'Tasty' Last Minute Offer: Tuscan Villa with Pool & Gardens

• Outstandingly Renovated, Beautifully safe, quiet home base for traveling Italy!

  Outstandingly Renovated, Beautifully safe, quiet home base for traveling Italy!

  • Guest Traveler from Virginia
  • Date of stay 07/28/12
  • Review Submitted 08/20/12
  Traveling with 3 kids can be a little daunting in any European venue and we chose Villa Maria for a nice place to call home while day tripping the famous sites surrounding her. It could not have worked out better. Lucca, the town closest, has anything you could possibly need while remaining very Italian and not overly commercial. You can get to the beach in 40 minutes door to door from the house. The same for Pisa and Florence is one hour away. However- the calm and renewing feeling you get upon pulling up to the house is possibly the best feeling there is when traveling. The kitchen actually makes you want to cook, the bedrooms are all charmingly Italian while the bathrooms are totally renovated and not at all "dicey" as my daughter likes to say (she is 13). The whole house is completely clean and chock full of books of the area, fiction books, games and anything you can need. If you need a TV break, there is a small TV that is for use with a vcr. The pool is above ground, so it is more for the children to play in that adults but plenty of great seating all around the villa. I have traveled a lot and know the fears of renting a place and then being disappointed- this was the opposite. I fell into this rental by accident and cannot believe how lucky we were. There is a charming Virginia Creeper covered Pergola (loggia I think they call it) where you can have every meal outdoors. There are several wonderful restaurants within a 10 minute drive and all in all- there was a feeling of really experiencing Italy when we were here much more so than all the big cities crammed with tourists-realizing I am one of course!- but you really get a good feeling for what Italy is all about staying in this Villa. I cannot sing its praises enough. You can rest assured that Karolina and Paula will do anything and everything to make your stay perfect. My children were 8, 10 and 12 (turned 13 while we were there and thank you Karolina for the cake!) while we visited. We also were given, by Paula, a beautifully catered dinner prepared by Karolina who is a culinary arts graduate. Best meal by the sweetest chef. We hope to return and rest assured if you rent Villa Maria you can be sure your home base is a safe, charming refuge from the craziness you can experience while traveling!

  Recommended for: Families with teenagers, sightseeing, pet owners, romantic getaway, age 55+, families with young children, girls getaway, adventure seekers.

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• Girls' Getaway to Tuscany

  Girls' Getaway to Tuscany

  • Guest Christie
  • Date of stay 07/19/11
  • Review Submitted 12/04/11
  This summer my mother, daughter, 3 friends, and I enjoyed a wonderful week at the Villa Maria. While the pictures accurately represent the villa, words can not fully express the charming home we found. Our week in Tuscany was part of a two week trip to Italy and while we saw many amazing sights, our experience at the villa was among the highlights of our trip. There were so many charming areas of the house and grounds that our only regret is that we did not stay home more to enjoy it. While our intention had been to eat our dinners out, we found ourselves in the kitchen each night drinking wine and making delicious meals using produce from the garden. Enough can not be said about the contribution Paula made to our experience. She welcomed us with wine and food and provided us with excellent recommendations. She truly does strive to give you the best "Tuscany Experience". My hope is that someday I can return to Tuscany and I would definitely plan on visiting Villa Maria again.

  Recommended for: Families with teenagers, sightseeing, age 55+, girls getaway.

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• A stunning October week in the Tuscan hills

  Guest comment entered by owner

  A stunning October week in the Tuscan hills

  • Guest Dean and Judy, Denver, CO
  • Date of stay 10/08/11
  • Review Submitted 11/26/11
  Three couples, close friends from Denver. We marveled at the beauty of the 500+ year old house and grounds, with great spots for dining, wining, reading and relaxing under blue skies with distant views of Pisa and the sea. We enjoyed a multi-course meal prepared by an engaging chef in a candlelit relatively new - 400+ years - converted hay loft. The charm of Lucca . . a Puccini concert, a bike ride on its famous wall, wonderful shopping, quaint streets and squares, and a multitude of tempting dining options. Plus "side trips" to Florence, Chianti and Cinque Terre. Everything made easier with the help of the owner who provided maps, directions and personally-tested information on sites to see and experiences to have. Una settimana davvero meravigliosa!

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• Perfect family week

  Perfect family week

  • Guest Katie
  • Date of stay 07/30/11
  • Review Submitted 11/07/11
  My family, including 4 of my adult children, my brother, his wife, their two younger children and my Dad and his wife enjoyed a perfect week here. All 12 of us settled in quite comfortably with plenty of beds and bathrooms for everyone. The beds were comfortable, the kitchen was fantastic and very well-equipped and the house and grounds were gorgeous. We toured surrounding towns (Lucca, hill towns, Florence) and spent a few days lounging by the pool and talking and eating at the lovely big table in the leafy veranda. We scheduled a pizza party at the house on my Dad's wife's birthday and it was perfect. We ate and chatted with our fabulous chef and had a long, lovely dinner. Paula, the owner, was available to advise but never intrusive. In fact, we enjoyed her company very much as well. My husband and I have rented houses in the Lucca area for several years and this was truly one of our favorites. We cannot recommend it too highly.

  Recommended for: Families with teenagers, sightseeing, romantic getaway, families with young children, girls getaway.

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• Tuscan Getaway

  Tuscan Getaway

  • Guest stibes
  • Date of stay 07/10/10
  • Review Submitted 08/04/10
  Villa was amazing! I spent a lot of hours seeking out the perfect place to celebrate my sister's 30th bday and could not have been happier with my choice. Paula has thought of everything you may need or want while maintaining the character and ambience of a true Tuscan villa. She was a wonderful hostess, providing us with maps for our daily adventures and recommendations on restaurants both locally in Lucca as well as throughout Tuscany. I would highly recommend this villa to anyone who is looking for a respite from the chaos of life all the while enjoying every comfort of home.

  Recommended for: Families with teenagers, sightseeing, romantic getaway, age 55+, families with young children, girls getaway, adventure seekers.

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• • Guest Larry Puleo
  • Date of stay 03/11/10
  • Review Submitted 03/11/10
  Our adventure began as we drove down the scenic track passing olive groves and vineyards, through the canopy of Italian forest to Villa Maria. Our first sight was of window boxes of red geraniums and an Italian flag fluttering in the breeze. The physical setting has grand vistas toward Pisa and in the distance the town of Livorno on the Mediterranean. The grandchildren swam in the pool and played on the spacious lawn. Most importantly, our host, Paula Sullivan, looked after our every need. From helping plan day trips to Italian cultural sites, to wine tours, to advice on restaurants, she was there. Laugher, good wine and superb meals cooked by the Italian staff made the experience memorable. Our family has fond memories of everything, including pizza night, bicycle rides on the city wall around Lucca, and the Leaning Tower. I would highly recommend this place to anyone.

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• • Guest Terrence Donovan
  • Date of stay 02/24/10
  • Review Submitted 02/24/10
  What a splendid place. The Donovan family and friends spent a fantastic week at the villa. The hospitality was gracious and friendly and Emanuella's meals were exquisite and worth the visit alone. Highly recommended.

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• Guest comment entered by owner

  • Guest Patrick and Veronique Colledani
  • Date of stay 02/22/10
  • Review Submitted 02/22/10
  We will always have beautiful memories of our family holiday at Villa Maria. Thank you for everything. Patrick and Veronique Colledani, France

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 1/2

• • Guest Nicolette2
  • Date of stay 02/20/10
  • Review Submitted 02/20/10
  Villa Maria has that special quality that is beyond grasp. Set in beautiful, tranquil surroundings with that typical Tuscan flavour, people disconnect from the daily crazyness and reconnect with themselves and each other. It was the perfect setting for our European executive retreat when I was a member of the board of Liberty Global its European subsidiary. As it was the perfect setting for our faculty, developing our international transformational leadership program. Last but not least, for more than 10 years in a row, for me personally as a busy executive and strategy consultant, it's the perfect setting to 'refresh & refocus' and return 'to life and business' inspired and with loads of energy. The lady of the house, Paula, not only adds value by being there but also by 'not being there', with a perfect feeling for what her guests need. Her knowledge of the area is legendary, as is her knowledge of the Tuscan and Italian kitchen. Whether you want to relax and refill you batteries, go out and explore Tuscany, or want to master Italian cooking, 'la cuchina povera' or top class Italian cooking, or a combination of all or enrich your executive retreat with any of these, you set the agenda. All you need to bring to Villa Maria, is you. The rest, well, will reveal itself!

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• • Guest Alastair Stone
  • Date of stay 02/18/10
  • Review Submitted 02/18/10
  In September 2008, I organised an IBM reunion for 6 couples at 'Maria'. We had a wonderful time. Although we had wonderful dinners in and around Lucca, the meal that Emanuela cooked for us all was the best! Whether we partook of organised events, or just lazed around in the garden, patio, gazebo of Maria, we could not have had a better time. We did visit the Cinque Terre and both our 'hikers' and 'walkers' loved the trails between the towns. Lucca itself is a jewel not to be missed, and Paula always had great recommendations about what to do. We will come again!!

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 2/2

High Season: May-Oct €2400/week   Low Season: Nov-Apr €1800/week plus heat
HAPPY MAY DAY!  STARTING TODAY WE OFFER A DISCOUNT ON SUMMER PLUS A TASTY BONUS
10% DISCOUNT PER WEEK PLUS A 5-COURSE COMPLIMENTARY ITALIAN MEAL FOR 8 PEOPLE!!
A deposit of 50% of the total is payable upon booking; the rest is due 
two months before arrival.  We will inform you of the equivalent
amount in your home currency when payments are due.
Home currency amount is subject to exchange rate fluctuations.
Payment may be made by check or by wire transfer.

Note: Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice.