Vacation Rentals by Owner

Great Place at a Great Price

Guest: M P.
Date of Stay: 04/01/12 Review Submitted: 04/19/12

It isn't always easy to find an affordable, comfortable place to stay when traveling with two small children, parents and a grandparent but Gli Archi did the job. The apartment has the essentials and is located a short walk (even for a small child) from the train station and Lucca's walls. We were able to take the train to Florence and Pisa on several occasions as well as enjoy bike rides along Lucca's walls. Lella's wonderful hospitality and dedication to keeping people happy set the tone from the beginning; even though we had a minor problem with the shower head on our first night there, she had someone come over to fix it before the night was through. We truly enjoyed our stay.

Owner response:Thank you so much, dear Miriam !

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

a few short days in lucca

Guest: maria (Tamworth NSW)
Date of Stay: 09/06/11 Review Submitted: 09/12/11

We stayed at this apartment in September. It is outside the wall & is a good 20 minute walk to get inside to the old city where all the action is. Lella was very accommodating at short notice. The accommodation was clean & comfortable. The walk from the station is 15mins, the road is busy when setting out, however with a little exploring we found alternative tracks to returning home from the city and the station. Dinner at Lellas farmhouse was all local cuisine and very enjoyable. Lella was able to help us with answers to lots of local questions, Lucca is a gem of a city, very affordable restaurants & lots of fun things to do.

Owner response:Thank you so much !

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Bello!

Guest: Steve A. (Milton Keynes England)
Date of Stay: 07/30/11 Review Submitted: 08/18/11

For the second year in a row we have found a property on line in a walled city that has given us a fantastic holiday. All the arrangements leading up to the holiday were perfect, Lella combines an Italian laid back casual style with an obvious business like care for her clients which is fantastic. The property itself was more than we expected, the living room is the smallest aspect but 2 large bedrooms a great kitchen/diner and not shown on the website an entrance area which allows for storage of beach stuff. The essentials of the kitchen and washing machine made life easy. As for Lucca, stunning! I cannot also stress enough how much you can do without a car; it is 600metres (650 yards) to the station. Direct trains to Pisa (simple connection to the airport) Florence Viareggio (for the coast, and the stunning valley line North. All visited plus a fantastic 2 hour or so connecting train journey to Modena for the bus to Maranello or should that be Ferrari City!!!! The Urban minibus is just along the road from the property connect at the station to bus 11/12 and go to Nave, walk across the bridge and on the left down an access road is an outdoor swimming pool. Aright a day out for a family of 4 at the pool is 28/30euros the bus fare for all 4 return (using advance purchased carnets) is 7 Euros but on a hot day fantastic. A wonderful holiday (our children are 12 and 9) many thanks to Lella.

Owner response:Dear Steve, thank you so much for your wonderful words ! Looking forward to meeting you and your lovely family again Lella

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

Wonderful Week in a Beautiful Place!

Guest: Hal (Stavanger, Norway)
Date of Stay: 06/11/11 Review Submitted: 07/20/11

Lucca is a wonderful city, with just enough to do but a manageable size. The apartment is perfect for being close to the railway station, the city walls, and everything else you might need. Clean, tidy, well equipped and with a very helpful owner, I would highly recommend it! Best bits of the apartment - comfortable beds and window blinds to keep the heat out. Worst bit - road noise in the morning. We stayed really comfortably in the two large bedrooms with our two children and loved every minute of it!

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

Exciting Lucca stay!

Guest: Paul (St. Paul, MN)
Date of Stay: 05/28/11 Review Submitted: 07/05/11

A lovely apartment with two bedrooms and bath. Adequate kitchen. The distance to the center of Lucca was a real plus and its proximity to the railroad station made it very handy. It was just 8 minutes, but be sure to go out the back side of the station and turn left soon passing a water spigot (not a fountain) where residents filled water jugs for personal use. Close to food markets, bakery, pizza. Very clean. We would recommend the apartment to friends!!!

Recommended for:Age 55+, girls getaway, tourists without a car, sightseeing.

Town House close to Lucca Railway Station

Guest: Jean & Joe (near Edinburgh, Scotland)
Date of Stay: 04/30/11 Review Submitted: 07/03/11

My wife and I spent a very enjoyable two weeks in early May 2011 here. We occupied the lower part of the detached building, the upper part being un-occupied. This gave us a perfect base to walk into the walled part of Lucca and have exclusive use of the garden part of the property. The property is exceptionally clean with much traditional charm. It is not for those seeking state of the art fitted kitchens and properties with the 'wow factor'. It may well be that the charm comes from the fact that you will not be subjected to such people. The owner was gracious and easy to contact. She appreciated the importance of personal space and, after a visit at the start of the fortnight, gave us complete autonomy. The property is within 10 minutes walk from Lucca Railway Station and the road is completely flat. it is busy with cars but not dangerous when common sense procedures are employed. Although I would recommend this property, and use it again, I would have reservations for families with young chjidren. As a base to explore Lucca and use the train to visit Florence, Sienna, Pisa, Barga and many other exceptionally attractive destinations, this property is ideal and within a reasonable price range. Lucca is full of old world charm and this property is an ideal companion.

Owner response:thank you ! Lella

Recommended for:People with disabilities, age 55+, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Loved our stay in Lucca

Guest: Larry M. (Montrose, Colorado, USA)
Date of Stay: 10/06/10 Review Submitted: 12/02/11

We had a relaxing week's stay in Lucca this past October at the ‘Gli Archi’ apartment. We enjoyed the short walk along the aqueduct to the train station or to the wall and Lucca. Although we had a car, the train was very convenient to visit both Florence and the Cinque Terre. The apartment was a great place to come back to after a tiring day of sightseeing in the Tuscan countryside. We appreciated having the washing machine and parking space. The grocery store and pizzeria near the apartment were very convenient. The butcher, just a few steps away, has meats, great sausage, and good wine. We were never disappointed by his recommendations. The ‘Gli Archi’ apartment is just as it appears in the pictures. It is spacious and would be comfortable for a family or for two couples. Lella is very nice and accommodating. If we come back to Lucca we would definitely stay in this apartment and highly recommend it to others.

Owner response:Thank you, I'm waiting for you next time you are coming to Lucca ! Lella

Recommended for:People with disabilities, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Loved the apartment

Guest: Elizaabeth (Maurice, LA USA)
Date of Stay: 10/04/10 Review Submitted: 10/29/10

This was our second visit to this apartment. Apartment was clean and very comfortable. Easy acess to train station. Great place to relax after visiting Florence. I would recommend this property to friends and family. Owner was more than helpful and friendly. Loved it and would stay again if visiting Lucca.

Owner response:It was so nice to see you again, I'm looking forward to your third vist ! Lella

Recommended for:Girls getaway, tourists without a car.

Gli archi

Guest: smudgersmith (England)
Date of Stay: 04/25/10 Review Submitted: 05/17/10

The description of the property was good-the outside eating area was larger than expected.The photos were good.The property was in good order.The owner was extremely helpful.I would certainly recommend the property. We found the convenience to Lucca itself and the station for the trains to Florence and Pisa was just what we were looking for. Lucca itself is not to be missed. We ate in while were there buying produce in the local shops pointed out to us by the owner.

Owner response:thank you for your review

Recommended for:Age 55+, tourists without a car, sightseeing.

Fantastic Apartment in Lucca

Guest: Andy B. (Leeds, UK)
Date of Stay: 04/03/10 Review Submitted: 06/20/10

We spent a week with our 3 children aged 6 to 13 in this fantastic apartment a close walk to the centre of Lucca. This really is a very convenient location for enjoying Lucca and the surrounding area. You don't have to have a car as the train station is only 5 minutes walk but we found it easier with a car. The apartment is very comfortable and we had a very warm welcome from the owner Lella. We had everything we needed, with plenty of space outside for the kids to run around. There is a really good supermarket close by and a small corner shop, cake shop and pizza takeaway on the doorstep. We can't recommend this apartment and the owner highly enough. Lucca is also a superb place to visit, really enjoyable and plenty to keep you occupied. You are also in easy distance if Florence, Pisa and many other Tuscan attractions. It is also easy to fly to via Pisa.

