Reviews for Montespertoli Vacation Rental - VRBO 293357 - 3 BR Firenze (Florence) Province Villa in Italy, Casa Alina

We didn't want to leave

Guest Catherine
Date of stay 07/29/12
Review Submitted 08/22/12

Our family loved our time here at Casa Alina. We loved the beautiful decor, the comfortable beds and amenities, and I was very pleased to find everything spotless. The location was fabulous if tricky to find initially, but once we figured that out the first time we never had trouble again after many outings (follow signs to Empoli, to Montespertoli, to Ortimino). From this central location, we enjoyed day trips to Florence, to San Gimignano and Volterra, to Siena, to Lucca. The circolo restaurant 5 mins from the house was a wonderful place to come back to for a great family meal at the end of a long day, and the meal we ordered ahead from Laura was absolutely the best, so happy to have that waiting for us on our first evening!

Recommended for: Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

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Fabulous home

Guest Deborah A.
Date of stay 03/24/12
Review Submitted 05/26/12

My wife and I spent two weeks here with our 3 children (12,10 and 9) and we can't say enough wonderful things about this home. A gorgeous home with stunning views of the Tuscan countryside. The photos do not do it justice. The house was spotless on our arrival. Large, comfortable beds, new appliances, beautiful kitchen. The house is equipped with both American and European outlets which was very convenient. The owner's mother/in-law, Laura, prepared and delivered a wonderful dinner for us that fed us for 2 nights. The girls received cooking lessons from neighbour Anthony (he and his wife live two houses down and were extremely helpful), preparing another delicious meal. Easy access to Florence by driving to the train station in nearby Empoli for the 20 minute ride to the city. We took day trips to Pisa, Siena, San Gimignano and many drives through the Tuscan countryside. The Coop stores in Montespertoli (10 minutes away) and Empoli (20 minutes) are both well stocked. We really enjoyed this experience, largely because of the beautiful home. We would definitely rent it again.

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

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Casa Alina 09-24 to 10-08 2011

Guest JBC
Date of stay 09/24/11
Review Submitted 10/17/11

Casa Alina was just wonderful! It is the most modern (kitchen and baths great) and comfortable home (with incredible neighbors) but set in unspoiled country (working Vineyards and farms)... A lovely contrast. I walked "the loop" just about every day in the early morning (might have worked off at least 1 piece of cheese!) then continued into Ortimino for capucinno x 2 and a loaf from the local bakery to take home... It was SO HOT during our visit we were very thankful for the air conditioning... The kitchen makes you want to cook so we hit the local markets and after hours of "touring" often made dinner at home. Don't miss Corsini (and Bruno) for local ceramics...And don't miss "cereale" bread at local bakery! We would go back in a heartbeat except we might want to try a place farther from Florence (had already spent 4 days there), probably Umbria... Casa Alina is a wonderful HOME and a wonderful home base... See Volterra, Vinci, Ponzano and Motespertoli local squares, we even did it without a GPS that was unavailable from Hertz (reserve ahead!)

Recommended for: People with disabilities, age 55+, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

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A truly lovely vacation spot...

Guest Leigh
Date of stay 08/13/11
Review Submitted 09/23/11

Casa alina was like a little piece of heaven that became our home away from home during our stay there. It was always such a warm comfort to return there after a day of exploring beautiful Italy. It felt authentic yet familiar, making it an idespensible part of our time in Tuscany. The area itself is very charming and is perfectly situated to provide easy transportation to the surrounding towns and cities. I am sure our stay wouldn't have been quite so lovely if we hadn't stayed at Casa Alina, which was the perfect finishing touch to an already magnificent trip.

Recommended for: Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

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Wonderful location for US/Canadian travelers

Guest Anonymous
Date of stay 06/04/11
Review Submitted 11/13/11

I just realized that we never wrote a review for your lovely villa that we thoroughly enjoyed in June. It was very comfortable - especially the beds! The meal that we requested for our first night was not only excellent, but there was enough food for another meal!! Thank you to your parents for an excellent introduction to Italian cuisine. We also enjoyed the bakery down the road and the taverna. Their pizzas and calzones are amazing. We found Casa Alina to be the perfect location for exploring the Chianti Road and the small towns along it. Thank you so much for sharing your piece of paradise.

Recommended for: Adventure seekers, age 55+, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

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Tranquil, Picturesque, and Relaxing - A Great Place for Enjoying Tuscany

Guest dymac
Date of stay 05/11/11
Review Submitted 06/05/11

My husband and I and another couple stayed at Casa Alina in early May 2011 for a week. The surroundings were tranquil and picturesque, and the villa was wonderful with a private patio (complete with lawn furniture) in front and a beautifully landscaped back yard for relaxing. The kitchen is well-equipped, so we were able to save a little money by shopping at the local grocery store, the Coop, and cooking a couple of nights. Other nights we enjoyed dining in some amazing little restaurants overlooking the rolling hills and watching the sunset. Very important to us, our beds were large and comfortable. There is air conditioning, but we also enjoyed opening the windows for the fresh air (there are screens). A car is crucial for getting around, but we found the driving fairly easy and visited Pisa, San Gimignano, Siena, and Florence. Montespertoli is a good home base for the Tuscany region.

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

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Luxury, Comfort, Beauty, Great place to stay and enjoy Tuscany

Guest William H.
Date of stay 05/11/11
Review Submitted 05/31/11

Kimberly has done an outstanding job of updating a Villa that used to be part of a church. Luxury bathrooms with thick towels. A large eat in kitchen with gas range, spices, dishwasher and all the pots and pans to make great dinners. Kimberly is from the US and her husband from Italy so they combined the best of both worlds. US and European electric plugs, big beds, lots of English and Italian magazines and guides. Large screen TV and stereo topped it off. In the back yard, there is an area to eat and relax surrounded by roses. The front entrance is very inviting with roses and plantings. What you say that could be considered negative. Absolutely nothing. Kimberly has dotted all the "I's and crossed all the "T's". Additionally, she provided loads of information and was very helpful. We took advantage advantage of her mother in law's home cooked meal which was provided (at a small cost) when we got there and it last for three meals. I own two VRBO homes in Breckenridge, Colorado and am a very "picky" VRBO owner. Kimberly outdoes me. Bill Handley

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

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Casa Alina - April 8 - 16, 2011

Guest Joann, Karen and Nancy
Date of stay 04/25/11
Review Submitted 04/24/12

Though, having had the opportunity to extensively travel through Italy over the years, our stay at Casa Alina was by far a relaxing, serene, enjoyable time spent surrounded by the most incredible scenery. The house is certainly equipped with all the amenities and is tastefully furnished. It was comfortable and spacious and Kimberly left us wtih a world of information to assist us in our daily planning. The area itself is central to visit all the charming towns of Tuscany. We highly recommend renting a car, equipped with a GPS. The drive through Tuscany is just another added bonus. The neighbors (namely Antony and Nora) were unbelievably helpful, and gracious and we so enjoyed talking with them almost daily. One of the highlights of our trip was taking a cooking class for the entire day (that Kimberly highly recommeded) and, believe me, it was well worth it. I could go on and on about this lovely place, hoping to return one day. With many memories, Joann, Karen and Nancy

Recommended for: Age 55+, girls getaway, sightseeing.

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Comforts of home

Guest Karen
Date of stay 04/19/11
Review Submitted 05/10/11

Our stay at Casa Alina was a great experience. The location of the villa was perfect for day trips to many amazing towns. After exploring during the day, it was nice to come "home" to this very comfortable villa. Casa Alina has everything you will need or want, including american plugs, washer, dryer, dishwasher and the most comfortable beds. The villa was spotless and the decor was beautifully.

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

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A wonderful place in Tuscany

Guest alvarezrey
Date of stay 03/12/11
Review Submitted 03/25/11

We stayed one week at Casa Alina and I have to say that all of us were pleasantly impressed by Casa Alina. It is a very well appointed house where a lot of emphasis has been placed on details. It was spotlessly clean. I have rented multiple houses throughout Europe and Casa Alina has so far been the most complete and best put together of all the houses I have ever rented. It is obvious that a lot of effort has been put into it to make it shine. The only thing lacking was WIFI. Casa Alina is a wonderful place. The hills around it are beautiful. Congratulations to the architect who remodeled the house. Such great taste....

Recommended for: Adventure seekers, age 55+, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

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You will love it!

Guest greatvisit
Date of stay 02/15/11
Review Submitted 03/02/11

My husband and I enjoyed every minute of our two week stay at the peaceful and well appointed Casa Alina. Spotlessly clean, extremely comfortable and charming-we would love to return again. Having a home away from home here was ideal for exploring the Tuscan area. Siena and Volterra less than an hour away. Florence was an easy train ride from nearby Empoli-took us directly downtown to all the attractions with no parking problems. Glad to enjoy the pretty yard and super comfy king sized bed each evening as well as local produce from Montespertoli's charming open air market on Tuesdays.Cooked a few great meals - good shopping nearby. The local people could not have been friendlier, and we felt like residents by the time we departed a Each morning we visited a lovely bakery just up the road and a casual restaurant was also nearby for reasonably priced meals. Lots of excellent and reasonable restaurants in the area. The Pucci family were a pleasure to deal with and we feel fortunate to have found such a fantastic vacation spot. Grazie mille, Pucci family. Karen and Anthony, Canada.

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

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A Really Good Place to Stay.

Guest MD
Date of stay 10/27/10
Review Submitted 11/06/10

We stayed at Casa Alina for a week and it was just right.Very clean, 2 bedrooms with excellent, US style, king size beds and good quality linens.. It was chilly when we arrived but the heating is good and the house quickly warmed up. The kitchen is very well equipped and cooking a meal was easy. Decent shower in downstairs bathroom,,tub with hand shower upstairs and plenty of thick towels.Good washer and dryer, and there is a water softener. The local Circolo (cafe/community center) is five minutes away and provides excellent meals, coffee etc 6 days a week. There is a good bakery as well as a charming, old fashioned grocery store around the corner from the Circolo.. A few miles away is a good supernarket. Be sure to bring or rent a GPS..Tuscan signposting seems to be quite arbitrary on the country roads that surround the house, which is actually about 5 miles from Montespertoli, in the hamlet of Ortimino. Visit the fabulous medieval, walled hill towns that are nearby,(San Gimignano, San Miniato etc) and don't miss out on Certaldo Alto. Beautiful countryside of olive groves and vineyards. and some breathtaking sunrises and sunsets. A really good place to stay.

Recommended for: Age 55+, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

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A Tuscan Delight

Guest Angela and Vincent
Date of stay 06/19/10
Review Submitted 08/22/10

Casa Alina is a fabulous property. The house is outstanding and very well appointed. All the conveniences are present to make your vacation a pleasurable and enjoyable experience. The villa is located in an area that is ideal for driving to the lovely towns and villages as well as the major cities. The nearby town of Montespertoli has everything you need for shopping and dining out. A car is essential for exploring the Tuscan countryside. (something you never tire of ). The villa is filled with books, maps and information of the region. The owners of the villa and their parents were very responsive to our inquiries and made our stay very comfortable. We have rented a number of properties in various countries and this by far was the best. Not having to worry about adapters and electrical appliances was a plus as the villa has both European and US electrical outlets. For those of you who enjoy cooking while on vacation, The local COOP in Montespertoli offers fresh and quality foods. It was even nicer to return to the villa and prepare our meals as the kitchen has every convenience. It was like being in our own kitchen back home. All in all, we had a marvelous time and would not mind returning to Casa Alina. Some must things to do: outdoor dining at La Nuova Villamagna di Roberto Fondelli. Via Montelupo, 105 Montespertoli (Ask for Francesco, his parents do the cooking and it is all homemade. Tell him Angela and Vincent sent you. We had dinner there three times!!!) Visit the city of Lucca Go to Certaldo and go to the city pool. Admission for two, Rental of 2 lounges and an umbrella 20 Euros. there is a snack bar for lunch and beverages. Up the block from the villa is a restaurant and bar...Sunday night dancing is a must. Visit the beaches (San Vincenzo was a favorite) There is so much to do and see. Having a car and living there for an extended period of time makes you feel like a native. ENJOY!!!!

Recommended for: Age 55+, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

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A Little Bit of Heaven

Guest Linda
Date of stay 04/07/10
Review Submitted 10/04/11

A perfect place to stay!A beautiful setting! Had everything we needed. Centrally located to many tourist cities.The area couldn't have been any more beautiful.The days began with the sun rising outside our bedroom window. Looking out the window,I saw the rolling countryside-felt like I was opening the windows in the movie Sound of Music.The casa was clean, comfortable and nicely decorated in and out.Several pots of flowers met us on arrival. Had absolutely everything we needed for living, sleeping, cooking and eating. TV,DVD,toaster,coffee pot,expresso maker,hair dryer,iron,microwave,convection oven,washer, dryer,... Enough linens for a few weeks. There were staples like spices,salt,oil,coffee beans, paper goods,... waiting there for us,we did have to grocery shop, of course.The stores weren't far, but watch the hours.Later in the year, I hear guests are invited to enjoy their vegatable garden.Without traveling more than an hour each way, we visited 1 or 2 tourist cities every day.And it was a beautiful ride to every one of them! The casa had books and maps so you could look for places to visit also. A notebook left by the owner contained all kinds of very useful information about the area and the casa. Even the neighbors were great - very friendly and very helpful.We really enjoyed them and miss them. Like cats? There was even a cat that waited at the door the first few mornings in hopes that the new people would feed him. We'd all go back. It's my husband's 2nd time here.

Recommended for: Age 55+, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

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Why was it memorable?

Guest Gravel
Date of stay 03/20/10
Review Submitted 04/21/10

Italy and Tuscany are always memorable. Staying here was very reasonable and much less expensive than staying in hotels.I love cooking. Everything necessary was here. Save on breakfast, lunches or supper. It is convenient to fresh produce and bakeries at the local markets. Local restaurants are great and more reasonable than large city ones. This location is within 90 minutes drive of Tuscany's top cities and towns. Our neighbors here were wonderfully helpful. I cannot recommend this property enough from its cleanliness, ambiance, and location

Recommended for: Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, sightseeing.

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CASA ALINA IS A GREAT RENTAL

Guest Anonymous
Date of stay 12/26/09
Review Submitted 12/12/10

We stayed in Casa Alina for four nights and were incredibly lucky to find this gem. The house was great, it was extremely clean when we arrived and we were immediately happy to have arrived at the villa. The kitchen was great, with a great stove, all the pots/pans, spices, wines, olive oil, salt and pepper so we could immediately start cooking. The villa also had two really nice bed rooms with really comfortable beds, cable tv, and unbelievable views. If you go, dont forget to bring a gps since the tuscan roads are very tricky. I would definitely stay at Casa Alina again.

Recommended for: Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

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Your very own Tuscan home

Guest Richard
Date of stay 09/16/07
Review Submitted 06/02/11

My partner and I, along with my mother, spent a week here in 2007 on our first trip to Italy. Of all the places we visited and stayed; Florence, Venice, and Rome, our time in this incredibly charming and beautiful place remains our most vivid and cherished memory. Although it felt remote and secluded, it was an easy and beautiful drive to Florence, San Gimignano, Monteriggioni, and Siena, as well as several other towns that we didn't have time to visit (get a GPS for your rental car). The home, surrounded by spectacular grapevined rolling hills, is beautifully decorated and fulfilled our vision of what a home in Tuscany should be like. We were greeted by the owner's family and immediately made to feel at home. Rather than feel like a typical, sparsely furnished rental property, this house is clearly a home and is fully decorated, with a large equipped kitchen where we made our own meals after shopping the markets of San Gimignano and Siena. The bedrooms are incredibly romantic, furnished with antiques, and private. Although it was warm during our visit, and I don't do well in the heat, a lovely breeze always moved through the house. The neighbors were friendly and made us feel welcome. You will feel like you're staying in your own Italian home. It was difficult to leave every day to go on our adventures because we wanted to lounge around in the private rear garden. My only regret is that we didn't stay there longer. Next time, and there will be a next time, it will be two weeks.

Recommended for: Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

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Vacation Rentals by Owner

Casa Alina - a Tuscan Villa [#293357] | View Property

Traveler Reviews (17)

We didn't want to leave

We didn't want to leave

Fabulous home

Fabulous home

Casa Alina 09-24 to 10-08 2011

Casa Alina 09-24 to 10-08 2011

A truly lovely vacation spot...

A truly lovely vacation spot...

Wonderful location for US/Canadian travelers

Wonderful location for US/Canadian travelers

Tranquil, Picturesque, and Relaxing - A Great Place for Enjoying Tuscany

Tranquil, Picturesque, and Relaxing - A Great Place for Enjoying Tuscany

Luxury, Comfort, Beauty, Great place to stay and enjoy Tuscany

Luxury, Comfort, Beauty, Great place to stay and enjoy Tuscany

Casa Alina - April 8 - 16, 2011

Casa Alina - April 8 - 16, 2011

Comforts of home

Comforts of home

A wonderful place in Tuscany

A wonderful place in Tuscany

You will love it!

You will love it!

A Really Good Place to Stay.

A Really Good Place to Stay.

A Tuscan Delight

A Tuscan Delight

A Little Bit of Heaven

A Little Bit of Heaven

Why was it memorable?

Why was it memorable?

CASA ALINA IS A GREAT RENTAL

CASA ALINA IS A GREAT RENTAL

Your very own Tuscan home

Your very own Tuscan home