Vacation Rentals by Owner

This Villa was way beyond our expectations!!!!

Guest: Anita (California)
Date of Stay: 05/05/12 Review Submitted: 05/23/12

Arriving by car from Avignon we were blown away as soon as we drove through the private gate of the Villa. After having spent a week running all over Paris , Villa Nova was a pleasant Oasis in Provence. We were met by 2 lovely ladies who showed us through this wonderful property and left us reeling with such exhuberant joy and a delicious basket of beautiful strawberries. The beauty of this home and the attention to detail was first class. I am an Interior Designer in California and I can attest that they thought of everything you would want or need. The furniture is well placed and very comfortable. The bed was heaven and the bathrooms were a light and airy and very spacious. We spent a beautiful week travelling the countryside, using the Villa as a base and it was central to everything. The wonderful town of St. Remy was a joy to spend time in and the market and restaurants and the sites were all first rate. Paris was a must see but Villa Nova and the town were a want to see and spend time in.I will return and only stay here! We saw the full Lovers Moon from our balcony while we were there and what a site to behold. My pictures will never do justice to the beauty this Villa holds and the views we experienced from every window. If you are looking for quiet and serenity or a base to enjoy Provence at its fullest PLEASE don't hesitate to stay here. From the outside fountain and the beauty of Wisteria outside the door and the lovely grounds you will be impressed and you will feel that home away from home. May your holiday be as enjoyable as ours were. Come ,Stay, Relax , and Enjoy the Pleasures Villa Nova has to offer. Au Revior Villa Nova until next time!

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

Even better than described

Guest: Tom (North Carolina)
Date of Stay: 09/18/10 Review Submitted: 09/28/10

This is a great rental. It is spacious, quiet, and is the best equipped rental we have ever seen. The kitchen is very well equipped and stocked with basics -- oils, spices, wraps, etc. It was very romantic to dine on the terrace, listening to the fountain below in the courtyard, while watching the moon rise over Provence. Lots of little extras, such as an umbrella and a small knapsack for hikes & picnics. Both baths are luxurious, well lit with excellent showers and a tub, all with great water pressure. The bed was very comfortable, plenty of hot water, what more could you ask, And, the only unit in Villa Nova with a terrace looking out on the Alpilles. Only a 5-10 minute walk to town (don't miss the Wednesday market). Great bakery on the way to town with excellent bread, croissants and tarts. We were lucky enough to meet owner Irene and her husband, who are delightful people. The only negatives: It is a 2nd floor walkup so you must be able to climb stairs. The living room is not well lit so bring a booklight if you want to read there. We would recommend this to friends (and plan to!) and would love to return sometime. St. Remy itself is one of the most charming towns we have every visited with very friendly local people. It is the perfect location for visiting other parts of Provence.

Owner response:Thank you both for such kind comments about our rental in Villa Nova and we are delighted that you had a wonderful time in Provence. In relation to the living room Angelique our manageress informed me that reading light at the back of the sofa the bulb was blown! We do keep spares in the press, but you may not have realized that this was the problem. Maybe you will get to return someday. Again thanks Irene and Brendan

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

I miss Chateau Villa Nova!

Guest: Ellen (Prescott, Az. USA)
Date of Stay: 05/22/10 Review Submitted: 05/20/11

It has been a year since my wonderful, wonderful stay at the chateau, and I am trying to sort out how to do it again! Everything about the experience was so special. The accommodations were simply lovely. So comfortable, so relaxing; so well thought out. With all of the places in the world that I have not yet seen, I find myself wanting to reexperience St. Remy, the surrounding areas, and Chateau Villa Nova. I cannot express my gratitude enough to the efforts that Irene made to make sure that my best friend, daughters, and I enjoyed every aspect of our stay. Thank you so much for such wonderful memories.

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

Villa Nova

Guest: Susan /Bob (Georgia, USA)
Date of Stay: 04/23/10 Review Submitted: 05/17/10

Our stay at Villa Nova was wonderful! The property is exactly as it appears in the listing. The bathrooms are not shown in the photos but should be; the bath attached to the master bedroom has a large soaking tub, separate shower, and double vanity. The bed in the master bedroom is very comfortable and has pretty linens (note - the second bedroom and bath are smaller and this should be a consideration if four adults plan to share the apartment). The kitchen is well equipped with cooking utensils, dishes, etc., and has a nice balcony for meals and/or drinks. The internet access is reliable, and there is a telephone - so we could make reservations and be in touch with our family. The whole apartment is lovely, outfitted with all the necessary creature comforts, and extremely well maintained. The location is great. It is right outside the circle road around old St. Remy so it is a very short and safe walk to town. There are many good restaurants in town and the Wednesday market was my favorite in Provence. St. Remy is less than a one hour drive from many of the sights in Provence. I was a little apprehensive about renting an unknown property over the internet without an agent's recommendation, but this turned out to be an extremely positive experience. Irene was very helpful and prompt in answering all my questions beforehand via email. Our stay at Villa Nova was the best of the trip and we would definitely want to stay at this apartment should we return to St. Remy.

Recommended for:Age 55+, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Villa Nova

Guest: Debra & Dante (Australia)
Date of Stay: 04/07/10 Review Submitted: 05/10/10

We had such a fantastic time staying in your Apartment. It is a beautiful place, the way you have decorated it is just stunning. It really was a home away from home. I have already told several people and forwarded your link through to them. I can not speak highly enough about our time in St Remy and will definitely be returning and hopefully next time staying longer. There was not one thing I would have changed about the whole experience, it was just fabulous. St Remy and the surrounding towns are beautiful, we visited lots of the places recommended by you in your folder and found that a very helpful guide. The markets are just great, we would buy local produce and come back and dine at the Villa which was just great. We had been travelling around Switzerland, Austria and Germany prior to our stay at the Apartment, so it was lovely just to be able to stop, relax and enjoy the surroundings at our own leisure. We also ate out at some of the restaurants recommended by you too, which was great. Thanks again Irene, my partner and I agreed that your place was just perfect - ever better than what the photos are on the VRBO website.

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Guest: Fumio
Date of Stay: 07/14/09 Review Submitted: 07/13/09

Exceptionally maintained, clean and peaceful place Fumio Kingston ON Canada Review Submitted: July 4, 2009 Date of Stay: June 2009 This apartment was a very best place for us to experience life in Provence. The apartment was kept exceptionally clean and well equipped. It was one of the best rental apartments we used in European travel for the past several years. Especially after a day trip to other places, returning the quiet and clean apartment was just like coming back to our own home. St-Remy was much more peaceful and quiet place compared to other places in Provence as we found after exploring the areas for a week in June 2009. The very friendly caretaker who spoke English was also very helpful in suggesting us places to visit, e.g., Camargue and Mont Ventoux. His suggestions made our stay in Provence enjoyable as we were able to avoid the heavy tourists jams at other locations. The wireless internet access was great just like our home cable wireless. I did not waste my time using it.

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Exceptionally maintained, clean and peaceful place

Guest: Fumio (Kingston ON Canada)
Date of Stay: 06/13/09 Review Submitted: 07/04/09

This apartment was a very best place for us to experience life in Provence. The apartment was kept exceptionally clean and well equipped. It was one of the best rental apartments we used in European travel for the past several years. Especially after a day trip to other places, returning the quiet and clean apartment was just like coming back to our own home. St-Remy was much more peaceful and quiet place compared to other places in Provence as we found after exploring the areas for a week in June 2009. The very friendly caretaker who spoke English was also very helpful in suggesting us places to visit, e.g., Camargue and Mont Ventoux. His suggestions made our stay in Provence enjoyable as we were able to avoid the heavy tourists jams at other locations. The wireless internet access was great just like our home cable wireless. I did not waste my time using it.

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

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 03/02/09 Review Submitted: 03/02/09

This elegantly decorated apartment was our "home" for 3 weeks during the Fall '09. On arrival, we were very pleased to discover a beautifully furnished apartment in a restored 19th Century hotel de ville within a secure compound of other apartments and townhouses. The views out to les Alpilles and across the Provencal countryside are very nice - especially as we watched the Fall storms sweep through. The kitchen was a cook's delight and St Remy has one of the best weekly markets to stock that kitchen with the best Provence has on offer. St Remy is one of the best towns to live and enjoy the surrounding Provencal countryside. It's been 28 years since my first trip to France - it doesn't get any better than Villa Nova. Thank you, Irene, for making your place such a beautiful home away from home for us.

Owner response:Thank you for taking the time to review my apartment in Villa Nova. It was great having you both and I hope I can have the pleasure of being your host again in the future.

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Guest: Maria Martin
Date of Stay: 02/16/09 Review Submitted: 02/15/09

We spent a lovely week over the new year in the beautiful apartment Irene owns in Villa Nova. Everything was perfect. The decoration, according to the setting and the area. Very comfortable living-room. Extraordinary master bedroom as well as its en-suite bathroom-lots of hot water and good heating. Great kitchen with all types of appliances. Just perfect. We´ll come back. And St-Remy is just in the middle of everything you want to visit in Provence. Very easy to reach and contact just there when we needed.Thank you. .Recommended for: Age 55+, Romantic Getaway, Sightseeing

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Perfect stay in Villa Nova

Guest: Maria and Antonio (Madrid area, Spain)
Date of Stay: 12/27/08 Review Submitted: 01/08/09

We spent a lovely week over the new year in the beautiful apartment Irene owns in Villa Nova. Everything was perfect. The decoration, according to the setting and the area. Very comfortable living-room. Extraordinary master bedroom as well as its en-suite bathroom-lots of hot water and good heating. Great kitchen with all types of appliances. Just perfect. We´ll come back. And St-Remy is just in the middle of everything you want to visit in Provence. Very easy to reach and contact just there when we needed.Thank you. .

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

Guest: Ger Mike & Family
Date of Stay: 11/18/08 Review Submitted: 11/17/08

Hi Irene, Sorry we are only getting back to you now to tell you about our trip to St. Remy. We had a fantastic time made all the more wonderful by the accommodation. Your apartment is stunning and we enjoyed many of the dark autumnal nights last week in the comfort the beautiful surroundings enjoyed our cheese and wine. We also have to remark on how clean everything was. Christian was also extremely helpful though I had to leave communications to Mike as his English was "as good" as my french. I'm sorry, we did mean to write in the visitors book but left too early on Friday morning to remember to do so. If you ever need our comments for your website please feel free to contact us. Best regards and we will look forward to more trips to Villa Nova. Ger and Mike Smyth - November 2008

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Guest: Debbie & Mick
Date of Stay: 08/20/08 Review Submitted: 08/19/08

Hi Irene, Just to let you know that we had a lovely week in your Apartment in Villa Nova. It was a real home from home, with everything we needed on hand. It was much more comfortable than staying in a hotel. Your choice of furnishings is lovely and gave us a few ideas! All of your maps and guides were really useful and we used them to explore the area. Had some nice meals out on the patio and it was also an easy walk into town. I managed to log on to your wireless network, which was also pretty helpful. Thanks for letting us stay! Best Regards Debbie & Mick August 2007

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Guest: N/A
Date of Stay: 06/20/08 Review Submitted: 06/19/08

Bonjour Irene----- We fell in love with Villa Nova! Our stay was absolutely fabulous. It is a special place with its high ceilings and magnificent windows in a lovely setting with perfumed air. The interior decor is so nicely done----especially the bedroom. You provided us with all the comforts of home----soft Kleenex, power shower, makeup mirror, market basket, a full kitchen, guide books, restaurant recommendations, scents of verbena and lavender. St. Remy is a wonderful town with the best farmers' market. We enjoyed it all---wandering the countryside, finding special cheeses and wine. We loved Restaurant Alain Assaud. Christian and his son were very accommodating. I could go on and on! It was sad to leave and we look forward to staying at Villa Nova sometime in the future. We also hope to meet you, the creator of Villa Nova, and put a face to the person we know through email. Merci beaucoup, Judy and Bernie 20 June 2008

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Guest: Julie & Ken
Date of Stay: 04/20/07 Review Submitted: 04/19/07

Hi Irene, We had an amazing time in France, the weather was beautiful.We even sent some warmer clothes back to Australia. We did receive your SMS, but neither phone would send a reply. Saint Remy was a delight! We were thrilled with the town and the villa.The villa has been beautifully renovated and decorated.It was a wonderful place to spend a holiday. We especially appreciated your restaurant guide. We all enjoyed La Gousse d'Ail, especially Anna,and we ate there twice.It made it so much easier to have your guide, rather than a hit and miss approach. Market day! We certainly weren't expecting it to be so big and colourful. What a wonderful way to spend a morning. We just loved discovering all the new stalls.Anna touched a big shark at the fish market and was so proud of herself. The only suggestion I would make is for simple step by step instructions for the washing machine. Thankyou, for all your assistance with our stay at Villa Nova. It was much appreciated and we would love to stay there again. Regards, Julie - April 2007 - Nedlands Western Australia

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