Il Berneto

Guest: Ruth (North Yorkshire)
Date of Stay: 07/23/11 Review Submitted: 08/12/11

We want a house that is quiet and secluded, where we can relax and not have to drive everywhere. But our teenagers want activities on the doorstep. Il Berneto gave us both. We had tennis, cafe, restaurants and ice cream bar, as well as a beautiful old medieval hill town just ten minutes' walk down the lane. The house is traditional Tuscan farmhouse style, set in a stunning landscape with lots of space, including a volleyball field and table tennis, BBQ and pizza oven in the outbuildings, which also house bikes for holidaymakers' use. The pool, wth diving board and lots of comfortable loungers, gazebo and lots of shaded areas around, was fantastic. Thanks to the fact that the house is at such a height, there was an occasional, and very welcome, gentle breeze. We could never tire of the view here, looking out on the beautiful old town and towards the Tuscan hills, it is magnificent. None of the photographs do it justice, but I don't think it is possible to capture the panoramic view with shots from a still camera. Listening to the church bells and the drumming in the village - which was preparing for its annual fesitval - was lovely too. The housekeeper, Anna, ensured everything was spick and span and even kindly repaired a pair of shorts that ripped during an energetic game of tennis. She also made us an absolutely delicious meal. We will always remember her brushetta, it was was so intensely flavoursome, and her tomato and mozzarella lasagne (so light, soft, melt-in-the-mouth) was the best we ever tasted. I have never stayed in a house with such a well stocked kitchen. We enjoyed making meals with all the lovely local produce - not to mention Il Berneto's own olive oil and the delicious lettuce and tomatoes from the garden, which, like the pool, was carefully tended by Anna's husband Angelino. We went out occasionally to the local Bar Seven, where the pastries and coffee are very good - not to mention the people watching! Everyone is very friendly and welcoming. We also loved the pizzas at the restaurant opposite, and the ice creams from the other cafe bar. It was so handy having the little shop at the end of the drive to stock up on provisions. We also visited a number of the surrounding hill towns and villages, all very interesting and attractive. The house is perfectly situated for touring. The older children took trains to Rome and Florence for day trips - which meant we didn't have to drive! Thanks to the Silvanos, Anna and Angelino...

Recommended for:Sightseeing, families with young children, families with teenagers.

One of the best trips ever

Guest: Carol (Los Angeles)
Date of Stay: 05/16/11 Review Submitted: 06/27/11

If you want to revel in beauty as you look out each and every window...this country house if for you. Olive groves, vineyards, medieval castle all within view. Walking distance to markets. Lovely pool and lots of space. I held a yoga retreat there for 20 people and everyone said it was one of the best experiences of their lives. I plan on doing it again. The beauty of stayig here is that you can take day trips to Florence, Orvieto, Perugia, Sienna, Montepulciano or just hike close by. Cook in the villa's kitchen or eat out. Perfect for family reunions. Highly recommend!

Recommended for:Sightseeing, romantic getaway, girls getaway, adventure seekers, families with teenagers, age 55+.

Guest: Mr Simon (-)
Date of Stay: 08/21/10 Review Submitted: 10/15/10

"We have rented quite a few houses in Europe over the years and we could not have been more pleased with il Berneto, its position, and the facilities that were provided. Everything was beautifully presented, clean and comfortable. The house provided flexible accommodation, with a good mix of bedrooms and seemingly endless bathrooms! The reception rooms were well furnished and easily accommodated our party with three dinning and sitting areas.The pool area is great with a large pool equipped with plenty of games and comfortable sun loungers. We enjoyed fantastic weather which meant that we did not need to use the satellite TV's or the Internet, which were both available. 2 mobile telephones were thoughtfully provided for our use. The real magic of the property lies in its position with commanding views across the Umbrian countryside (one can see 20 to 30km) and its close proximity to the hill top town of Monteleone di Orvieto. It is a short five minute walk into this unspoiled medieval walled town, and we felt very privileged to spend a week amongst such gracious and welcoming people. The town provided everything one needed from restaurants to an excellent supermarket, and even our almost total failure with the Italian language did not deter the locals from making us feel very welcome. It is very unusual to come across a family that feels so passionate about its property and also wishes to ensure that those families lucky enough to rent their home have a truly stress free experience. We have no hesitation in re booking for next year; the first time we will ever have returned to the same property."

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Paradise Found

Guest: LF (Seattle)
Date of Stay: 06/12/10 Review Submitted: 07/12/10

Paradise found, that is how I would describe Il Berneto. Our extended family of 15 spent a wonderful week at Il Berneto in June, 2010. The villa was fully equipped, providing all the amenities one would need, and exceeded our expectations in so many ways. It is very private yet close enough to a small town that you can easily walk to a local restaurant or grocery store. The villa provided plenty of space for all and we never felt crowded or confined, even when the weather didn’t cooperate and we spent most of the day inside. Our original intent was to occupy our days by taking various day trips to outlying towns, but we found that once we arrived we didn’t want to leave. We spent our days swimming, visiting town and the local merchants, going for walks, and playing volleyball. A highlight of each day was sitting down to a meal we all helped prepare using fresh local ingredients, some even from the villa garden. We especially enjoyed (as did the kids) making pizza in the stone oven, which took much longer to prepare than eat! Martina was genuinely welcoming, treated us like family, and made us feel right at home. Her hospitality was beyond compare. The caretakers were friendly and readily available to assist with any requests for help but never disturbing. The meals cooked by Anna were delicious and we felt like royalty on the nights we indulged and had her prepare and serve our dinner. I wish I could post pictures of the mozzarella served on our first night, as it was worthy of a gourmet magazine cover! I still laugh when I think of our response as it was served. I honestly would not change a thing at Il Berneto other than to shorten the distance between Seattle and Monteleone d Orvieto so that we could visit more often! Thank you Martina for sharing your wonderful family villa!

Recommended for:Sightseeing, families with young children, families with teenagers.

Guest: Carla Gheyle (Vancouver BC Canada)
Date of Stay: 07/22/09 Review Submitted: 07/22/09

Our family of 17 stayed at Il Berneto and had an absolutely marvelous time. The villa is so well equipped to accommodate large groups having all the kitchen amenities you could ever want. The children had room to run and play, swim and ride bicycles. When we weren't touring the countryside, we often walked to the village for ice cream and aperitifs. The setting was rich with Italian countryside charm and ambience and the views (particularly sunsets) were spectacular. As hosts, Martina and Marco are graciously warm, considerate and generous in their efforts to accomodate and make you feel welcome and at ease. We leave with fond memories and will recommend Il Berneto to all of our friends and family should they consider Umbria for a vacation.

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 07/14/09 Review Submitted: 07/14/09

If you are looking for a comfortable, classy, peaceful and authentically Italian vacation rental, Il Berneto is the place for you. The historical farm house has been renovated with style. It is charming, clean and extremely well equipped. The pool, vegetable garden and property are manicured and maintained to the highest standards. The location and town of Monteleone d' Orvieto is pastoral, calming and safe. Spend you days resting by the pool with a view of the Umbrian countryside or visiting the nearby hilltop towns and other historical sites.

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 07/07/09 Review Submitted: 07/07/09

Convenient location and excellent accommodations. It was so relaxing and enjoyable to come home after a day of touring and enjoy the pool followed by a lovely dinner while watching the sunset. There were 12 of us and the villa was very comfortable for this many people. Thank you for your wonderful hospitality and thoughtfulness in assuring that the villa was well equipped. We loved the salads from the garden, marmalades, cherries and olive oil from the orchards. Even the gardener shared his home-made wine with us. We had beautiful family vacation at Il Berneto. I highly recommend this villa.

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