asked for a better location or accommodations. We would very highly recommend Antonio and Paul and the gorgeous Villa Amalia!

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, tourists without a car, romantic getaway.

villa amalia

Guest: Efrat (Israel)
Date of Stay: 09/20/10 Review Submitted: 09/26/10

Spacious, fully equipped (a dryer could be handy), great pool and play room, and extremely dedicated owner. A great location for visits to the Amalfi coast, Pompeii, Naples and the Campania region. Thanks for the groceries waiting for us, and the farewell Napolitan dinner!

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, sightseeing.

Lovely, historic home near an enchanting city

Guest: Sue (St. Charles, Illinois U.S.A.)
Date of Stay: 09/03/10 Review Submitted: 09/27/10

We stayed at Villa Amalia with 3 other couples. We chose it because we wanted to experience living in a real Italian neighborhood near a non-touristy city. Cava truly fits the bill. It is an extremely charming Italian city with very few tourists so the restaurants, shops, etc. are really catering to native Italians. We just loved going into town each evening to watch the throngs of people arrive. It was festival time and everyone was in town celebrating. So charming! The villa was beautiful and historic and had everything we needed. We didn't have a car so we availed ourselves of the public bus which stopped right outside the door. It took us into town where there was a train station which was a great connecting point. Antonio (the villa owner) and Luciano, his helper and chef were very accommodating. We had a bit of a problem with communication, but I understand their English speaking person had to be out of town during our stay. But we made it work. Villa Amalia is a very relaxing, lovely home. We had a wonderful time.

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

Villa Amalia Stay from July 17-31 2010

Guest: Tom (Marlborough, CT USA)
Date of Stay: 07/17/10 Review Submitted: 08/06/10

There were ten of us who had the pleasure of staying at Villa Amalia in late July. The accomodations were exceptional with the ten of us having plenty of room and more than adequate sleeping accomodations. The first week was exceptionally hot making the individualized air conditioning units in each bedroom a necessity and a welcomed feature. The several balconies of the villa allowed for exceptional views of Cava, various small villages in the surrounding area and a great view of the sea. During the period of our stay, their were many church festival with evening fireworks displays which were great to view from the villa. The villa location is exceptional. It is a 15-20 minute walk to the large market town of Cava de Tirreni and 3-5 minutes to Cava by bus or car. Within 10 minutes by car you access the winding coastal road of the Amalfi Coast and the towns of Vietre, Amalfi, Ravello, Sorrento, Positano and many more, all reachable in 30 minutes to 1 hour. The Villa owners, the Lambiase's were very accomodating. After a long flight and arriving the villa the first day, the owners provided us with fruit, wine, great bread and meats so we were not faced with immediately going to the Grocery Store. Upon leaving, a fabulous dish of pasta, sausages and a great insalata were provided on our last evening which was also a great convenience. The Villa caretaker, "Christian" was a great help. He has a pleasant manner and is always available but is unobtrusive to guests as he conducts his daily tasks. The Villa is impeccably maintained. We would strongly recommend Villa Amalia as it truly is as great a location and accomodation as it looks in the Villa Rental web-sites. Thank you. Tom C. Marlborough CT. USA

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

A Bit of Paradise

Guest: Virginia (Philadelphia, PA)
Date of Stay: 05/29/10 Review Submitted: 06/17/10

We have just spent a beautiful week at Villa Amalia with 11 family members. To reach the property, we drove up from Cava de’ Tirreni via a single lane road between high walls. When the tall gate opened, we parked all four cars inside easily and found ourselves in the midst of lush green foliage and flowers with a pretty, inviting, blue pool. We often began and ended our days in the garden, some paddling for refreshment while others sat sedately soaking in the beauty. Beyond the garden was the spacious villa, appointed with antiques, paintings, and sculptures. In addition to the four bedrooms upstairs, two rooms downstairs were equipped with comfortable sofa beds, each room with its own bath. The welcoming host, Antonio, was happy to give directions and provide personal touches to make our anniversary and birthdays special. His friendly caretaker, Christiano, speaks several languages, so communication was never an issue. We availed ourselves of the services of the chef, Luciano, whose award-winning flambé cuisine is a treat for all the senses. (If you’re not a fan of seafood or food cooked in liqueur, then tell the host in advance, because these are the specialties of the house.) We enjoyed three unforgettable gourmet feasts. A word of caution: Pace yourself if you wish to try every specialty! Try to persuade Luciano that one pasta course is enough! Beyond his culinary gifts, Luciano is a kind soul. He helped with some mundane problems: what to do when clothes wet from the rain needed to be packed up the next day? Presto! … We especially enjoyed the tour of his church, St. Francis and St. Andrew, with its vast nativity scene. All three gentlemen were infinitely patient with our Italian, pretending we had rare linguistic ability. They did their best to anticipate our every need, while remaining unintrusive. Though we chose the villa for its convenience, we found that from the house, with its gorgeous views, one would never guess there was a city so close, or that one could hop on the highway to Naples or Pompeii so quickly. On back roads, we drove down to Vietri sul Mare in minutes to enjoy its beach and ceramics. Continuing on the coastal road, my husband navigated torturous curves while the rest of us we took in the panorama of the Bay of Naples en route to the famous spots of Sorrento, Ravello, Positano, and Amalfi. Between the beauty of Campagnia and the ambience of Villa Amalia, we thoroughly enjoyed our holiday!

Recommended for:Sightseeing

Villa Amalia

Guest: Peppina 1 (Jupiter, FL USA)
Date of Stay: 05/08/10 Review Submitted: 05/20/10

My recent visit to Villa Amalia is one in which I will be talking about for a long time. The place is beautiful beyond words. The owners, Antonio and Amalia, are very gracious hosts and greeted us warmly upon our arrival. Christian, the groundskeeper and caretaker, was indispensible and saw to our every need for whatever we asked. It's nice to know that they were available to us 24/7 but never interferred with our vacation. The pictures are true to the beauty of the place. The inside of the villa is just as you see in the pictures. The villa is centrally located in Cava dei Tirreni and one can either take a bus just outside the gate of the villa, or walk 15 minutes to the center of the piazza. There you will find many beautiful shops, grocery stores, and places to just sit and people watch with a cup of espresso or gelato ice cream. Villa Amalia has close access to the ferry which will take you to other nearby towns such as Sorrento, Positano, Ravello, etc. One can also get there by car. Pompei is only a 25 minute car ride away and full of so much history that one would not want to miss. The views from the villa top are breathtaking and unforgettable. It was difficult to leave after having such a wonderful week. It is our hope to return to Villa Amalia in the future. We would definitely recommend this place to our friends who would be thinking of traveling to the Amalfi Coast.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, people with disabilities, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, pet owners, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

How wonderful

Guest: the four travelling ladies (Tequesta, FL)
Date of Stay: 05/08/10 Review Submitted: 05/19/10

to spend a week in the Amalfi Coast. The Villa was so much more than my expectations. It was palatial and at the same time you felt comfortable in it. The hosts, Antonio and Amalia, are very special people. Antonio was most helpful in getting us places to see all the sights. Amalia was so generous in her cooking skills. Wonderful people!! Christian Friday, the fulltime caretake was a dream come true. He did anything you asked him today and sometimes he did things that you didn't ask him to do. He was indispensible. I would heartily recommend visiting this wonderful home. Words could not really explain how special this place you, you really have to experience for yourself.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Guest: Ella H. (Captiva Island, Florida USA)
Date of Stay: 10/04/09 Review Submitted: 10/03/09

Villa Amalia is even more beautiful than it's photos. This area of italy has to be the most beautiful with it's mountains and the sea and all the homes tucked away inside.The view from Villa Amalia is spectacular with it's terraces off all the bedrooms. Amalia, the owner and her husband are vey hospitable and can't do enough for you. Friday, a young man from Afica who takes care of the property is an angel anything you need he is there for you. This is a place you will want to return to. Ella Hall september 2009

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Guest: Rachel Millardet
Date of Stay: 09/01/09 Review Submitted: 08/31/09

"We would definitely recommend this property , very nice and very relaxing . We spent a week in August with 3 families and we all appreciated our stay . We had some very nice experiences (and all was very easy to do from the Villa):rent a boat to discover the marvellous Amalfitan coast and Capri (one day/ each visit), go to Pompei , go for shopping in Cava, have dinners in some goods restaurants in Vietri and Cava with pizza ,pastas and fish not expensive at all !Also we can talk about the hospital accomodation which was very good (one of our child had problem with his ears and we went to the hospital which is not far away from the Villa). Special thanks to Antonio and Carlo for the welcome and also to Christian who was very helpful during all the week ,working hard to make our stay very pleasant. Rachel Rennes 35- France" Kind regards Rachel

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Guest: Barbara P (Trumbull, CT USA)
Date of Stay: 08/20/09 Review Submitted: 08/20/09

My family enjoyed our stay at Villa Amalia. The grandchildren absolutely loved the pool and the game room. Christian, our contact there, was absolutely wonderful and couldn't have been more helpful with any questions or advice we needed.

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Guest: Donadeo Franca (Belgium)
Date of Stay: 08/04/09 Review Submitted: 08/04/09

Siamo stati bene anzi benisimo;il sign.Antonio e molto gentile e non ci fatto mancare nienti;per la villa Amalia e stupenda e un vero splendore ci siamo tutti inamorati noi e stiamo pensando di riprenderla di sicuro l'anno prossimo;e faremo di sicuro tanta puplicita a i nostri amici;grazie ancora tanto da tutti noi;e sperando al piu presto. Franca e com.

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Guest: itay09 (Valencia, CA USA)
Date of Stay: 08/03/09 Review Submitted: 08/03/09

"The view is what Villa Amalia is all about. Breathtaking!! The location is excellent for short trips to almost anywhere. Pompeii is only 20 minutes. Amalfi, Positano and Capri are all accessible by ferry which runs frequently during the day until around 6:00 in the evening. The port is close to the Villa, about a 10-15 minute drive. Cava dei Tirreni town center is a beautiful place to visit. You can walk to the center from the Villa. It's about a 15 minute walk. The walkway is very very steep though. Going into town is okay but we got a ride back because the heat and climbing the hill wasn't a good combination. If you want a great workout while on vacation go for it! It's a small pedestrian only road a little ways down the hill past the 2nd light on the left side of the road walking away from the Villa. The pool is very refreshing! They treat the water with organic compounds so the water doesn't have the same "clarity" you would see with chlorine treatments. However, we liked it because it was fresh and natural without the harshness of chemicals . It was very hot during our July stay and coming home to a pool after baking in the sun was a highlight. The owner also installed air conditioners in each of the bedrooms. They worked excellent! You pay for that at the end of the stay but for 7 people running 4 air conditioners every night for 5-6 hours (and all the other electrical) was only 95,00 euro for 7 nights. Not bad at all! Christian was the very kind and attentive man that took care of us. He was careful not to be intrusive. If we needed anything he was a phone call away. He maintains the property inside and out. The pool and grounds always looked immaculate. The garbage always picked up everything swept everyday. Christian is a hard worker. The one thing we thought was missing was a little more history about the Villa. Perhaps a book or scrapbook about the Villa's different stages. It was built in the 17th century, I think. But to know what was the original Villa and then the timeline of the additions would be very interesting. We talked to Carlo (owner) about it and he said there is something in the works. We would definitely recommend this property. It is Italy, the real deal without all the tourist fluff . This is not touristy area, not like the areas surrounding it, which is why we picked it. Villa Amalia would

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