Highly recommended.

Guest: ann (Sydney)
Date of Stay: 10/24/11 Review Submitted: 11/13/11

We had a wonderful week in this apartment. It is very comfortable, quiet and spacious. Great local shops (particularly the gelato bar around the corner-try the caramelised fig as it is delicious) and only 10 minutes walk to the main square. Excellent food and wine but you need to book ahead to ensure that you get a table at the more popular restaurants. We visited Modena and Ferrara and also went to a soccer game while we there. All in all a great vacation.

Owner response:Thank you so much. We provide all our guests a very useful listing of restaurants, pubs, ice cream parlours, eateries etc. upon reservation. It includes do's and don'ts, hints, suggestions about how to move around town (buses, parking, show tickets ...), best rental car rates, train schedule, etc., and it is usually highly appreciated as a great way to know what to expect beforehand. All our guests told us it saved them plenty of time and money, so we are happy it worked this time too!

Recommended for:Sightseeing, romantic getaway, tourists without a car, age 55+.

Convenient and attractive

Guest: Spike (Jackson, WY)
Date of Stay: 10/20/11 Review Submitted: 11/13/11

This spacious, nicely furnished apartment is well located in walking distance of all the main attractions of Bologna, including many excellent restaurants and shops. It's an unusual plus to have both a washer and a dryer.

Owner response:Thank you so much. It is true, dryers are rather unusual in Italy - Italians still believe in clothes lines. We decided to provide a dryer just to make our guests feel more at ease with laundry here and this seems to be working.

Recommended for:Sightseeing, tourists without a car, age 55+.

A Great Apartment in Bologna

Guest: Norm (Columbus, Ohio)
Date of Stay: 10/03/11 Review Submitted: 11/02/11

My wife and I stayed at Casa Arienti for eight nights in October 2011. We loved it. The apartment was exactly as described. It was really spacious, very clean, and perfectly equipped for a holiday stay. We were met promptly on time by Ms Frahti, who showed us through the apartment and thoroughly explained everything about it to us. The kitchen was small but fully equipped and worked perfectly for us. We had breakfast in the apartment every day and, after lunch out as a break in our sightseeing, it was great to have dinner in the apartment with things we picked up at the many fantastically varied food shops found all over Bologna. The bedroom was very large and very comfortable. The living room was perfect and a great place to unwind after a full and exciting day. Having a washer and dryer available was a great plus too. The location was perfect. We really could walk to Piazza Maggiore within ten minutes, and from there easily to everything we wanted to see. There were lots of neighborhood shops, groceries, patisseries, etc (and a really great gelateria) within a block or two where we could find everything we needed every day. We absolutely loved Bologna and we absolutely loved staying at Casa Arienti. I would recommend it most highly and without any reservation whatsoever to anyone visiting Bologna. Stay here. You will love it too.

Owner response:Thanks so much, Norman! You were the perfect guests and truly hope you come back soon. Ciao!

Recommended for:Sightseeing, romantic getaway, tourists without a car, families with young children, adventure seekers, families with teenagers.

Bologna apartment near park - ideal location for real neighborhood feel.

Guest: Joe (Update New York, USA)
Date of Stay: 05/06/11 Review Submitted: 06/06/11

My wife and I stayed here for a week in early May. The apartment was beautiful, tasteful, functional. Love the little porch and sounds of the neighbors. We found a few different cafes to sit outside nearby and have our negroni. La Botega is right there and I strongly recommend going there. The owner(s) are beautiful and they have food to match. Also enjoyed the bohemian Mike & Miks... and several neighborhood restaurants on the off roads. Oh, and the mother's day vendors in the park were over the top - così bella! In short, we loved the neighborhood. Its an easy city bus ride (1.2 euro) from the train station (the red bus). I hope we can come back to Italy. If we do, it'll be bologna. And if its bologna and we can have this very same apartment, I will have returned to heaven.

Owner response:Thank you so much! Joe and his family were extraordinary guests and we loved having them over. Now our neighborhood is getting more and more beautiful, new restaurants and cafes are going to open and we are waiting for the festivals to start - free music, theater, more. Soon we will have a new studio apartment in addition to Casa Arienti, right next door and available for our dear guests. We look forrward to having you over!

Recommended for:Sightseeing, romantic getaway, tourists without a car, families with young children, adventure seekers, age 55+.

Wonderful base in Bologna

Guest: K (London)
Date of Stay: 05/16/11 Review Submitted: 05/27/11

We spent a relaxed week in this lovely apartment in Bologna. It was a short cab ride from the airport (17 euros approx) and only a 10-15 min stroll from the city centre. The area is safe and quiet and the apartment was clean, cool and airy. The kitchen is fully equipped if you want to do a little cooking and we loved the little balcony and the proximity (5 mins) to the Giardini Margherita. The place was perfect as a base in Bologna, as well as for day trips to places like Florence, Venice and Lucca. Communication with the (helpful and friendly) owner was problem-free. Highly recommended.

Owner response:Thank you so much! I remind our (prospective) guests that actually we are located in the very heart of the historical center. With "the city center" our friend K. means Piazza Maggiore, indeed 10 minutes walk from us.

Recommended for:Sightseeing, romantic getaway, tourists without a car.

An Amazing Place

Guest: foodie (Sonoma CA 95476)
Date of Stay: 05/12/11 Review Submitted: 05/25/11

This was a wonderful find---the place is delightful in a wonderful neighborhood---close to Gelato--a salumiere---it is immaculate and the kitchen is well appointed---the people who run it are so helpful---we will definitely stay again

Owner response:The helpful people look forward to it, Foodie - as soon as you can. Thanks!

Recommended for:Sightseeing, tourists without a car, age 55+.

The perfect retreat in Bologna

Guest: Sue (Santa Rosa, CA)
Date of Stay: 03/25/11 Review Submitted: 04/14/11

I found this apartment in Bologna to be the perfect home base while staying in Bologna for nearly 3 weeks. At first it was frustrating to be a 20 minute walk to the city center, but then it became the perfect getaway from the crowds and noise of the same city center. The apartment was just as pictured, but better! It was spacious, comfortable and for the most part, very quiet. Earlier reviews talk about the tenant above coming in at 3am, which did happen on occasion. But I am a light sleeper, and did not find it offensive. The second week there, some young men nearby played loud music and sang (hey - it's Italy!), and discussing this with the owner, it seemed to be an unusual occurance. Otherwise, blissfully quite and relaxing. The kitchen was well-equipped,. and there were small plastic containers to use for carrying cheese, snacks, etc. Please note there is not a lift, and there are some steep stairs to the first level I found that correspondence with the owner to be timely and helpful in the reservation process.. Lucia met me as planned at the apartment to get me 'oriented' to the apartment, trash disposal, getting around Bologna, etc. As others have noted, there were maps, bus schedules, guide books to use. Very helpful. It was set up with Wi-Fi, but I do not own a laptop or phone with internet capabilities. For those in a similar situation, I was able to get a list of Internet Points in Bologna from the Tourist Information office off the Piazza Maggiore. The easiest, cleanest and best run Internet point was Itehad Good Luck snc, located on Via Alfred Testoni 8, just off via Ugo Bassi. From the apartment, take the #30 bus from the XII Giuno bus stop, get off at the Piazza Malpighi stop, walk straight ahead to via Ugo Bassi and go right, and it is the first street on the right. Also, the #30 is the bus to take to the train station, taking about 20 minutes. For the best gelato, go to la Sorbetteria on via Castiglione (left out the door of the apartment, left on via Castiglione, on the right about a block down). Nearly next door is a great trattoria, O Sole Mio. Taking a right on via Castiglione, there is a great rosticerria to get roast chicken and take out, and a small market to pick up basic supplies when you have just arrived. All in all, this was a great apartment and experience. I am a single female traveling alone on this trip, and felt very safe in this apartment and neighborhood. Do not hesitate to rent this apartment

Recommended for:Sightseeing, romantic getaway, tourists without a car, families with young children, girls getaway, families with teenagers, age 55+.

G&S Vinland, KS USA

Guest: G&S (Vinland, KS)
Date of Stay: 10/15/10 Review Submitted: 11/15/10

This very clean and spacious apartment was exactly what we hoped it would be. The building was quiet and the apartment comfortable. When we travel, we like to be out and about all day then come back and prepare a simple evening meal at home. The apartment kitchen was well beyond adequate for our needs. There is a wonderful, large street market just a few blocks away, so we could experiment with many of the terrific fresh foods Italians are so lucky to have. We have stayed in quite a few VRBO's and every so often we find a gem like this place.

Recommended for:

Our Stay at Casa Arienti

Guest: Bill (Palo Alto, California USA)
Date of Stay: 10/29/10 Review Submitted: 11/08/10

My wife and I stayed four nights at Casa Arienti and found it an excellent "base" for exploring Bologna. Upon arrival, Lucia was extremely helpful, explaining everything and even accompanying us to the Hertz Auto Rental office located near the train station so that we could drop off our car (you don't want to have a car in Bologna). Casa Arienti is located in an interesting old neighborhood with lots of charm and the best gelateria in Bologna is close by. We walked all over the city from our apartment at Casa Arienti and found that it took us ten minutes or so to get "downtown". We like to walk, because we get to see so much more than when we drive - it is a great location. The apartment itself is just as you see it in the photographs - comfortable and quiet. The wi-fi is GREAT! We enthusiastically recommend you stay at Casa Arienti if your travels take you to Bologna.

Recommended for:Sightseeing, tourists without a car, age 55+.

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 05/19/10 Review Submitted: 05/19/10

We had a wonderful stay in this spacious, clean and excellently located apartment. It was great living like a true Bolognese!

Recommended for: