Can't wait to go back

Guest: Maria (Manhasset, New York)
Date of Stay: 07/31/10 Review Submitted: 08/17/10

My friends and I rented this villa August 2010 for a week and had a wonderful experience. We were two families a total of 7 and we each had our own room. The villa was immaculate and kept that way the whole week by a kind gentleman named Paolo. All the linens on the bed were made of fine cotton and were cleaned and ironed twice during our stay. Antonello one of the owners was kind enough to e mail me with all the answers to my questions before we arrived. The location of the villa could not have been more perfect, just a five minute drive to Florence and yet it is in the countryside. Because we rented a car we took day trips to Cinque Terra, Siena and Chianti all which were no more than 2 hours away.When we toured through Florence we parked just outside the gate and walked from there. Upon request you can have a delicious meal prepared for you by a cheerful woman named Tamara which we took advantage of the day of our arrival (too jet lagged to go anywhere to eat) and was served to us outside over looking Tuscany. We shopped in the local super market and had breakfast everyday there and once we cooked dinner in the well appointed kitchen. The furniture was new as well as the bathrooms. We have already recommended this villa to a client that is planning a trip in the near future. The web site does not do the villa justice. We hope to go back some day!

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

Fabulous Time!

Guest: D (Washington State)
Date of Stay: 08/07/10 Review Submitted: 08/16/10

Just returned from Italy after spending the last week of our annual fab summer vacation in Florence. This Villa was amazing. I'm very picky when it comes to cleaniness and I have to say it was very clean. The pictures don't do the place justice. The house is very nice. Our family of 7 had plenty of space. The kids loved the pool. The owners were very responsive and the housekeeper was prompt and efficient. After spending 11 days in Rome this place was a respite AND it had a DRYER!!! My only complaint would be the extremely narrow path along the roads leading to the bus stop. I literally took my life into my own hands and ran all of 1/4 mile and admitted defeat. So if running is your thing-bring excercise tapes or settle for walking every step you can. Despite that we walked with 3 kids(ages 10-11) to that bus stop and saved on taxi's. We would definitely stay here again-even longer next time. PS: Bring Deep Woods Off. The misquitoes will eat you alive otherwise.

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

Comfortable, Private Retreat in Florence

Guest: Dean (Annapolis, Maryland, USA)
Date of Stay: 07/25/10 Review Submitted: 08/04/10

You will feel quite at home when you pass through the gated wall at the street and walk down the driveway to this spacious, comfortable multi-level home overlooking the Tuscan countryside. Fully appointed inside and featuring wonderful outdoor living spaces, including an awning-covered terrace dining area and a small swimming pool. We did not have an automobile, instead relying on taxis to ferry us back and forth to Florence. Although the villa is close to the Roman Gate, as indicated in the listing, we didn't try to walk to town because the first half-mile of the walk is along narrow, winding, wall-lined roads without sidewalks. Car rentals are absurdly expensive and parking within the city is very difficult, so taxis worked out well for us, although renting a scooter or two might be another option. On site (in the villa next door) were Antonello and Olivia and several staff members. We arranged for their cook Tamare to prepare dinner for our group one evening. It was delicious and very reasonably priced. Day trip opportunities are plentiful. We took the SITA bus to Siena (less expensive and faster than the train, plus it drops you right near the historic center of Siena) one day, we took the train to Venice another day, and of course we visited the Uffizi and Accademia museums (get your tickets in advance!). Everything was as advertised, and we enjoyed our stay at this comfortable, private retreat in Tuscany.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children.

Guest: Joan Panagos (Fairfield, CT USA)
Date of Stay: 09/07/09 Review Submitted: 09/07/09

My husband and I stayed in this lovely villa the last week of August 2009 with our 3 children (3, 6 and 7), and 4 other adult family members (total 6 adults, 3 children). There was plenty of room in the home, which was beautifully appointed. There is a nice family room for the children to watch TV and a lovely outdoor terrace where we ate breakfast and a few dinners overlooking the Florence countryside. The swimming pool was very nice and VERY little kid friendly (must climb up to get in it and there is a shallow bench that runs the perimeter on the interior. The grounds around the pool are also very nice. The location was spectacular. We drove into Florence almost every day and it was only a 10 minute drive. We had a lot of luck parking on the street in Florence and also drove to the the Tuscan countryside for a wine tour and drove one day to the beach in Forte dei Marmi. The house itself is very clean, the furniture is very nice and comfortable and the bathrooms have all been updated. MBR was very nice with a king bed and en sutie bath with tub and shower stall. 2nd bedroom had a king bed and an adjoining 3rd bedroom with 2 twin beds (ideal for the kids). Both these bedrooms share an ensuite bath. 4th bedroom had a king bed with an ensuite half bath and an adjoining full bath which is shared with the 5th small bedroom which has a twin bed. (Only downside was walking thru the 4th bedroom to get to the 5th small bedroom and the small office, but it was no trouble). This bedroom would also be ideal for parents and children. My 80 year old Mother-in-Law and her 80 year old husband had little trouble navigating the steps (level changes from room to room and bedroom area is a half flight up) inside the home (and he's not so mobile). We paid extra for Mirna to cook breakfast for us all every morning and this is well worth it -- she was lovely, prompt and made us a delicious breakfast. We also hired Mario to cook us a traditional Tuscan dinner for two evenings -- it was FABULOUS and even better than most restaurants we ate. The location of the villa is inside the city of Florence so taking taxis to the City Center is less expensive (11 Euro to 20 Euro depending on time of day and traffic). The house has WiFi, but we decided to just hardwire to the ethernet cable in the little office with a desk. We would strongly recommend this villa to anyone traveling with a family or a small group. The owners live next do

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Guest: Keith15 (-)
Date of Stay: 09/18/08 Review Submitted: 09/18/08

Wonderful- the owners and their help were gracious, the grounds magnificent. We would love to stay again some time.

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