Lovely villa in perfect location

Guest: dan s.
Date of Stay: 09/03/11 Review Submitted: 09/20/11

My wife and I stayed here for our honeymoon. There were lots of things we wanted from our choice of accommodation and we have to say this delivered on all of them. For when you want to stay in there's a top notch swimming pool, great views, scenic outdoor eating areas, a BBQ, wifi and all the mod-cons. All the fixtures (bathroom, beds, cooker, fridge etc) are modern and high-spec. For when you want to go and explore there's a restaurant within walking distance and a small town a 5 minutes minutes drive away with a few casual eateries and a great shop (with lots of fresh produce and helpful butcher). For exploring in the day there are some of Italy's most lovely towns within easy reach. We went to Castiglione del Lago (15min drive and a very pretty little town), Cortona (30mins and our favourite hill town), Montpulciano (30mins) but there's also Sienna, Todi, Assisi and loads of others not much further afield. If you're into food and drink, there are lots of wine producers in the area including Avignonesi (one of the best in Montepulciano) which is only a 10 minute drive away. We had a tour and a big lunch there which we loved. We also had our favourite meal of the holiday at a restaurant 10 minutes away from the villa; Piccola Trattoria Guastini. We eat out in quite a bit but this place takes some beating. The suckling pig was out of this world. You'll see from trip advisor it's a highly regarded restaurant by lots of others as well. Anyway, I know this all sounds rather gushing but I can't really think of anything that didn't like. We'd really recommend the place.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, tourists without a car, sightseeing.

French Family relaxing on Tuscany/Umbria border

Guest: cramheck (Strasbourg,France)
Date of Stay: 07/23/11 Review Submitted: 08/07/11

We spent a wonderfull week in this magic place. This was perfect for all the family to relax after a year full of activities. Just a week without any stress, relaxing around the swimming pool, no neighbours. The house was quite central for visits to Siena, San Gimignano, Assisse and other tresors of Tuscany and Umbria.

Recommended for:Sightseeing, families with young children.

Charmantes stilvolles Haus

Guest: Franziska und Andreas (Schweiz)
Date of Stay: 06/20/11 Review Submitted: 07/18/11

Wir verbrachten im Juni ein Woche in diesem Bijou. Alle Informationen über das Haus treffen zu. Das Haus liegt etwas abseits und ist über eine 1100 Meter lange unbefestigte Strasse zu erreichen. Das Grundstück ist vollständig eingezäunt. Die Einrichtung des Hauses ist sehr geschmacksvoll und alles war sehr sauber. Man merkt, dass die Eigentümerin ein Kochbuch verfasst hat, die Küche ist umfangreich ausgestattet. Das Haus und der Garten sind gepflegt. Die Wäsche, wenn sie mitgebucht wird grosszügig. Die Betten gut. Es gibt mit Fliegengitter ausgerüstete Fenster, so können diese während der Nacht offen gelassen werden. Der Pool ist ein Traum. Er liegt in einer Panaromalage etwas abseits vom Haus und hat komfortable Liegen. Da die Besitzerfamilie in Irland lebt, hatten wir den Pool für uns alleine. Der Kontakt mit Ken, dem Besitzer war sehr angenehm. Die Abwicklung verlief reibungslos und die Kaution wurde umgehend rückerstattet. Ken hat liebevoll einen Info Ordner mit vielen wertvollen Informationen über die Gegend, die diversen Restaurants und Einkaufsmöglichkeiten verfasst. So fanden wir uns rasch zurecht. Leider war die Zeit zu kurz um alle Vorschläge auszuprobieren. Das Haus ist ideal gelegen für Tagesausflüge mit dem Auto nach Siena, Montepulciano, Montalcino oder mit dem Zug nach Rom und Florenz. Wir können das Haus allen empfehlen, die Wert legen auf ein gepflegtes Ambiente in absolut ruhiger Lage.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, age 55+, sightseeing.

Heaven

Guest: Robert Norman (Volcano)
Date of Stay: 05/16/11 Review Submitted: 06/13/11

We spent 3 wonderful weeks at Ken and Danica’s beautiful cottage. It is a perfect place to just relax or use as a home base for exploring either Tuscany or Umbria or both. It is within a half an hour of Cortona or Multipulciano and situated between Florence and Rome. The rustic, but fully restored, cottage sits on a spectacular setting overlooking miles of farms with of view of Lago Trasimeno, it is surrounded by olive trees and grape vines. Ken and Danica were wonderful hosts and provided everything needed for a super holiday.

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

You won't be disappointed!

Guest: sean46 (Ireland)
Date of Stay: 05/15/10 Review Submitted: 05/30/10

The perfect place to get away from it all. The cottage is nicely out of the way, but still close enough to explore and enjoy all the various towns around the lake. The cottage itself is refurbished beautifully and kept to the highest standards. We couldn’t have asked for any more. The grounds of the cottage are equally as beautiful for days that you just want to relax outside or by the pool. During our stay we also found it pretty easy to park up at a nearby train station to take a day trip to Florence which we recommend. When it comes to location, the cottage is perfect. Ken was excellent with communication and answered any queries we had. We highly recommend Ken and the cottage and will likely return again in the future.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, families with young children.

PURE MAGIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Guest: kathyPrezz (Florida)
Date of Stay: 04/22/10 Review Submitted: 05/03/10

If you can imagine the most perfect home in the Italy countryside, it still would not compare to this incredible stay in this storybook fairy tale! I don't know where to begin. Not only are both the cottage and farmhouse (next to cottage), beautiful, spacious, quaint, and romantic, but also are the local people. The hedges and bushes surrounding the home, are sage and rosemary, and there are pots located around the property filled with mint, parsley, basil, and more!! There is acres of olive tress and grape vines everywhere!!! Even the italian air smells better, and even the lizards are pretty. They have this amazing yellow color to them. The first day we arrived there was an airplane and kite show going on right in town which was so cool!!! The last day, we awoke to five hot air balloons and one landed right in the backyard!! The full moon was so big and bright, it felt as you can touch it! "La Bella Luna" And don't get me started on the food!! There is an adorable restaurant walking distance from the farmhouse. Everything on the menu is grown on their property including the wine and meat. The grandmother who cooks everything fresh, gave us the menu to take back to the house and told us to bring it back in the morning with our order. I'm Italian/American and I still have never tasted pasta like that before. The little Italian dog (bellina) was just as friendly as the family who runs the restaurant. My heart started to ache the moment we arrived back in Florida yesterday. I want to go back now. I'm already planning our next trip here. What a beautiful experience, and I would like to thank Ken, the owner personally. He is one of the most gracious people I know. Thank you Ken, from the bottom of my heart. Please don't ever sell this home, because we plan on making this our trip, God willing, for years to come!!!!!

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

Guest: RichW (Stratford-Upon-Avon)
Date of Stay: 07/08/09 Review Submitted: 07/08/09

Me, my fiancee Stacey and our 15 month old son stayed here from the 22nd June 2009 to 4th July 2009.I must say...out of all of the places i have been around the world...this was truly fantastic.It had everything you could possibly want for a holiday, great weather...a beautiful fully equipped home...superb views and landscapes....stunning food.We had never been to Italy/Umbria before and this summer we thought we would give it a try and i am very happy we made this decision. Ken and Danica have made a truly beautiful home and the pool is superb. It had everything you needed, the bedroom was comfy and cosy, the living room was relaxing and kitchen was very well equipped and the local produce was superb, far better than anything i have ever tried. Sometimes on the holiday, i texted Ken asking a few questions and not once did he fail to reply, he was always helpful and he even came to see us whilst on a business trip and he cooked up a bbq for us, lovely guy and i wish him all the best. The locals were friendly, the restaurants are fantastic, the local pizzas are nothing like you can get anywhere else on Earth.I highly recommend that you stay here, if you want nice weather...a great pool...a lovely home....very helpful and friendly owners....great views....great local food...this place is a must for any family...with or without kids. I'd like to thank Ken and Danica for everything and wish them all the best for the future...we had no complaints at all. Richard Williams

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Guest: Colm & Stephanie1 (Pleasanton, California)
Date of Stay: 05/07/09 Review Submitted: 05/07/09

A fantastic place to get a taste of the real Italy, yet convenient for exploring the cultural highlights of Tuscany and Umbria. We spent our days strolling through the charming hilltop towns of Assisi, Montepulciano and Orvietto. In the evenings, we relaxed on the portico enjoying some great local wines while taking in the picture-postcard views and magnificent sunsets. The villa is perfect for families - a well-equipped kitchen, comfy beds, spacious rooms, and of course the trampoline and swimming pool! Ken and Danica are the perfect hosts and have thought of everything. We highly recommend it and hope to return again someday.

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Guest: Jordan and Jasmin And Elias (Oakland, CA USA)
Date of Stay: 03/27/09 Review Submitted: 03/27/09

Lovely cottage on a restored property with an equally lovely family. We stayed for over a week, found the little house to be a very comfortable and spacious place from which to explore lots of great towns (Montepulciano, Pienza, Cortona...), and enjoyed very much the hospitality and recommendations of Ken and Danica (and their 3 sweet girls). WIFI worked brilliantly, the property and surrounding farmland made for great strolls, and the pool (albeit closed when we were there in March) looks beautiful. The cottage is very private and Ken and Danica make themselves very available if you need them. Our little boy enjoyed the property very much. I highly recommend this place if you are looking to stay in the Trasimeno area.

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