Owner response:thank you for your kind words

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, families with young children, tourists without a car, sightseeing.

Guest: Roberto1 (Victoria, Canada)
Date of Stay: 11/10/09 Review Submitted: 11/10/09

Good location close to walled city, shopping, and has parking. Apartment is well equipped, even has dishwasher.

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Guest: nicknamedddddddd (Glasgow)
Date of Stay: 07/28/09 Review Submitted: 07/28/09

My wife and I plus our 3 young kids had a wonderful stay at Gli Archi in Lucca. The apartment was well equiped, bedrooms comfortable - main bedroom has an extra single bed which was great for our young daughter, kitchen great etc. Short walk to station and with a car short drive to the autostrada for venturing further. Lucca itself is also a gem of a place and a must for Tuscany - the walls unique and great to hire a bike and ride safely on the walls.

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Guest: Marcia B. (Greenfield, MA)
Date of Stay: 11/10/08 Review Submitted: 11/10/08

Gli Archi was a wonderful little apartment located just a 10 minute easy walk to the walls of central Lucca. The two bedrooms were perfect for us and the kitchen included a washing machine. We enjoyed hanging our clothes out to dry in the backyard. After a day of walking in the city we would return to the apartment for a late afternoon rest before going out for dinner. We enjoyed breakfast in the kitchen and made snacks to take when we traveled by train to other Tuscany towns. There is a little grocery store a block away as well as a bakery that sold bread and pizza. Donatella was a great host and we would recommend Gli Archi for 2-4 people who are looking for a comfortable simple home away from home.

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Guest: Marilee (Minneapolis, MN, USA)
Date of Stay: 09/24/08 Review Submitted: 09/24/08

Our family had a fabulous visit to Lucca and TuscanyThe "Gli Archi" was a perfect place for our needs. It was clean and spacious. It was also centrally located for our journeys to Lucca, the Cinque Terre, and Florence. We enjoyed the biking, shopping, and restaurants in Lucca, the spectacular scenery, hiking, and swimming in the Cinque Terre, and the art and achitecture in Florence. The apartment was a restful and comfortable place to return after our busy days. Lella was a gracious and helpful host. I accidentally left two jackets in the apartment after our stay, and she mailed them back to me at my home! We have wonderful memories of our stay at the "Gli Archi".

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Guest: P,M,N,F,S,&G. (Nottingham)
Date of Stay: 09/23/08 Review Submitted: 09/22/08

We had a great time in Lucca and enjoyed every minute of our stay. We found 'Gli Archi' ideal for our needs. It was clean and comfortable and close to the City walls and local amenities. Lucca is a wonderful place with its ancient buildings, its fantastic art and beautiful views. We really enjoyed cycling around the wall and exploring all the little streets and markets, and we loved the music: there seemed to be free open-air music somewhere in the city most nights. We will definitely go again.

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 08/23/08 Review Submitted: 08/23/08

Gli Archi was a great home away from home. We were there summer 2008. Only a short walk and you are inside the ancient walls of Lucca! The apartment is tastefully decorated,well equipped, sunny, quiet and safe. Lella was friendly and helpful. Importantly, the apartment was clean. Our family had a great time riding bikes and walking around the ramparts and exploring the city. Also, Lucca is only a 20 minute drive to Pisa. If you get to Pisa before 8am ,even in the high season, you will enjoy the Field of Miracles in peace as the sun rises. We were even the first family up the leaning tower! We left as the tourist poured in to Pisa. Take the family to Lucca. We have have memories to last a lifetime! Thanks again Lella! Chow!

Owner response:Thank you so much for your kind words. It's really nice when someone can appreciate your work. My best wishes to you and your nice little boy Lella

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