Testimonials

John,

 We had a great time at the Radda in Chianti property.  It was even more beautiful than we had hoped and everything from the stocking of the fridge to the friendliness of Simona Fontani exceeded our expectations.

 While we toured a few days and enjoyed some wine tastings, we spent most of our time at the villa. As the following three videos (sorry, I don’t know how to splice videos together) illustrate, it’s pretty easy to simply sit and enjoy the surroundings … when the surroundings look like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSjxBWcKB1o

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFIFCMmRG_A

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Zh7eGLL7YA

  Now it’s 4:45 am and I’ve been awake since 2:00….  And it’s good to be home.

 This was a 30^th wedding anniversary trip (and 36^th for Steve and Judy) that Cathy and I won’t forget!

 Mille grazie!

 RADDA http://www.italiantownandcountry.com/radda-chianti-villas/

Terry

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We have arrived in Rome and already miss villa Girasole very much!  The city is busy and exciting but we miss the beauty of Tuscany — and especially our little spot in Cevoli.
GIRASOLE http://www.italiantownandcountry.com/girasole-villa-lucca/

LK 

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John:
A short message to send a sincere thank you for a splendid job in advising us and providing such superb assistance to us for our Italian trip. Your efforts in arranging details and recommending options resulted in a marvelous two week sojourn in Tuscany. You and the folks there at Italian Town and Country deserve a solid pat on the back — and a cold beer should I be in Seattle anytime soon. Again our thanks for your time and extensive coordination.

 Dear John — We are now back from Italy (we spent the first week of August in Rome), and I just wanted to tell you that we were really pleased with the Maria Villa — it was just as we had imagined, and very well suited to our needs.  Certainly worth waiting a year for!  Carmella was charming, and we had her cook a meal for us one night, which was delicious.  Thanks for working with us on this; we were very satisfied with everything, and will definitely be recommending you to our friends.
We do have one suggestion, though, at least for this property:  We came in five separate groups, and each of us had difficulty following the directions to the villa.  (Since the villa driveway is not actually on Via Gino Severini, the groups spent between 45 minutes and 2 hours circling Cortona trying to figure out where to go.)  So, we think it
would be really helpful if in the future you include a Google Maps imagefor the area, and just mark where the villa is;  it will save a lot of frustration.  Anyway, thanks again John — it was a complete thumbs up
vacation.

MARIA  http://www.italiantownandcountry.com/maria-private-tuscan-villa/

 We had an amazing time and the villa was fantastic.  Also the Relais Borgo is a great place to stay on the way.  Thanks for your help with everything.  We will definitely contact you for our next family trip to Italy

 D.D.

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 I am remiss in not sending this earlier.  The house was terrific, no, it was better than that.  All the bedrooms had their own bath and the beds were very comfortable.  While the house looks old it’s actually new.  All bedrooms had cable TV and there was wireless internet throughout.  The kitchen had a great stove/range and good gear to go with it.  There was nice glassware and table settings as well.  By far the high point was Franco the owner.  He is a charming and gracious man who taught us to make pizza on the outside wood fired oven-WOW.  We actually became good friends with Franco and his wife and son.   He cooked for us again and we took them out for dinner as well.  All in all, the week at the house exceeded our expectations by a significant margin.  We’re already talking about another trip to Tuscany. 

MULINO BIANCO http://www.italiantownandcountry.com/mulinobianco-chianti-villa-rental/

 D.C.

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Hello John…I’ve been meaning to write to you to let you know how awesome our stay was at Villa Maria. Our entire family loved the house and surroundings. We’re still day-dreaming of Cortona!  We could not get over Carmela’s meals and how inexpensive they were and more importantly delicious!  We always had left over’s for lunch too! The one & only negative was the walk into town!  If you wanted a good work out while on vacation then it was fine!  Otherwise we drove.

 Thanks again for everything. We’ll be sure to use your company in the future,

MARIA  http://www.italiantownandcountry.com/maria-private-tuscan-villa/

 J.G.

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 John, we had a great trip and loved the villa!  Fabrizio couldn’t have been more helpful.  I would highly recommend this villa to anyone who is looking for peace and quiet with beautiful surroundings.  We enjoyed Orvietto and also spent several days at the lake (Bolsena) which the kids loved. Thanks for all of your help!

ORVIETO http://www.italiantownandcountry.com/orvieto-luxury-villa/

 J.U.

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 Hello John!

 Our stay overall was fantastic!! We truly enjoyed Tuscany and the house was ideal for our family.  Radda has been restored to a high standard and the grounds were nicely maintained.  Best of all the kids really enjoyed the pool.  Additionally, the location was fantastic, very central and very private. 

 Simona was very helpful although it would have been great if she spoke a bit of English.  Since we speak Spanish we however managed to communicate.

Simona’s father in law was on the property several times and he was really great, he even helped us one time that the power went out for several hours and Simona could not be reached. 

 The welcome pack you sent us was also very helpful. The dictionary was also well used.

 I would simple say we had a great time and hope to visit again one day.

 regards,

RADDA http://www.italiantownandcountry.com/radda-chianti-villas/

 A and L H

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Hi John,

You must be on vacation……..hopefully you’re somewhere nice!!!

The villa was just beautiful……..more so than the photos could show!  What a great piece of property and it was very well manicured.  We didn’t spend much time in the villa since the weather was so beautiful and we used the outside kitchen and table every day. 

 The owner was very sweet and didn’t speak a lick of English so two of us tried to get by with our Spanish.  She brought her son by a couple of times and he translated for us.  I never saw Vittorio or his wife.  I figured they would be the “middleman” but maybe they were gone.  Maria (the cook for one evening) was just fantastic!  First of all, she was very sweet and her cooking was amazing!  I think we had 7 things!!! Two appetizers, duck, lamb and pasta and then 2 desserts!!!   It was just fantastic!!!  I would highly recommend her to anyone!!!

 Anyway, I will forward you pics of the villa that I took and you are welcome to use any for your website.  I can see how you are attracted to Cortona and the area since it is all so relaxing and charming!!!!   It’s also a great location for day trips to other hill towns in Tuscany!!!!  I’m ready to go back!!!!

We all thank you for all of your hard work and helpful advice and I’m sure we will all be referring you to our friends who inquire about villas!!!

 Best of everything to you and your family!

ELCE http://www.italiantownandcountry.com/elce-tuscany-villa-rental/

S. and D. A.

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 John, the villa was terrific. They were not prepared for as much cooking that we did since one of the family was a gourmet cook. the location was fine, however the villa was difficult to find the first and second time since there was no obvious entrance signs on 71. the rooms were great and the owners were very gracious.  I would recommend the villa to anyone who could afford it. 

A.J.

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 To let you know how much we enjoyed the villa in Castiglione Fiorentino. it was a great suggestion.

 

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 John…

 Thanks for the note and sorry for the delay in response.. As soon as I got home from Italy I have been going non-stop back at work..

The trip to Italy and the stay at Cittadella was fabulous.  My family rated the trip as “best-in lifetime” so I guess that is pretty good.

The Villa was beautiful…and having Italian cooked meals 3 nights was something my family particularly enjoyed.  We decided to take

3 day trips; Florence, Sienna and SanMangiano (sp?)…anyway all incredible.  The highlight was a trip to a winery and wine-tasting.  It was the first “tasting-event” my wife and kids attended and they loved it!!!  I rented a van and we also hired a driver (Guido) who was awesome…the kids especially enjoyed his company… (Last night he took us to his favorite “local restaurant” outside of Florence and it was great….the food and “venue” was just a blast! 

….thanks again for all your support in preparing for the trip…I learned a lot (do’s and don’ts ) so as we plan our next trip I will be that much more comfortable ….

 All the best…. I have already recommended your company to a dozen of my friends and neighbors…don’t be surprised if you get a few calls in the near future!

Regards

CITTADELLA http://www.italiantownandcountry.com/cittadella-villa-rental-in-pisa/

Dennis

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Hi John

 Just wanted to let you know how much we loved and enjoyed every minute at Cittadella. 

 It was exactly what I was looking for at the start of this adventure.

 Thank you for understanding my wishes. 

 Cevoli is the town of dreams, and I know I left my heart there.

 We did the whole tourist thing, but when we came back to Cittadella, we felt like  locals

 Tuscany was in its glory with the changing of the colors,  it was magnificent…

 Thank you for helping making all of our dreams come true.

 Best Regards

CITTADELLA http://www.italiantownandcountry.com/cittadella-villa-rental-in-pisa/

Linda and her California friends and family.

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 Hello John…I’ve been meaning to write to you to let you know how awesome our stay was at Villa Maria. Our entire family loved the house and surroundings. We’re still day-dreaming of Cortona!  We could not get over Carmela’s meals and how inexpensive they were and more importantly delicious!  We always had left over’s for lunch too! The one & only negative was the walk into town!  If you wanted a good work out while on vacation then it was fine!  Otherwise we drove.

Thanks again for everything. We’ll be sure to use your company in the future,

MARIA  http://www.italiantownandcountry.com/maria-private-tuscan-villa/

Jane G

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 John,  we had a great trip and loved the villa!  Fabrizio couldn’t have been more helpful.  I would highly recommend this villa to anyone who is looking for peace and quiet with beautiful surroundings.  We enjoyed Orvietto and also spent several days at the lake (Bolsena) which the kids loved. Thanks for all of your help!

ORVIETO http://www.italiantownandcountry.com/orvieto-luxury-villa/

 Jim

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 John,

 Thank you for writing and believe me I intended to drop you a note before the end of the week.  Judith and I returned to Trinidad only last Sunday as I had business in London following our return from Priscia.

 I am only too happy to repeat what I said to Letizia in a phone call during our penultimate day, this was the best holiday we ever spent.  I cannot overstate our delight with the villa, the setting, the friendliness and help received from Ella and the superb access to so many wonderful locations in Tuscany afforded by the villa’s situation just outside of Lucca.  Truly, it was the perfect holiday and our friends, at first, and then the family were equally enchanted.

 I have made up my mind that I must return next spring for a week, not to Priscia as it will be a get away for Judith and me, but Letizia or you will have to find me a similar place nearby to relive the July of 2009.  The views and atmosphere of the hillsides with the olive groves and vineyards are just too much to forget and not to repeat.

 I will be more than pleased to provide a formal testimonial to you regarding Villa Priscia and I must thank you for making a dream holiday exactly that.  It could not have been bettered.

 Warm regards,

 Henry Peter.

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 We had an amazing time and the villa was fantastic.  Also the Relais Borgo is a great place to stay on the way.  Thanks for your help with everything.  We will definitely contact you for our next family trip to Italy.

D.D.

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Hi John,

We just arrived home last night, we spent time in Rome and Venice as well.  Villa Mariani was really wonderful, all that you said it would be and more.  We had such a great time and the weather other than the first couple of days was perfect.  We thoroughly enjoyed the pool and tennis court and the grounds were heavenly.   The house was so homey and welcoming, obviously very family oriented, more than one of the couples expressed a desire to return with families in tow.  Cortona itself was out of a picture, and the shop and restaurant owners were helpful and friendly, we walked in most days to the bakery and restaurants, easy access to Florence as well.  You were so right, it was the perfect proximity to all we wanted to see.  The management company, Vittorio and his staff, were most helpful with questions and guidance, he had someone who spoke English and so she was our lifeline.   

 I know that as a chalet owner myself, that feedback is important and necessary. If we had anything to say, it would be that some of the mattresses and most of the pillows are in need of some updates.  I know this because I just replaced most of our duvets, pillows and some mattresses after just 7 years at our place, and we’ve only rented it out for 2 of those years.  I coughed at the expense (14 beds) but its necessary for high end rentals.  I think most of us headed for the Westin Heavenly Bed in Rome and Venice following the departure.   Carmella was absolutely wonderful with a beautiful talent for cooking and for such a crowd, she was tipped very well (about 3 times what they had suggested).  But there were some language difficulties and because of this perhaps, discrepancies in some of the meals, we loved her pasta, but as much as we tried to tell her that, it seemed to have dropped out of the meal plan each night.  And I may have misunderstood about breakfasts, we had thought that she may provide something.  Our walks to Cortona bakery though made up for it (a good workout too).  But all in all, she was lovely and we had lots of laughs with her, and I will dream of her Tiramisu forever!   

 So I think that’s about it, I would not hesitate for a minute to return to the place given the opportunity, for me it was ideal.  Our group were all well pleased, they are all fairly spoiled mind you when it comes to high brow travel, thus the comments about the beds and pillows, but they appreciated the character of the house as a whole.  We would have loved to know more about the history of the place, I’m sure it is interesting.  So thank you John, for all your help, I hope to return to your website one day for another excursion.  Keep us in mind in the future if a new extravagant palace comes across your desk, keep these boys happy and comfortable.  Take care, hope you had good travels as well.

Thanks again…Ciao!

MARIA  http://www.italiantownandcountry.com/maria-private-tuscan-villa/

Kim

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 Hello John,

I have been meaning to write and tell you that the experience was truly amazing.

The villa and staff were wonderful. The town was quaint. The spa was great.

It was a drive…not a walk to town, but other than that everything was as expected or better.

I wanted to follow up with you regarding the security deposit. Did I give you one? If so, can I get it back?

Thanks for all of your advice regarding Italy. I would definitely do it again.

I hope your trip was wonderful also.

Jan

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John,

 

A.

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Hi John,

 I have been meaning to write to tell you how very happy we were with our stay at the Villa.  We had the most incredible time.  We loved the place, the view, the wine, and especially Graziella and her cooking!  All of us have fantastic memories of our stay there, and wouldn’t hesitate to return.  Actually, we are all having a terrible time transitioning back to life without ItalyJ  We have all had to cut back on our eating and drinking wine just for a starter…all those extra pounds we so well deserved.  Oh how we miss the food, the wine, the people—Italy has always been one of my favorite places to visit, however, each time I came back it gets harder and harder to leave. 

Thank you so much for helping us put this wonderful vacation together.  I will keep your card handy for our next trip.

 VILLA LE CASALE http://www.italiantownandcountry.com/lecasale-luxury-villa-valdorcia/

 Barbara

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 Hi John,

 Tom and I just wanted to “Thank YOU” so much for such a wonderful trip.  Hugo was absolutely fabulous and the Villa was beautiful.  Your information in the packet was very helpful and informative. Cortona is such a wonderful place to visit and we made a lot of friends along the way.   We will definitely go back to Cortona!

 Thanks again,

HUGO http://www.italiantownandcountry.com/hugo-cortona-rental/

 T and C Jones

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Let me just say what a wonderful experience we had with one of your rentals. The house was wonderful the location and the owner where superb. Everything that was promised was delivered and more. If you ever need a reference let me know. Awesome property and experience. Thanks for your help arranging everything for my wife’s 40th birthday gift.  Oh by the way we rented Niccolo near Cortona, what a great town

NICCOLO http://www.italiantownandcountry.com/niccolo-cortona-villas/

R.H.

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John

John

 I know mum is going to send you more info on our stay at the villa but I happily confirm that we had an excellent time.  The villa was sensational – great location – very close to Cortona but also nicely secluded.  The Villa itself was sensational the rooms were beautiful and notwithstanding the crowds there were still rooms to spare.  All very tastefully decorated all very comfortable and the bathrooms were all great.  Pool and tennis court were well utilized however it was pretty hot for tennis.  

 We spent most mornings exploring the hilltop towns of Tuscany and most afternoons enjoyed siesta at the villa followed by dinner outside enjoying the lovely weather and fantastic regional views.

Carmella was just as you described – delightful.  Her cooking was fabulous food truly abundant and excellent.  We stayed in most – if not every night – simply because the food and location was so ideal.  Whilst we didn’t speak Italian and Carmella didn’t speak English we didn’t have any communication problems.  She was loud and boisterous and somehow we managed to get the message across.

 We had a special birthday lunch for mum and Carmella went to a lot of trouble - with the menu the table setting etc.  Mum had a great day.

The cleaner was great although I must admit I didn’t see her often we were usually gone by the time she arrived and by the time we got back the beds were made and bathrooms all clean.

 Lucia also helped us with a number of issues from doctors to travel advice, singers and train tickets.  She was a joy to deal with – nothing was too much trouble.

So really no negatives the region was beautiful, weather sensational, the villa was great Carmella was fantastic and we all had a wonderful trip – truly a trip of a lifetime.  

Thanks very much for all your assistance – let me know if you require any additional feedback or comments we are more than happy to oblige and provide recommendations.

 Thanks again – hopefully we can do it all again in the future but the benchmark has been set very high.

Regards

MARIA  http://www.italiantownandcountry.com/maria-private-tuscan-villa/

 J.V.

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Dear John,

It was one of the nicest rentals I have experienced Thank you,

M.B.

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Hi John It was fantastic………The Villa was incredible and everybody was comfortable and it sure had a Tuscan feel.  Carmella was awesome….the chapel worked out great!! Paulo’s restaurant was perfect for our family dinner (he is a great guy) Toninos was a the place we had the dinner after the wedding and it turned out wonderful with a unbelievable view.. Marco (wine) took care of us all week with food and wine,, we are still ordering from him…purchased the wedding ring (recommended by Paulo) about 15 min from town.. Cortona was exactly the small town feel we were looking for…
The wedding turned out wonderful, the setting,weather,violin player. the whole ambiance…After went to Venice, had fun but weather was hot!. then to the spa (Fonteverde) , that was real nice and the location was neat in the town of San Casciano del Bagni, natural springs, (2) nice restaurants, I
highly recommend this.

 

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 Dear John and Michelle,

 Sorry it has taken me so long to write to you, twenty seven hours of return flight time took a lot out of us for a few days. Villa Francesca was the perfect place to gather our family AND the perfect location to explore all of Tuscany and parts of Umbria. The setting of the villa is so beautiful. It was magical. We were blessed to have the warmest and most loving hosts.. The meals they prepared were just wonderful and upon our arrival there were two huge fruit tarts, made by the son-in-law, on the long table in the main kitchen and several bottles of complimentary wine to start our evening. This family works so hard to make everything ideal for their guests. We had a little trouble communicating but our three wee ones enamored them and the owners two grandsons practiced their English with us—counting to 32!  Between the phase book you sent us, lots of gestures, lots of laughs, and many many hugs we did just fine with each other.

 A special bonus of our stay was our families love of football (soccer). We became Italian for all the matches. The night that Italy won the semi-final the entire town ( Foiano della Chiana) went wild. I can still hear the roars and chants swelling and roaring over the Tuscan hills! We, too, celebrated this victory for a good portion of the night. Our thirteen year old grandson was so very happy to be present for this incredible event.

Back to the Villa. It is much more beautiful than we anticipated, some of the web site photos do not do it justice. We will become good “cheerleaders” for Italian Town and Country. You both do a great job and we sincerely thank you for all your hard work to make our stay in Tuscany just perfect. The only little glitch that we encountered was the directions to the villa, every car arriving had troubles finding their way through the town and the landmarks. I wish I could tell you how to solve this—maybe a hand drawn map with the landmarks circled. We were all coming from the north ( Pisa, Bologna etc.) and we all got off the A1 at the proper exit and made it to Foiano della Chiana just fine. Then we all had trouble. BUT, we made it and that is what counts.

Have a great summer and I hope that someday I will be contacting you again for another perfect vacation in the Tuscan hills.

 Sincerely,

Carol E.

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 Hi John,

CASTIGLION http://www.italiantownandcountry.com/castiglion/

 

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 Hi John and Michelle,

We are having the time of our lives. The house is wonderful the scenery is wonderful and the whole trip so far has been good. We did get hit on in Rome, Regina purse got stolen from Mary backpack but we are all ok and the credit cards were taken care of so far that has been the only setback. Mario is great at the house and we love Cortona. We are going to Florence on Wed on the train. The food has been excellent and also the wine well I guess everything has been very good. Thanks for all your help and we will so you soon.

L.T.L.

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Hi John – Just wanted to let you know how much we enjoyed our stay at Aquaviva (May 20-27).  The house was amazing, far surpassing the photos, and the groundskeepers and his wife were very helpful.

 I am sure we will be contacting you again in the future – thank you for all your help!

 Best,

ACQUAVIVA http://www.italiantownandcountry.com/acquaviva-villa-montepulciano/

L. R.

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Hello John,

 

HUGO 2 http://www.italiantownandcountry.com/hugoii-cortona-villas/

Hi John,

 

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John,

 

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John and Michelle, I hope all is well.  Sorry I didn’t write promptly to tell you what a wonderful time we had in Tuscany.  I love it there and felt very much at home.  The neighborhood was great and we got to know some locals down the street who invited us to dinner.  We also attended a celebration at the local church – where you could bet on how high a ham was hung in the tree.  You bet one euro and if you guessed correctly – you won the ham!  Very charming. 

We also toured around and found your recommendations very good.  We went to a restaurant in Cortona and said that you had recommended it and the owner started laughing because he had a big party there of people who came based on your recommendation.  We loved the little villages, etc.  We also explored the lake and enjoyed that as well.

 Perfection!  Pool was great – gardens were great – location was great – etc, etc. 

ANTICA  http://www.italiantownandcountry.com/antica-cortona-farmhouse/

J.D.

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 John,

 

CITTADELLA http://www.italiantownandcountry.com/cittadella-villa-rental-in-pisa/

Kevin

 

 

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I’m sorry for late reply – I was overwhelmed by my e-mail inbox when I returned and am finally catching up!  Our trip was absolutely fantastic. The villa was everything I thought it would be and more.  The location was perfect with an amazing view of the Val di Chiana with gorgeous sunsets.  My husband, a veteran Boston driver, quickly got used to the one lane – precipitous drop road to the villa in our rented van… and it actually added to the charm of the experience.  When we weren’t off on day trips in the area, we walked to Cortona for food or just to enjoy the town.  There was always something different to enjoy on those walks and in the town.

The villa itself is lovely.  The owners have truly used the right materials to renovate.  My father, an architect, appreciated everything they have done to the place.   Because of historical preservation rules, they were not allowed to put screens on the windows facing out, so only 1 small window on the bottom floor had screens.  As such, we had to make the nightly choice between fresh air and bugs or the reverse… a little tough but we got used to it, understanding the desire for authenticity.  It was extremely hot when we were there — an African heat wave we were told — but the breezes on the hill made it so much better.  The pool was wonderful.  Our girls, ages 8 and 10, will likely have that pool as their strongest memory.  They were in it almost daily for hours.  The owners, Mario and his father Remigio, were there every 3 days to clean it and maintain the grounds in general.  They were very welcoming and friendly and we enjoyed their visits.

Probably the only opportunity for making improvements is in the kitchen.  It had very little counter space which was tricky in making regular meals for 6 people.  Since it is a 4 bedroom villa, I think there would often be that many people or more.  Also, there are some needs with the cooking utensils, such as sharp cooking knifes and a large cutting board.  Also, the kitchenette on the top floor noted in your site was actually not operational.  The refrigerator was on, but no plumbing was hooked up and stove not on.  It was fine with my parents (who stayed upstairs) as we all dined together but it did put more activity in the small first floor kitchen.

But truly those were minor issues, and we all agreed that we couldn’t have picked a better villa and location for our vacation.  I would also highly recommend your services to others.  You were very prompt and helpful and all the information we received was very professionally and elegantly put together.  Your excellent service enhanced the whole experience.

Hope you have a wonderful rest of the Summer!

 Melinda K.

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 All in all we did have a wonderful trip.  We had some great family time and had fun outings to Sam Gimignano, Forte dei Marmi, Lucca (biked around the wall), Volterra, and CinqueTerra.  And my husband and I got to eat at Enoteca Pinchiorri again in Florence!

 I will recommend your agency in the future (already have, in fact).  Thanks again for your help.

 Catherine

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Hi John:

 Your email was forwarded to me today … I did attempt to reach you upon my return, however, my correspondence would not transmit (?!?!?!?).

 Anyway, I’m on sabbatical from my professional responsibilities … so this is my personal email.

 Our stay in Cortona was more wonderful than I ever dreamed.  While we captured the vista on many cameras the images in our minds are the most magnificent.  Thank you so much for your assistance in helping to make this happen for us.

 Nicollo was lovely … Ugo the most gracious Italian gentleman … we hold him in very high regard … Ada’s meals (twice) were wonderful.  I so enjoyed dining on the terrace.  The weather was beautiful as well.

 We hiked to Cortona, nearly daily, enjoyed the wonderful pizza … the local shop owners and residents.  It was so wonderful and I do hope to travel to one of Ugo’s properties for the olive and wine harvest.  I understand that is in October … probably 2006?

 Please stay in touch … I’m very grateful and blessed by this experience.  I will be pleased to assist as a reference anytime you wish.

 B.H.

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Dear John,

 I can’t thank you enough for the chance you provided to rent the villa in Cortona.  Everything went absolutely perfect, even the directions.   The only complaint heard was one that you have no control over – the heat.  One suggestion that I would make is  ceiling fans in the bedrooms.  We thoroughly enjoyed it and thanks again for the service.

Sincerely,

R.S.

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 Hi John – this email is LONG overdue.  Just wanted you to know that we had an amazing trip.  It couldn’t have been more perfect!  Thank you for the wonderful packet of information as well as all of your assistance in getting us there!  We had such a wonderful trip and truly enjoyed the Corti Family.  They are fantastic people.  Thanks again for everything!  Michele

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 Dear John,  We had a wonderful, memorable stay at Nicollo – in fact, I just spoke with our son Mark and he said his wife had just said she wished we were all back in Italy ! 

Our only issue was that when we landed in Paris on our way to Italy, the Italian air traffic controllers were on strike that Saturday!  So we ended up having to stay overnight in the Paris airport hotel and taking a flight out to Milan, not Rome as planned, early Sunday am – so we arrived to meet Hugo mid Sunday afternoon.  After that all was really just wonderful – the villa met our needs really well and it was so comfortable!

We traveled about some in the beautiful countryside, but did relax and stay around Cortona some, also – it just was perfect !  We had Ugo’s cook, Rita, prepare our last evening’s meal Friday and it was beautiful weather to eat outside, food so delicious – it was the memorable occasion that we all were anticipating!  We took many pictures that evening of the 5 of us, some of Mark and Shelly, some of just Cheryl, some of Henry and I – those will be used as our Christmas card picture this year !

Many thanks for recommending this specific villa – I really appreciated the comfortable bed!

We, too, had beautiful mostly sunny days – and are giving glowing reports to everyone about Tuscany and the villa !  Hopefully we can send others to your website !

many thanks for answering all our questions, the restaurant tips, what to do notes, etc!

The N. Family

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Dear John:
Falcone lives up to its soap opera literal English translation. It was truly and enormous and wonderful place top stay. Our Host and his wife were very concerned with our comfort. While on our visit, Italy was suffering from a crippling heat wave with temperatures approaching 100 f. Rolling power outages were common as the authorities struggled to cope with the crisis.  It was dinner time for us (9pm) We were in full meal preparation with all burners on the hob hot cooking the fresh delights we had purchased from the local supermarket which is located less than 10 km from our gate. Our host was tending his kennel when it was time for Falcone to go dark. He simply walked up to the mansion-house and started the on-site generator. Our dinner preparation
proceeded without delay and although we ate on the large marble dining room table by candle-lite; it was by our choice, not necessity. Poggio Falcone could easily house 15 persons comfortably. I would recommend the house for any large group wishing to stay in central Italy. Chuisi is in a perfect location because many sites are within easy round trip daily driving distance. For example visited Orvietto, Cinque-terra, San Marino, Spoletto Urbino, and Sienna on day trips. Restraint dining can be found within 15km in almost every direction. Chuisi Terme for example must have at least 25 within its seemingly endless number of spa hotels. Lago Trasamino offers not only numerous lake-side but also hilltop venues for fine dining. While Poggio Falcone is only a short two hour drive from Rome; Chuisi has a train station on the main line with an Avis car rental just across the street. From there it is a short 12 min. drive to the estate gates Every person in our group would return to this wonderful casa on the hill, our week at Falcone will always be remembered.

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I could not believe that I had written you a check so easily without seeing the property, checking references etc…all kinds of things go through your mind…but you came out the hero and restored our faith! )
Barb S.

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Hi John,

 We had a wonderful time at Melto and the property is really beautiful & special. We were pleasantly surprised that the owners provided a few basic groceries since we arrived so late Saturday and no stores were open until Monday. That helped a lot. I love that they have wine available for purchase in a rack if you want it- that was handy and the wine was good. The facilities were pretty updated for such an old place and the washer and dryer were pretty new. We had lots of hot water available. They let us use all of the firewood we wanted. I would recommend they upgrade their pillows to make the beds more comfy, but otherwise we have no complaints.Sinalunga wasn’t the “loveliest” Italian village we’ve been to, but they had all of the staples we needed during the week. If Melto were located in Cortona, it would be the best of both worlds!

We had just come from a week at a villa in Provence that was really nice and in a great location, but we definitely noticed the great hospitality from the owners at Melto as a significant change from Provence.

 The wine tour was really fun and Andrea was extremely knowledgeable about wine and about the region. He was right on time picking us up and finished the tour on time. We had great access to 2 wineries and wine-makers and a nice drive through the region. We ended up at his wine shop in Luggiano where we tasted other varietals and made a few purchases. We ordered some wine from each winery and Andrea is supposed to send it to us soon. Have not heard from him yet, but will certainly give you feedback if we have any issues. Thanks for setting that up! I would definitely use him again for a tour or tasting.

 Still jet-lagged and trying to catch up at work today. Thanks for checking in!

MELTO http://www.italiantownandcountry.com/melto-siena-villa/

 C.P