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Reviews of: Rentvillas.com, agency based in the US
http://www.rentvillas.com/
These reviews were collected on the Slow Europe website and have been copied here. The reviews are for different places all available through Rentvillas.
Reviewed by: Diane Cash (1 review)
Reviewed on: November 15, 2011
Date of Stay: fall 2011
Vacation Rental Name: Villa Piero, Tuscany
Many people have asked us how we found our villa and we told them Rentvillas.com tailored a villa to our needs. We gave Jannah at Rentvillas.com a personality portfolio of our group, and she came up with Villa Piero! She nailed it! It was perfect for our group!
Our group of 8 (October 8-15) had a fantastic time at Villa Piero! The villa and its surroundings are absolutely beautiful. It was our first adventure of driving in Italy (we used a GPS system). The directions were good to the villa. The first time making it up that mountain on the gravel road to the villa was a bit intimidating, but it soon became second nature. Nicola, Rosa and Sara were there to greet us with big smiles. They were more than hosts and hostesses, they became our Italia family. We endeared ourselves to them, their home, their country and their culture! We had asked for a pizza night the first night we arrived at Villa Piero and it was a perfect welcoming dinner! Nicola makes homemade dough and Rosa makes her own sauce and all the home grown vegetables that she grilled. Each person made their own specialized pizza! And, every morning, Nicola would make sure that he was up to start our mornings with cappuccino! We would take day trips from the villa, either by car or train. We went to Anghiari (which is approximately a 25-minute drive from the villa); Siena (by car); Florence (by train); Asissi and Perugia (by train) and Cortona (by car…we took the back way through the country roads from the villa to Cortona). We were also fortunate to make the Tuscany Wine Festival held in Arezzo! Arezzo is a charming city and it became our main thoroughfare for grocery shopping, a night out for dinner, and the international food fair held on Fridays. We were not sure about the remoteness of this villa, but we ended up liking the peacefulness and fell in love with the city of Arezzo. The train station in Arezzo was very convenient and was our network for traveling on our day trips. And, the Avis rent-a-car was right across from the train station.
We loved our nights together at the villa getting together to cook our dinner with the wine flowing! The kitchen is a professional chef’s kitchen and we had plenty of room for all the congregating in the kitchen area. Our favorite was sitting around the big table in the dining room (by the fireplace) eating, drinking and socializing with Italian music in the background. We ate inside as the weather was a bit chilly in mid-October. Rosa made a spectacular dinner for one of our guest’s birthday! She started out with at least 10 different appetizers, pasta, a pork roast, and a fish dish for our vegetarian in the group and ended with a delicious pineapple cream birthday cake and a bottle of champagne for the birthday girl! There are several areas for socializing outside the villa including a foosball table, ping pong, swimming (it was too cold in mid-October for our group0 to swim) and there were several sitting areas just to relax and watch the sunset!
The only complaint we had was the beds are hard. It would be wonderful if they upgraded the mattresses. Also, we suggest with large groups that you stagger your showers as the last person showering would always run out of hot water. There is no dryer, just the washing machine! They provided a clothes line and clothes pins! We Americans adapted quickly!
We found it difficult to say goodbye to Nicola and his family as they became our family! They have a compassion for their guests and made all of us feel welcome and at home!
The whole vacation experience was so enjoyable...from the personal service of Rent Villas.com to the villa owners. It was the trip of a lifetime!
Diane
California
Reviewed by: jb550 (1 review)
Reviewed on: October 23, 2011
Date of Stay: fall 2011
Vacation Rental Name: Casa del Feino, Tuscany
Four of us rented this property in early October, 2011, and we all agreed it was better in person than it had appeared in the pictures. The villa is surrounded by a wine estate and has a 270 degree view of vineyards, forest, and the nearby Tuscan hill towns. It's close enough to town for runs to the grocery store, but far enough away for peace and quiet. The property was well maintained, the house comfortable, the outdoor dining area strategicaly located to take advantage of the views, and the remainder of the property available to us for long walks. The kitchen was well stocked and the living areas tastefully decorated and comfortable. The property manager was friendly, and available to assist us with whatever we needed; the owner took an interest in us as well. The property is centrqlly located to Siena and Florence; day trips to those two cities are quick and easy, San Gimignano is similarly closeby, as are Castelina in Chianti, Greve in Chianti, Rada in Chianti, and a variety of other towns in the Chianti region. The property is also well-enough situated to make day trips to Cortona, Arezzo, and Assisi.
In all, this property exceeded our expectations. Great views, great location, nice amenities, and well managed. In addition, working with RentVillas was a good experience. They took a personal interest in finding us the right vacation home, communicated regularly and efficienty, and were interested in our experience when we returned home.
Reviewed by: Robin Critelli (1 review)
Reviewed on: October 21, 2011
Date of Stay: fall 2011
Vacation Rental Name: Villa Due Golfi, near Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast
I had never rented a villa - or worked with a service. It was plain luck to find rentvillas.com on the internet. Being in the U.S., it was comforting to work with someone here. They were amazing responsive, professional, friendly, and gave great advise. A few days before we departed, they frantically called (on a weekend) and said that the property manager in Italy has double booked the villa we originally rented. They got the property manager to offer the choice of two villas - both upgrades. The villa was spectacular and the property mgt people couldn't have been better. They arranged transportation, mozzarella tasting, a rental boat, and a chef to teach us to cook a real Italian meal. My only error in planning the trip was that I used a different rental company for the apartment in Rome. Next time, I'm using Rentvillas.com for all arrangements and lodging!! They were the best!
Reviewed by: michaelC (1 review)
Reviewed on: September 22, 2011
Date of Stay: summer
Vacation Rental Name: Villa Piero, Tuscany
4 couples enjoyed the Villa as a central location in Tuscany. Some stayed for the entire week and some traveled to nearby cites for a night or two.
The nearby owners were simply wonderful. They were there if you needed them and very sensitive to our privacy. In my opinion, they are a very big part of the experience. The views are majestic and the weather was perfect.
The property is amazing! The rooms are large and very well appointed. The kitchen was a blast if you enjoy cooking.
The pool is beautiful. By the pool is a ping pong table where we enjoyed many fairly tipsy games of ping pong! The trip was amazing!
Little help on the directions: When you get on SS73 they have kilometer markers every tenth of a kilometer or so. When you get to kilometer marker 163 you will be very close to the turn for the villa. It is between marker 163 and 164. Enjoy!!!
Reviewed by: RevDonWilson (1 review)
Reviewed on: July 27, 2011
Date of Stay: spring 2011
Vacation Rental Name: Villa Del Cielo with Caminetto, Tuscany
This was our first experience at a villa in Tuscany. We were a group of 13 people.
Our overall experience was wonderfully enjoyable, from being met by Jesus and the gift of the fruit basket, to saying farewell to the place we called home for three magnificent weeks.
As for what we enjoyed the most: We immediately felt the tranquility both inside the villa and outside on the grounds. Refreshing homemade meals, a place to come home to after a day of touring, enjoying walks and vistas, reading and relaxing in the hills of Siena were all present every day in such a variety of ways.
A rooster and a coo-coo bird on the neighbors property, about a mile away, was a great way to wake up in the morning. The roads to the many hill towns were great for leisurely drives and day trips. The many places to visit were easy to find using the GPS in our rental cars. We enjoyed the local markets, the historic Renaissance art, and the friendly people we met everywhere.
Siena was a 6 mile drive, or a 15 minute taxi ride. Florence was accessible by car and regional train, both of which we used often. It was comforting to have a relaxing place to call home, and still visit much of the Tuscany region on our own timetable. Many days were spent at the villa relaxing, swimming, reading, or sketching.
About the restaurants: Bring a willingness to let go of your busyness and enjoy the easy time in Tuscany. Bring an adventurous spirit to explore Siena, Florence, take a ride on a train, or tour a winery. There are very good city and country restaurants, most are advertised locally.
To arrive at the villa, we hired a driver from Rome, which is about the same cost as a train and taxi, who brought us directly to the property.
Checking in and out was easy, and genuinely personal. We were met by the keyholder and handyman, Jesus, who was friendly, helpful, thorough in his orientation, and attentive to our needs.
We would encourage anyone considering traveling to Tuscany to let RentVillas help you with your travel plans.
Reviewed by: PatiElmore (1 review)
Reviewed on: July 11, 2011
Date of Stay: spring
Vacation Rental Name: Villa Francesco con Duetto, Tuscany
Pati Elmore
The BEST two week vacation ever at Villa Francesco con Duetto in Monterchi. There were twelve in our group and we even had one bedroom/bathroom left over. The palace, village, supermarket, restaurant, food, wines, beds, linens, cleanliness were great. The owner prepared our arrival Tuscan meal and was available for any and all of our needs along with her assistant. Our day trips were the best and ended with drinks in the fabulous rose garden by the pool and gazebo with the Tuscan sun setting in the west. We enjoyed "Living Like a Local" and feeling like a local. Great way to learn more about Italy.
Reviewed by: Donald Posegate (1 review)
Reviewed on: May 14, 2011
Date of Stay: spring 2010
Vacation Rental Name: Torre Alfina, near Viterbo, Lazio
La Villa di Torre Alfina was absolutely fabulous for my 65th birthday trip to Italy. I had invited 6 of my family and friends to join my partner and me in our celebration of my birthday.
The villa was more than we had expected. We had rented villas before but this was beyond our expectations. Everything was prettier and better than the ad pictures. There were all the items a traveler would need; a computer, phones, and even a GPS. The beds were very comfortable, the frig was stocked, there were nice crystal and flatware. The pots and pans were top notch quality. Olga and Alex were the caretakers. Both were a pleasure and made sure that everything was to our liking. I was spoiled.
The village was great! We ate at the 2 local restuarants most of the time. Carlo at the New Castle made sure our traveler with a gluten problem had "rice" pasta and special "no gluten" food. The seafood restuarant made one of the best risotto di tutta mare that I have ever had.
I can not say enough about our experience. The location, the villa, the village and the people. It was GREAT.
Reviewed by: winkyh (1 review)
Reviewed on: March 7, 2011
Date of Stay: winter 2010
Vacation Rental Name: via napoli, Naples
We had a fantastic stay in the Napoli apartment. We stayed in there February 2011.The location is excellent - a 10-15 minute walk to just about every major attraction. it is off the busy road, via Nazionale, and so quiet. church bells at 9:00am are a lovely wake-up call.
Enjoyed Most: The beds and bathrooms were wonderful- clean new and comfy. The espresso machine is GENIUS and we used it every day. The best aspect, though, was having Angelo as the property manager. He handles the 2-star hotel right around the corner and was always available for questions and concerns. His English is great and he is so willing to help.
Unpleasant Surprises: The living room was a little spare and the couch not super comfortable. The place could benefit from a sleeper couch, since 5 people could easily stay in the place. Two bathrooms is rare to find.
Surrounding Area: Villa Borghese and the Spanish Steps - my daughter and I are runners and she went almost everyday to the park. Do not miss the Museo Borghese in there!
Tips or Restaurants: Bring binoculars for the Sistine Chapel. Find Locando Barberini for dinner - and Cotto. Both are close. By far our best meals. Cafe Gaudi farther north by the park called via Ada was also excellent for lunch. Great bread, pizza, and a veggie buffet. Find Caffe Sant Eustachio for coffee. we also loved a new place called al Duello.
Directions: we took an 8 euro shuttle from the airport that took us to the Termini Rail Station which is about a 10-minute walk to the apartment.
Check In Out: Just to repeat: Angelo is an angel!
Reviewed by: AveryL (1 review)
Reviewed on: October 25, 2010
Date of Stay: fall 2010
Vacation Rental Name: Poggio Antico, Tuscany
My husband and I were celebrating our 25th anniversary in October and I have always wanted to go to Italy. Along with two other couples, we booked a villa through Rentvillas.com I had researched locations and read reviews.
The villa we rented was rated highly and it provided each couple with their own bedroom and bathroom. It was located in Tuscany (my preferred location) and was 18km outside of Florence. The directions to the villa were great. We went directly to the villa after arriving at the Florence airport, although we knew that check-in wasn't until 3 pm, so that we could ensure that we found it.
We loved our villa and the owners! The view from the villa was absolutely spectacular and we had the owners come in to cook us an authentic italian meal and it was the best! We highly recommend this! We were surrounded by olive groves and were able to enjoy fresh figs from the tree!
We had a rental car and brought along a GPS (which was definitely an essential item!) We walked to Bocciano and Montegufoni and went through the beautiful castle just down the road. We drove to Montespertoli and strolled upon a wonderful restaurant (Ristorante L'Orcio). The owners (Rocco and Tina) could not speak english but Rocco took care of us and Tina cooked us up a great lunch! The food was outstanding and we made a point of going back on our second last day along with the owners of our villa where we enjoyed another great seafood dinner ... so fresh and tasty!
We also hiked the Cinque Terre (along the coast) and visited Florence, Siena, San Giomagnano and the hot springs in Montapucino. We also enjoyed a wonderful private wine tour with Rebecca of Associazione del Vino Toscano (www.tuscanwinesociety.com). She took us out for the entire day where we enjoyed tasting the Italian wines and learning about the wineries and the many little towns along our travels. We had another amazing meal at Antica Macelleria Cecchini and had grappa with Dario upon our departure. This was a really fun day!
We were extremely fortunate to have enjoyed our initial Italy experience with all these beautiful people in their absolutely beautiful country! We loved Italy!
Reviewed by: DavidG (1 review)
Reviewed on: May 25, 2010
Date of Stay: spring 2010
Vacation Rental Name: Lunetta, near Portovenere, Liguria
My wife, two grown daughters, and I have just returned from a twelve day vacation in Italy, beginning with a couple of days in Florence and ending with a couple of days in Milan. In between, we made our home at Lunetta, and we all agree that our week spent at Lunetta was the highlight of our vacation. Located just outside the town center of Portovenere, this seaside cottage overwhelmed us all. We had done our research and our expectations were not low, but nothing could have prepared us for the idyllic setting of this little home, its openess to the sun and the sea and the warmth that emanated from both its physical presence and from the people who made it more than just a place to stay.
Upon arrival by train in La Spezia, itself a charming city and only minutes by cab or bus from Portovenere, we contacting the property manager who then contacted the property owners and arranged for our early arrival at the property. Arriving at Lunetta, a member of the family that owns the property welcomed us and introduced us to the house. During the week that followed, every encounter with members of this lovely family (who live in a gorgeous villa on the terraces above the cottage) left us with an even warmer feeling for Lunetta and for Portovenere. While we were living in a cottage nestled in the lap of their own property, they treated us not only with unfailing friendliness but with a politeness that allowed us to share this setting with them in a way that preserved our own sense of privacy and privaledged access to this incomparable experience.
I could go on and on, but nothing I could say, no pictures I could include, could tell enough. Lunetta is not just a house, it is part of a place of profound beauty. Where else can you sit on your terrace and enjoy a view of deep azure waters back-dropped by mountains, back-dropped by even higher mountains, and all of it only a five-minute walk from the ancient and beautiful town of Portovenere? Oh, did I mention the seafood? You'll have to see for yourself! We took pictures of our plates before we ate, but those are for our private use only.
Lastly, I can't say enough about Rentvillas and how well they assisted us in finding a dream vacation for my family. If anything, they refrained from overstating a property and an experience that I will always remember as better than I could have ever expected. Terrific experience!
Reviewed by: D.A.Grice (1 review)
Reviewed on: May 16, 2010
Date of Stay: spring 2010
Vacation Rental Name: Villa Girardi, Tuscany
We have booked through several websites over the years. We find Rentvillas.com to be a very good agent. I especially appreciated the ability to pay using a credit card. Some European-based properties require payment by bank transfer, which is less convenient and costly.
Villa Girardi is about five kilometers from the lovely town of Cortona. It is easy to get to over good roads. The area is fabulous with easy road access to many beautiful hill towns and several larger cities, including Florence. Much of the countryside is iconic Tuscany, lacking only the sunflowers as it was spring when we visited.
Excellent restaurants abound. Be sure to visit Cafe Poliziano in Montepulciano and reserve a table on one of the two tiny balconies overlooking the valley. Much world-class wine originates in the area including Nobile di Moltepulciano and Brunello di Montaliano.
The highlight of the week was the Italiani family who made us feel like part of the family, including cooking a fabulous Italian "farmhouse" meal.
It was difficault to leave, but we will return!
Reviewed by: Joel (1 review)
Reviewed on: April 22, 2010
Date of Stay: spring 2010
Vacation Rental Name: Villa del Castello, Lazio (near Tuscany border)
This was our second rental through Rentvillas. They are wonderful to deal with, and make the whole process effortless. Any questions or concerns are answered quickly.
Villa del Castello is in Torre Alfina, situated right up where Lazio-Umbria-Tuscany meet up. This villa exeeded all our expectations. The pictures are only a taste of what you will see and experience. We were greeted on our arrival by Jeff, who is the owner with his wife Robin. They are both such gracious hosts. On arrival, there was a whole spread laid out for us, of meats, cheeses, olives, and a scrumptious walnut torte.
There is nothing that is lacking in the villa. The kitchen is setup for a chef to cook, every size of clad cookware you can imagine. And the cupboards were stocked. Especially the delicious wine that is there for you to enjoy, a whole wine cellar full.
Everything was found to be first class. The furnishings, the bathrooms, and the lush linens. We felt like we were royalty, especially being next to the castle.
The village of Torre Alfina is perfect for walks around town. A great bakery is nearby as is the gelateria, a must to have. There is also two great restaurants. But you must have the mushroom soup at Ristorante Nuovo Castello, it is heaven.
We were situated perfectly for daytrips to all the areas, even up to Cinque Terre. The gardeners Alex and Olga spoke english, and were very eager to offer help where needed.
We enjoyed our two weeks of living like a dream. Rentvillas are great to work with, and we hightly recommend them. If you are looking for a place to stay in Italy, check out Villa del Castello, you will not be disappointed.
Reviewed by: anngdavis (1 review)
Reviewed on: April 13, 2010
Date of Stay: spring 2010
Vacation Rental Name: villa modica, Sicily
Villa Modica is amazingly well equipped. The property owner/manager couldn't be nicer and greeted us with lasagne, salad, wine, water,milk, coffee and a complete supply of kitchen condiments such as olive oil and balsamic vinegar, as well as detergent and cleaning supplies. Also a very generous supply of linens is on hand.
The villa provided good space for 5 of us spanning 3 generations, and there's room for more. Lovely view of the town on the hill across the ravine and good location, close to town but not too close, i.e., it was peaceful and quiet. We took day trips to Mt. Etna, Siracusa, Ragusa, Donnafugata and the beach. The pool is very pretty though it was too cool to swim in March.
Reviewed by: spklassen (1 review)
Reviewed on: January 24, 2010
Date of Stay: spring 2009
Vacation Rental Name: Villa Certaldo, Tuscany
Villa Certaldo, and its hostess Elizabeth, are absolutely magnificent! The villa itself could not have felt more like home - it was fitted with all the luxuries North Americans could want, from a well appointed kitchen with coffee maker, espresso maker, microwave and a large fridge, to huge bathrooms with tubs and showers, double sinks and marble everywhere! The villa's interior was large, bright and oh-so comfortable! The location of the villa was spectacular, overlooking olive groves and vineyards...and in the distance you can even make out the towers of San Gimignano! Elizabeth, being from the USA, certainly understands how to pamper her guests by providing such an amazing accommodation and lending her knowledge of the local area, including great places to eat and visit. Honestly, I cannot say enough good things about Villa Certaldo, and I cannot wait to stay there again on my next trip to the magnificent country of Italy.
Reviewed by: pauletteb (1 review)
Reviewed on: January 1, 2010
Date of Stay: fall 2009
Vacation Rental Name: Villa Sella, Tuscany
There were 5 lovely ladies who decided to visit Tuscany (the Under the Tuscan Sun dream, minus owning the villa!). We had no recommendation, no real plan, just the dream to visit and confirm the beauty of Tuscany. Our experience was everything we had dreamed and more. We traveled via train from the town of Certaldo, and literally ate and drank the wine and the beauty of Tuscany. Our Villa was home base and served us well as the location was remote enough to give us the real flavor of Tuscany, but close enough to get to the train to visit Florence and Sienna. Our hostess at the Villa, Elizabeth was a fabulous virtual tour guide and gave us all the knowledge we needed to get around in a foreign country and the recommendations saved us a lot of energy to find the best food and the local scenery. We all loved every minute of our short 7 day trip and felt that we had truly experienced Italy by the end of our trip. Another highlight was a half day cooking school located right in the village of Sciano, another delightful surprise set up by Elizabeth. The food and wine of the region was wonderful and the villa was homey yet had all the conveniences that we would need to spend time in the villa.
Reviewed by: BarbaraR (1 review)
Reviewed on: November 21, 2009
Date of Stay: fall 2009
Vacation Rental Name: Antica Rocca, Umbria
Our whole process, planning, reservations, check-in, check-out was a great experience! The Rentvillas website was easy to navigate, my travel adviser was very helpful -many times and the villa was better than described!
The owner met us at check-in with snacks and wine and was a wonderful and unexpected bonus with his recommendations and guidance. The villa itself was beautifully and very comfortably furnished, as well as being well stocked with almost anything you might need. The beds were divine and the towels plush and there was coffee, milk, butter and more in the kitchen! We were spending our anniversary there and the chef he suggested to cook for us at the villa was fantastic! So great, that we had her come cook 4 times!
The villa is in a beautiful, small hamlet, close to Orvieto and the Autostrada. It was a great home base from which we could visit other hill towns, Rome and Siena. We had a wonderful time and would go back in a heartbeat!
Reviewed by: Carolyn (1 review)
Reviewed on: August 9, 2009
Date of Stay: summer 2009
Vacation Rental Name: Villa Sul Golfo, near Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast
Last month, we stayed at Villa sul Golfo in Massa Lubrense, on the Amalfi Coast. The villa was amazing - even better than what was described on the internet! It easily accommodated our party of 14. The view was fabulous - Capri on the left and Mt. Vesuvius and Naples on the right! The property is on the water's edge, and includes a private, amazing saltwater pool much like an infinity one. Needless to say, it was enjoyed immensely by all. The town of Massa Lubrense was wonderfully located (just 8 kilometers from Sorrento and a half hour drive to Positano). All of the Amalfi Coast is very easily accessible from this villa, as was Capri from the local marina. In town, we found a wonderful restaurant, il Cantuccio, which we frequented three times during our one week vacation. The ice cream in town was also to die for. One of the best surprises we found, was the meal and additional food and drink which was left for us upon arrival, at the villa. What a great touch!
Our vacation at this villa was truly a memorable one - we would definitely recommend it to others, and return ourselves if/when we can. The only, minor problems were ants and mosquitos. Be sure to bring some sprays.
Reviewed by: BDredge (1 review)
Reviewed on: July 15, 2009
Date of Stay: summer 2009
Vacation Rental Name: Villa del Cielo with Caminetto, Tuscany
The Villa del Cielo with Caminetto is just outside Siena, and it is spectacular. It sits on top of a hill above olive groves and cypress pines with amazing views across the Tuscan hills. It easily accommodated our party of 12 - with plenty of room for everyone to have their own piece of paradise, such as the two vine covered outside loggia, the huge chapel converted into a comfortable formal lounge, several sitting areas within the villa, kitchens and dining areas. The gardens are also worth exploring - not just for the delightful pool, but for the mulberry and cherry trees, and the herb borders (which come in handy for dinner!). The Villa contact person is very helpful, he greets you and helps with any issues that arise during your stay. The staff at Rentvillas provide everything you need before you set off. We had a wonderful time - I'd like to visit again.
http://www.rentvillas.com/
These reviews were collected on the Slow Europe website and have been copied here. The reviews are for different places all available through Rentvillas.
Reviewed by: Diane Cash (1 review)
Reviewed on: November 15, 2011
Date of Stay: fall 2011
Vacation Rental Name: Villa Piero, Tuscany
Many people have asked us how we found our villa and we told them Rentvillas.com tailored a villa to our needs. We gave Jannah at Rentvillas.com a personality portfolio of our group, and she came up with Villa Piero! She nailed it! It was perfect for our group!
Our group of 8 (October 8-15) had a fantastic time at Villa Piero! The villa and its surroundings are absolutely beautiful. It was our first adventure of driving in Italy (we used a GPS system). The directions were good to the villa. The first time making it up that mountain on the gravel road to the villa was a bit intimidating, but it soon became second nature. Nicola, Rosa and Sara were there to greet us with big smiles. They were more than hosts and hostesses, they became our Italia family. We endeared ourselves to them, their home, their country and their culture! We had asked for a pizza night the first night we arrived at Villa Piero and it was a perfect welcoming dinner! Nicola makes homemade dough and Rosa makes her own sauce and all the home grown vegetables that she grilled. Each person made their own specialized pizza! And, every morning, Nicola would make sure that he was up to start our mornings with cappuccino! We would take day trips from the villa, either by car or train. We went to Anghiari (which is approximately a 25-minute drive from the villa); Siena (by car); Florence (by train); Asissi and Perugia (by train) and Cortona (by car…we took the back way through the country roads from the villa to Cortona). We were also fortunate to make the Tuscany Wine Festival held in Arezzo! Arezzo is a charming city and it became our main thoroughfare for grocery shopping, a night out for dinner, and the international food fair held on Fridays. We were not sure about the remoteness of this villa, but we ended up liking the peacefulness and fell in love with the city of Arezzo. The train station in Arezzo was very convenient and was our network for traveling on our day trips. And, the Avis rent-a-car was right across from the train station.
We loved our nights together at the villa getting together to cook our dinner with the wine flowing! The kitchen is a professional chef’s kitchen and we had plenty of room for all the congregating in the kitchen area. Our favorite was sitting around the big table in the dining room (by the fireplace) eating, drinking and socializing with Italian music in the background. We ate inside as the weather was a bit chilly in mid-October. Rosa made a spectacular dinner for one of our guest’s birthday! She started out with at least 10 different appetizers, pasta, a pork roast, and a fish dish for our vegetarian in the group and ended with a delicious pineapple cream birthday cake and a bottle of champagne for the birthday girl! There are several areas for socializing outside the villa including a foosball table, ping pong, swimming (it was too cold in mid-October for our group0 to swim) and there were several sitting areas just to relax and watch the sunset!
The only complaint we had was the beds are hard. It would be wonderful if they upgraded the mattresses. Also, we suggest with large groups that you stagger your showers as the last person showering would always run out of hot water. There is no dryer, just the washing machine! They provided a clothes line and clothes pins! We Americans adapted quickly!
We found it difficult to say goodbye to Nicola and his family as they became our family! They have a compassion for their guests and made all of us feel welcome and at home!
The whole vacation experience was so enjoyable...from the personal service of Rent Villas.com to the villa owners. It was the trip of a lifetime!
Diane
California
Reviewed by: jb550 (1 review)
Reviewed on: October 23, 2011
Date of Stay: fall 2011
Vacation Rental Name: Casa del Feino, Tuscany
Four of us rented this property in early October, 2011, and we all agreed it was better in person than it had appeared in the pictures. The villa is surrounded by a wine estate and has a 270 degree view of vineyards, forest, and the nearby Tuscan hill towns. It's close enough to town for runs to the grocery store, but far enough away for peace and quiet. The property was well maintained, the house comfortable, the outdoor dining area strategicaly located to take advantage of the views, and the remainder of the property available to us for long walks. The kitchen was well stocked and the living areas tastefully decorated and comfortable. The property manager was friendly, and available to assist us with whatever we needed; the owner took an interest in us as well. The property is centrqlly located to Siena and Florence; day trips to those two cities are quick and easy, San Gimignano is similarly closeby, as are Castelina in Chianti, Greve in Chianti, Rada in Chianti, and a variety of other towns in the Chianti region. The property is also well-enough situated to make day trips to Cortona, Arezzo, and Assisi.
In all, this property exceeded our expectations. Great views, great location, nice amenities, and well managed. In addition, working with RentVillas was a good experience. They took a personal interest in finding us the right vacation home, communicated regularly and efficienty, and were interested in our experience when we returned home.
Reviewed by: Robin Critelli (1 review)
Reviewed on: October 21, 2011
Date of Stay: fall 2011
Vacation Rental Name: Villa Due Golfi, near Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast
I had never rented a villa - or worked with a service. It was plain luck to find rentvillas.com on the internet. Being in the U.S., it was comforting to work with someone here. They were amazing responsive, professional, friendly, and gave great advise. A few days before we departed, they frantically called (on a weekend) and said that the property manager in Italy has double booked the villa we originally rented. They got the property manager to offer the choice of two villas - both upgrades. The villa was spectacular and the property mgt people couldn't have been better. They arranged transportation, mozzarella tasting, a rental boat, and a chef to teach us to cook a real Italian meal. My only error in planning the trip was that I used a different rental company for the apartment in Rome. Next time, I'm using Rentvillas.com for all arrangements and lodging!! They were the best!
Reviewed by: michaelC (1 review)
Reviewed on: September 22, 2011
Date of Stay: summer
Vacation Rental Name: Villa Piero, Tuscany
4 couples enjoyed the Villa as a central location in Tuscany. Some stayed for the entire week and some traveled to nearby cites for a night or two.
The nearby owners were simply wonderful. They were there if you needed them and very sensitive to our privacy. In my opinion, they are a very big part of the experience. The views are majestic and the weather was perfect.
The property is amazing! The rooms are large and very well appointed. The kitchen was a blast if you enjoy cooking.
The pool is beautiful. By the pool is a ping pong table where we enjoyed many fairly tipsy games of ping pong! The trip was amazing!
Little help on the directions: When you get on SS73 they have kilometer markers every tenth of a kilometer or so. When you get to kilometer marker 163 you will be very close to the turn for the villa. It is between marker 163 and 164. Enjoy!!!
Reviewed by: RevDonWilson (1 review)
Reviewed on: July 27, 2011
Date of Stay: spring 2011
Vacation Rental Name: Villa Del Cielo with Caminetto, Tuscany
This was our first experience at a villa in Tuscany. We were a group of 13 people.
Our overall experience was wonderfully enjoyable, from being met by Jesus and the gift of the fruit basket, to saying farewell to the place we called home for three magnificent weeks.
As for what we enjoyed the most: We immediately felt the tranquility both inside the villa and outside on the grounds. Refreshing homemade meals, a place to come home to after a day of touring, enjoying walks and vistas, reading and relaxing in the hills of Siena were all present every day in such a variety of ways.
A rooster and a coo-coo bird on the neighbors property, about a mile away, was a great way to wake up in the morning. The roads to the many hill towns were great for leisurely drives and day trips. The many places to visit were easy to find using the GPS in our rental cars. We enjoyed the local markets, the historic Renaissance art, and the friendly people we met everywhere.
Siena was a 6 mile drive, or a 15 minute taxi ride. Florence was accessible by car and regional train, both of which we used often. It was comforting to have a relaxing place to call home, and still visit much of the Tuscany region on our own timetable. Many days were spent at the villa relaxing, swimming, reading, or sketching.
About the restaurants: Bring a willingness to let go of your busyness and enjoy the easy time in Tuscany. Bring an adventurous spirit to explore Siena, Florence, take a ride on a train, or tour a winery. There are very good city and country restaurants, most are advertised locally.
To arrive at the villa, we hired a driver from Rome, which is about the same cost as a train and taxi, who brought us directly to the property.
Checking in and out was easy, and genuinely personal. We were met by the keyholder and handyman, Jesus, who was friendly, helpful, thorough in his orientation, and attentive to our needs.
We would encourage anyone considering traveling to Tuscany to let RentVillas help you with your travel plans.
Reviewed by: PatiElmore (1 review)
Reviewed on: July 11, 2011
Date of Stay: spring
Vacation Rental Name: Villa Francesco con Duetto, Tuscany
Pati Elmore
The BEST two week vacation ever at Villa Francesco con Duetto in Monterchi. There were twelve in our group and we even had one bedroom/bathroom left over. The palace, village, supermarket, restaurant, food, wines, beds, linens, cleanliness were great. The owner prepared our arrival Tuscan meal and was available for any and all of our needs along with her assistant. Our day trips were the best and ended with drinks in the fabulous rose garden by the pool and gazebo with the Tuscan sun setting in the west. We enjoyed "Living Like a Local" and feeling like a local. Great way to learn more about Italy.
Reviewed by: Donald Posegate (1 review)
Reviewed on: May 14, 2011
Date of Stay: spring 2010
Vacation Rental Name: Torre Alfina, near Viterbo, Lazio
La Villa di Torre Alfina was absolutely fabulous for my 65th birthday trip to Italy. I had invited 6 of my family and friends to join my partner and me in our celebration of my birthday.
The villa was more than we had expected. We had rented villas before but this was beyond our expectations. Everything was prettier and better than the ad pictures. There were all the items a traveler would need; a computer, phones, and even a GPS. The beds were very comfortable, the frig was stocked, there were nice crystal and flatware. The pots and pans were top notch quality. Olga and Alex were the caretakers. Both were a pleasure and made sure that everything was to our liking. I was spoiled.
The village was great! We ate at the 2 local restuarants most of the time. Carlo at the New Castle made sure our traveler with a gluten problem had "rice" pasta and special "no gluten" food. The seafood restuarant made one of the best risotto di tutta mare that I have ever had.
I can not say enough about our experience. The location, the villa, the village and the people. It was GREAT.
Reviewed by: winkyh (1 review)
Reviewed on: March 7, 2011
Date of Stay: winter 2010
Vacation Rental Name: via napoli, Naples
We had a fantastic stay in the Napoli apartment. We stayed in there February 2011.The location is excellent - a 10-15 minute walk to just about every major attraction. it is off the busy road, via Nazionale, and so quiet. church bells at 9:00am are a lovely wake-up call.
Enjoyed Most: The beds and bathrooms were wonderful- clean new and comfy. The espresso machine is GENIUS and we used it every day. The best aspect, though, was having Angelo as the property manager. He handles the 2-star hotel right around the corner and was always available for questions and concerns. His English is great and he is so willing to help.
Unpleasant Surprises: The living room was a little spare and the couch not super comfortable. The place could benefit from a sleeper couch, since 5 people could easily stay in the place. Two bathrooms is rare to find.
Surrounding Area: Villa Borghese and the Spanish Steps - my daughter and I are runners and she went almost everyday to the park. Do not miss the Museo Borghese in there!
Tips or Restaurants: Bring binoculars for the Sistine Chapel. Find Locando Barberini for dinner - and Cotto. Both are close. By far our best meals. Cafe Gaudi farther north by the park called via Ada was also excellent for lunch. Great bread, pizza, and a veggie buffet. Find Caffe Sant Eustachio for coffee. we also loved a new place called al Duello.
Directions: we took an 8 euro shuttle from the airport that took us to the Termini Rail Station which is about a 10-minute walk to the apartment.
Check In Out: Just to repeat: Angelo is an angel!
Reviewed by: AveryL (1 review)
Reviewed on: October 25, 2010
Date of Stay: fall 2010
Vacation Rental Name: Poggio Antico, Tuscany
My husband and I were celebrating our 25th anniversary in October and I have always wanted to go to Italy. Along with two other couples, we booked a villa through Rentvillas.com I had researched locations and read reviews.
The villa we rented was rated highly and it provided each couple with their own bedroom and bathroom. It was located in Tuscany (my preferred location) and was 18km outside of Florence. The directions to the villa were great. We went directly to the villa after arriving at the Florence airport, although we knew that check-in wasn't until 3 pm, so that we could ensure that we found it.
We loved our villa and the owners! The view from the villa was absolutely spectacular and we had the owners come in to cook us an authentic italian meal and it was the best! We highly recommend this! We were surrounded by olive groves and were able to enjoy fresh figs from the tree!
We had a rental car and brought along a GPS (which was definitely an essential item!) We walked to Bocciano and Montegufoni and went through the beautiful castle just down the road. We drove to Montespertoli and strolled upon a wonderful restaurant (Ristorante L'Orcio). The owners (Rocco and Tina) could not speak english but Rocco took care of us and Tina cooked us up a great lunch! The food was outstanding and we made a point of going back on our second last day along with the owners of our villa where we enjoyed another great seafood dinner ... so fresh and tasty!
We also hiked the Cinque Terre (along the coast) and visited Florence, Siena, San Giomagnano and the hot springs in Montapucino. We also enjoyed a wonderful private wine tour with Rebecca of Associazione del Vino Toscano (www.tuscanwinesociety.com). She took us out for the entire day where we enjoyed tasting the Italian wines and learning about the wineries and the many little towns along our travels. We had another amazing meal at Antica Macelleria Cecchini and had grappa with Dario upon our departure. This was a really fun day!
We were extremely fortunate to have enjoyed our initial Italy experience with all these beautiful people in their absolutely beautiful country! We loved Italy!
Reviewed by: DavidG (1 review)
Reviewed on: May 25, 2010
Date of Stay: spring 2010
Vacation Rental Name: Lunetta, near Portovenere, Liguria
My wife, two grown daughters, and I have just returned from a twelve day vacation in Italy, beginning with a couple of days in Florence and ending with a couple of days in Milan. In between, we made our home at Lunetta, and we all agree that our week spent at Lunetta was the highlight of our vacation. Located just outside the town center of Portovenere, this seaside cottage overwhelmed us all. We had done our research and our expectations were not low, but nothing could have prepared us for the idyllic setting of this little home, its openess to the sun and the sea and the warmth that emanated from both its physical presence and from the people who made it more than just a place to stay.
Upon arrival by train in La Spezia, itself a charming city and only minutes by cab or bus from Portovenere, we contacting the property manager who then contacted the property owners and arranged for our early arrival at the property. Arriving at Lunetta, a member of the family that owns the property welcomed us and introduced us to the house. During the week that followed, every encounter with members of this lovely family (who live in a gorgeous villa on the terraces above the cottage) left us with an even warmer feeling for Lunetta and for Portovenere. While we were living in a cottage nestled in the lap of their own property, they treated us not only with unfailing friendliness but with a politeness that allowed us to share this setting with them in a way that preserved our own sense of privacy and privaledged access to this incomparable experience.
I could go on and on, but nothing I could say, no pictures I could include, could tell enough. Lunetta is not just a house, it is part of a place of profound beauty. Where else can you sit on your terrace and enjoy a view of deep azure waters back-dropped by mountains, back-dropped by even higher mountains, and all of it only a five-minute walk from the ancient and beautiful town of Portovenere? Oh, did I mention the seafood? You'll have to see for yourself! We took pictures of our plates before we ate, but those are for our private use only.
Lastly, I can't say enough about Rentvillas and how well they assisted us in finding a dream vacation for my family. If anything, they refrained from overstating a property and an experience that I will always remember as better than I could have ever expected. Terrific experience!
Reviewed by: D.A.Grice (1 review)
Reviewed on: May 16, 2010
Date of Stay: spring 2010
Vacation Rental Name: Villa Girardi, Tuscany
We have booked through several websites over the years. We find Rentvillas.com to be a very good agent. I especially appreciated the ability to pay using a credit card. Some European-based properties require payment by bank transfer, which is less convenient and costly.
Villa Girardi is about five kilometers from the lovely town of Cortona. It is easy to get to over good roads. The area is fabulous with easy road access to many beautiful hill towns and several larger cities, including Florence. Much of the countryside is iconic Tuscany, lacking only the sunflowers as it was spring when we visited.
Excellent restaurants abound. Be sure to visit Cafe Poliziano in Montepulciano and reserve a table on one of the two tiny balconies overlooking the valley. Much world-class wine originates in the area including Nobile di Moltepulciano and Brunello di Montaliano.
The highlight of the week was the Italiani family who made us feel like part of the family, including cooking a fabulous Italian "farmhouse" meal.
It was difficault to leave, but we will return!
Reviewed by: Joel (1 review)
Reviewed on: April 22, 2010
Date of Stay: spring 2010
Vacation Rental Name: Villa del Castello, Lazio (near Tuscany border)
This was our second rental through Rentvillas. They are wonderful to deal with, and make the whole process effortless. Any questions or concerns are answered quickly.
Villa del Castello is in Torre Alfina, situated right up where Lazio-Umbria-Tuscany meet up. This villa exeeded all our expectations. The pictures are only a taste of what you will see and experience. We were greeted on our arrival by Jeff, who is the owner with his wife Robin. They are both such gracious hosts. On arrival, there was a whole spread laid out for us, of meats, cheeses, olives, and a scrumptious walnut torte.
There is nothing that is lacking in the villa. The kitchen is setup for a chef to cook, every size of clad cookware you can imagine. And the cupboards were stocked. Especially the delicious wine that is there for you to enjoy, a whole wine cellar full.
Everything was found to be first class. The furnishings, the bathrooms, and the lush linens. We felt like we were royalty, especially being next to the castle.
The village of Torre Alfina is perfect for walks around town. A great bakery is nearby as is the gelateria, a must to have. There is also two great restaurants. But you must have the mushroom soup at Ristorante Nuovo Castello, it is heaven.
We were situated perfectly for daytrips to all the areas, even up to Cinque Terre. The gardeners Alex and Olga spoke english, and were very eager to offer help where needed.
