Our family vacation was supposed to start in Positano, but we never made it because of flight cancellation. The airlines also lost our luggage for three days. This was the start of our vacation. Thus, our spirits were diminished while driving to Villa Ripanera. But, the moment we arrived, our spirits were lifted as we toured the grounds and the Villa. The bedrooms are beautiful, comfortable, and clean. There are several rooms for the family to gather. Our favorite room is the “pool room” overlooking the beautiful pool and backyard. This is where we read, talked, and had our fabulous massages from Ivana of SoulTouch Studio. Our pre-stocked groceries were delivered by Chef Alessio’s group. We used them for a few of our breakfasts, 3 catered dinners, a pizza party, and the chef dinner. Their familiarity with the Villa made the meals so enjoyable. The large dining room accommodated our family of 13 for dinners and breakfasts. However, the pizza party and the chef dinner were held outside, where we enjoyed the sunset and the views of the beautiful Tuscan hills, while we ate and sipped our Chianti wine. The pool area and grounds are impeccably well-kept and beautiful. We spent many afternoons outside, listening to music, talking, and reading. Every spot of the Villa grounds is so beautiful and picturesque. We arranged for Tuscany Shuttle to drive us to various day excursions. They were wonderful. However, if you want to go to nearby towns at your leisure, renting a car or Vespa should be considered. We also highly recommend Ms. Marinella Fattorini. She served as our concierge while in Italy. She is incredibly helpful in arranging museum tours, wine tasting tours, and massages. Since she knew Ms. Ruanthi, Chef Alessio, Ms. Ivana, and Tomasso from Tuscany Shuttle, all of our arrangements/activities occurred seamlessly.
What truly made our stay so amazing was Ms. Ruanthi. Ms. Ruanthi is so warm and inviting from the moment you meet her. She even helped us locate our lost luggage. She is very responsive to inquiries and needs. Her and her husband, Dinesh, are very generous with their time and even offered to drive us to town because we did not have a car. We will always remember Villa Ripanera, not just because of its beauty, but also because of Ms. Ruanthi and Dinesh. They helped make this a Great Family Vacation!