We enjoyed our two weeks of living like a dream. Rentvillas are great to work with, and we hightly recommend them. If you are looking for a place to stay in Italy, check out Villa del Castello, you will not be disappointed.
Reviewed by: anngdavis (1 review)
Reviewed on: April 13, 2010
Date of Stay: spring 2010
Vacation Rental Name: villa modica, Sicily
Villa Modica is amazingly well equipped. The property owner/manager couldn't be nicer and greeted us with lasagne, salad, wine, water,milk, coffee and a complete supply of kitchen condiments such as olive oil and balsamic vinegar, as well as detergent and cleaning supplies. Also a very generous supply of linens is on hand.
The villa provided good space for 5 of us spanning 3 generations, and there's room for more. Lovely view of the town on the hill across the ravine and good location, close to town but not too close, i.e., it was peaceful and quiet. We took day trips to Mt. Etna, Siracusa, Ragusa, Donnafugata and the beach. The pool is very pretty though it was too cool to swim in March.
Reviewed by: spklassen (1 review)
Reviewed on: January 24, 2010
Date of Stay: spring 2009
Vacation Rental Name: Villa Certaldo, Tuscany
Villa Certaldo, and its hostess Elizabeth, are absolutely magnificent! The villa itself could not have felt more like home - it was fitted with all the luxuries North Americans could want, from a well appointed kitchen with coffee maker, espresso maker, microwave and a large fridge, to huge bathrooms with tubs and showers, double sinks and marble everywhere! The villa's interior was large, bright and oh-so comfortable! The location of the villa was spectacular, overlooking olive groves and vineyards...and in the distance you can even make out the towers of San Gimignano! Elizabeth, being from the USA, certainly understands how to pamper her guests by providing such an amazing accommodation and lending her knowledge of the local area, including great places to eat and visit. Honestly, I cannot say enough good things about Villa Certaldo, and I cannot wait to stay there again on my next trip to the magnificent country of Italy.
Reviewed by: pauletteb (1 review)
Reviewed on: January 1, 2010
Date of Stay: fall 2009
Vacation Rental Name: Villa Sella, Tuscany
There were 5 lovely ladies who decided to visit Tuscany (the Under the Tuscan Sun dream, minus owning the villa!). We had no recommendation, no real plan, just the dream to visit and confirm the beauty of Tuscany. Our experience was everything we had dreamed and more. We traveled via train from the town of Certaldo, and literally ate and drank the wine and the beauty of Tuscany. Our Villa was home base and served us well as the location was remote enough to give us the real flavor of Tuscany, but close enough to get to the train to visit Florence and Sienna. Our hostess at the Villa, Elizabeth was a fabulous virtual tour guide and gave us all the knowledge we needed to get around in a foreign country and the recommendations saved us a lot of energy to find the best food and the local scenery. We all loved every minute of our short 7 day trip and felt that we had truly experienced Italy by the end of our trip. Another highlight was a half day cooking school located right in the village of Sciano, another delightful surprise set up by Elizabeth. The food and wine of the region was wonderful and the villa was homey yet had all the conveniences that we would need to spend time in the villa.
Reviewed by: BarbaraR (1 review)
Reviewed on: November 21, 2009
Date of Stay: fall 2009
Vacation Rental Name: Antica Rocca, Umbria
Our whole process, planning, reservations, check-in, check-out was a great experience! The Rentvillas website was easy to navigate, my travel adviser was very helpful -many times and the villa was better than described!
The owner met us at check-in with snacks and wine and was a wonderful and unexpected bonus with his recommendations and guidance. The villa itself was beautifully and very comfortably furnished, as well as being well stocked with almost anything you might need. The beds were divine and the towels plush and there was coffee, milk, butter and more in the kitchen! We were spending our anniversary there and the chef he suggested to cook for us at the villa was fantastic! So great, that we had her come cook 4 times!
The villa is in a beautiful, small hamlet, close to Orvieto and the Autostrada. It was a great home base from which we could visit other hill towns, Rome and Siena. We had a wonderful time and would go back in a heartbeat!
Reviewed by: Carolyn (1 review)
Reviewed on: August 9, 2009
Date of Stay: summer 2009
Vacation Rental Name: Villa Sul Golfo, near Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast
Last month, we stayed at Villa sul Golfo in Massa Lubrense, on the Amalfi Coast. The villa was amazing - even better than what was described on the internet! It easily accommodated our party of 14. The view was fabulous - Capri on the left and Mt. Vesuvius and Naples on the right! The property is on the water's edge, and includes a private, amazing saltwater pool much like an infinity one. Needless to say, it was enjoyed immensely by all. The town of Massa Lubrense was wonderfully located (just 8 kilometers from Sorrento and a half hour drive to Positano). All of the Amalfi Coast is very easily accessible from this villa, as was Capri from the local marina. In town, we found a wonderful restaurant, il Cantuccio, which we frequented three times during our one week vacation. The ice cream in town was also to die for. One of the best surprises we found, was the meal and additional food and drink which was left for us upon arrival, at the villa. What a great touch!
Our vacation at this villa was truly a memorable one - we would definitely recommend it to others, and return ourselves if/when we can. The only, minor problems were ants and mosquitos. Be sure to bring some sprays.
Reviewed by: BDredge (1 review)
Reviewed on: July 15, 2009
Date of Stay: summer 2009
Vacation Rental Name: Villa del Cielo with Caminetto, Tuscany
The Villa del Cielo with Caminetto is just outside Siena, and it is spectacular. It sits on top of a hill above olive groves and cypress pines with amazing views across the Tuscan hills. It easily accommodated our party of 12 - with plenty of room for everyone to have their own piece of paradise, such as the two vine covered outside loggia, the huge chapel converted into a comfortable formal lounge, several sitting areas within the villa, kitchens and dining areas. The gardens are also worth exploring - not just for the delightful pool, but for the mulberry and cherry trees, and the herb borders (which come in handy for dinner!). The Villa contact person is very helpful, he greets you and helps with any issues that arise during your stay. The staff at Rentvillas provide everything you need before you set off. We had a wonderful time - I'd like to visit again.