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Review submitted by Jon from Witney (Submitted: 22 Jun 2010)
The property was very well looked-after and well-presented throughout: very clean and comfortable. It was in a quiet and relatively secluded location - but not so secluded that we felt cut off from the outside world. The balcony had superb views over the Tuscan countryside: an ideal place to forget about things back home and get absorbed in a good book.
Cetona was an easy walk away, and the apartment itself acted as an excellent base from which to explore the surrounding area. (While not essential, having a car on hand was definitely a good thing.)
Adrian was a thoughtful and attentive host - and being able to purchase home-produced goods from him was a really nice touch.
In short, we were both very glad to have chosen to stay here, and would certainly recommend it to others.
Review submitted by Malcolm from Roleystone (Submitted: 15 Oct 2009)
The owners have a beautiful property with outstanding views from the apartment. The apartment is complete with all amenities that a visitor needs for a very comfortable stay. The garden is delightful and has an area where visitors can have an evening sitting watching the sunset.
It is located in a wonderful area of Tuscany within easy reach of all the places of interest.
We will recommend Casa Degli Olivi to all our friends.
Thanks Adrian
Review submitted by Joanna from West Mersea (Submitted: 2 Jun 2009)
The apartment was spacious and well maintained, views from the balcolny terrace were lovely. Great place to explore the area from. The apartment was a little closer to the road than we had anticipated although not noisy enough to keep us awake at night. The home made honey made by Adrian was absolutely delicious!
Villarenters reply:
Review submitted by Deb and Bob from Stratford-upon-Avon (Submitted: 19 Sep 2008)
"What a wonderful stay we had at Casa Degli Olivi, it exceeded all our expectations. The owners Adrain and Fabio were excellant hosts. The apartment was spotlessly clean and very comfortable. We loved the location, surrounded by olive trees, a lovely garden and not forgetting the chickens.Produce on sell from the owners was exceptional especially the red wine and the olive oil. We will definatley be returning. What a wonderful relaxing time we both had.
Thank you so much Adrian and Fabio for a fantastic time."
Review submitted by Hayley from Nottingham (Submitted: 4 Sep 2008)
We really enjoyed our stay here. It was so central to everywhere and sooo beautiful!! The owners were really helpful and pleasant. It was like being n a hotel which exceeded our expactations. Thank-you very much for a wonderful holiday.
Review submitted by Andy and Amy from Manchester (Submitted: 25 Aug 2008)
This is a lovely little apartment surrounded by beautiful countryside and just a short walk away from the really charismatic small town Cetona. The owner was really friendly and welcoming and was more than happy to help us with advice and directions to enable us to get the most out of our holiday. The produce on sale from the owner is exceptional - especially the oil, wine and jam!
Overall a great place to chill out and take in the Italian culture or explore the interesting towns and places of interest around (a car would probably be needed for this). Highly recommended!
Review submitted by Philip from Lutterworth (Submitted: 3 Aug 2008)
Very clean appartment in a wonderful location. The owners hospitality was second to none - they could not have been nicer.
Review submitted by Rosemary from Wotton-under-Edge UK (Submitted: 14 Nov 2007)
We had a really happy holiday and enjoyed a very comfortable stay. The apartment was extremely clean and very well appointed, especially the kitchen where there was everything one could need and more - next time I will know I don't even need to bring my own hairdryer! Our host was very thoughtful and attentive and could not be more helpful. He translated the instructions on some medication we needed and even lit the fire for us while we were out, as the weather had turned a little chilly. We loved the location and were fascinated with the gardens and the chickens etc. Thank you so much Adrian for being such a perfect host.
Review submitted by Colin from Jaywick, England (Submitted: 9 Oct 2007)
The owners and their apartment were very good. Compared to other property rentals we did NOT have a problem with the standard of accommodation or attentiveness of the owners. However, when I read descriptions of a property such as 'quiet', 'serene' and 'with unspoilt views' I do NOT expect to have my bedroom window and the apartment balcony 15 yards from a busy road. Although my wife and I 'sort of' got used to the heavy and constant traffic noise (because we had to) this had a big influence on our enjoyment of our holiday. Wearing earplugs at night and keeping windows and shutters tightly shut impaired our overall enjoyment. Fortunately, there were plenty of opportunities to find quiet wlking lanes and Cetona itself offered quiet terraces and areas. However, we would have preferred the peace and quite to have been at the apartment itself. Perhaps we are used to more peace and quiet than some of the other reviewers who did NOT mention this aspect at all.
Owner reply:
Dear Colin
I am sorry to hear that the noise from the road into Cetona marred your stay Casa Degli Olivi, comments such as serene and unspoilt views are neither villarenters nor mine but originate from past guests.
The Strada Provinciale (B) road between Chiusi and Cetona can get busy at peek times and especially during harvest times with farm vehicles etc, but to say its heavy and constant traffic noise I feel is being a little over critical and makes this normal small town road sound like the Autostrada/motorway, neither my self or past guest have had any problems with traffic noise in the night, your wife did mention to me your concern re the noise of the traffic but only on the very last night of your stay if I had been informed at an earlier stage of your stay maybe I could have helped you out with a different room or apartment.
Kind regards
Adrian Shelley
Casa degli Olivi
Cetona
Review not verified by RentalSystems* (Submitted: 2 Sep 2007)
When
May 19th to June 17th 2007, 1 month
Review by Jules S. from Canada
Location
The apartment is situated above the owners’ home and is accessed through a separate door. The owners are into bio-culture of fruits and vegetables and also raise a few animals on their mini-farm.
The décor is typical of the Southern Tuscany panorama with incredible views and a sense of calm and serenity emanates from the beauty of the olive trees interlaced with numerous flower beds .
Nearby Amenities
The premises are situated in Cetona, a little village with a rather lively piazza when the weather is nice. One will find all basic necessities in Cetona including a variety of boutiques that sell anything from meat, fruits, vegetables and sundries. We counted at least five restaurants in the village mostly frequented by locals. The Sports Bar at one end of the piazza is remembered for the conviviality of the staff.
Close by in Chiusi, you will find a train station and most of the amenities of a small Italian town with supermarkets and plenty of shops.
The House/Apartment
The house is just wonderful and quiet. Our quarters were located above the owner’s house and the general appearance was even better than we expected. There is a large bedroom with a king size bed, a well equipped kitchen and a large balcony with table and chairs offering a wonderful view of the Tuscan countryside. We found the place to be extremely clean and very private. We rarely saw the owners and they knew how to make us feel at home.
Garden
The surrounding gardens are also beautiful. We were welcomed to use the table and chairs in the garden to relax amongst the smell of roses and lavender. Olive trees are plenty and we enjoyed walking through the elaborate landscape of the garden.
Furnishings/Cleanliness/Living Areas
Furniture is new and spotless. The apartment is very well appointed with all accessories that made our stay very enjoyable.
Bedrooms/Bathrooms
Both were large and offered the comfort we were looking for.
Kitchen
Though limited in size, the kitchen offered anything one would need to cook a dinner for two. There are plenty of pots, pans and dishes, even an espresso coffee maker.
All appliances were almost new and we did enjoy the wood stove (warmer) on a few evenings where the temperature was lower than normal. There is even firewood on the terrace for that purpose.
Problems or Bonuses
Problems: absolutely none.
Bonuses: the kindness of our hosts and their family. We were offered organic honey (the best we ever had), olive oil from the olive trees on the property, pasta sauce, wine, strawberries, raspberries and loganberries, not to forget the tomato sauce that we used for some of our pasta dinners. Moreover, the owners were even helpful in getting us to the Chiusi Avis agency and they had made arrangements for us to pick up our car a couple of days after our arrival. The service at this Avis agency is extraordinary.
Agency and Representatives (and price)
We had reserved directly from the owner a few weeks before our scheduled arrival through email. Both owners speak English fluently (one is British) and we booked everything in the most pleasant manner.
Do you recommend this vacation rental to others?
Absolutely. It is a place we will recommend to anyone wishing for a home away from home. The apartment’s location allows for anyone to easily visit Southern Tuscany and Northern Umbria. The location calls for the use of a rented car but the train station is within a 10 minute drive from the house. Florence, Siena, Orvieto, Perugia, Assisi and many smaller towns are within 100 kms.
Things to do in this area
Having spent a full month at Casa degli Olivi in Cetona, we found great pleasure in discovering most of the suggested tourist destinations in Tuscany and Umbria: Florence, Siena, Orvieto, Rome, Perugia, Pienza, Arezzo, Colle di Val d’Elsa, the Chianti wine region and the Thermes of San Casciano dei Bagni found in the vicinity. However, we found even greater pleasure in discovering little towns or villages away from the tourists where the Italian lifestyle has been preserved from outside influences.
To name a few, we loved taking in the Saturday morning market activity found in Chiusi or Citta della Pieve, discovering villages like Monteleone (where the total absence of tourism allows for an unforgettable experience of calm and serenity), Piazze (for its Gentili vineyard) and Sarteano for an outstanding vantage point on the Tuscan countryside.
We both enjoyed the food, especially Pecorino cheese, pasta and *pizze*. The wine selection is awesome; we will never forget the rose trees flowering in the vineyards and the fields of sunflowers basking in the Tuscan and Umbrian sun. The weather was great between mid-May and mid-June with a mixture of hot days followed by more comfortable periods of cooler temperature.
The speed limit on the Italian autostradas is surprising to North Americans and the unending bends of national roads took some time to get used to. To summarize our experience, we can find only one way to express our satisfaction: we would do it again if the opportunity arises.
Review submitted by Nicola from Leicester (Submitted: 13 Jun 2007)
Beautiful location, wonderful views nice and peaceful. Area is very nice. Apartment feels homely and comfortable and the terrace from kitchen is particularly nice. Equiped with all you need.
Welcomed by hosts and lots of information about area given too.
Review submitted by Collette from Oakham (Submitted: 13 Jun 2007)
Fantastic apartment with all home comforts catered for. Beautiful rural location, ideal for touring Tuscany. Cetona only minutes away with charming local shops and cafes. There is so much to see, we went to local towns, museums, the lakes and even took the train into Rome to see the Colluseum. Thank you for a lovely holiday!
Review submitted by Tracey from Coventry (Submitted: 12 Jun 2007)
Set in a fantastic location, the host ensured that every question about travel information and accessiblity was met.
The property was wonderful, relaxing and extremely clean.
I would not hestitate to recommend the property to my friends and family.
Review submitted by Mark from Leicester (Submitted: 12 Jun 2007)
The property was excellent and I enjoyed my stay very much. The personal service where extremly pleasant !
Review submitted by David from USA (Submitted: 24 May 2007)
We had a wonderful stay at Casa Degli Olivi. It was a in a great central location (Cetona), allowing access to all areas of Toscany and Umbria. The accomodations were well suited for my wife and I, (a nice kitchen, clean bath, and spacious bedroom). The morning views and evening breeze from our balcony, which over looked Tuscany's rolling hills, were priceless. The owners of Casa Degli Olivi were very helpful with directions, places, to see, etc., and also shared some of their delicious homegrown foods with us. Overall, if you are a couple who would like an affordable and peaceful place off the beaten path this is an excellent option.
Review not verified by RentalSystems* (Submitted: 29 Nov 2006)
Review by Heather D from US
Location
The apartment was attached to the owners home on their beautiful, organic farm overlooking vineyards, olive trees and sunflowers. It was in the country, but still convienient for touring the rest of Tuscany. The area was absolutely stunning with incredible views. It was completely peaceful and serene.
Nearby Amenities
It was about a 10-15 minute walk to the town of Cetona where you could have coffee in the piazza with the locals. There is also a shop that sells produce, one that sells meat, a bakery and convienience store for anything else you may need. There are only a few restaurants in the town.
The House/Apartment
The apartment was beautiful, well decorated, and comfortable. The owners went above and beyond in their consideration of the guests that would be staying there. It was the only apartment on the property. The bedroom had one large (king size) bed as well as a futon couch if needed. Looking out the bedroom window you see beautiful hills, an old stone house and fields of sunflowers and olive trees. The bathroom had everything you could need, as did the kitchen. Each morning I would sit at the table eating my breakfast looking out at the most spectacular views. There was also a balcony to sit and relax and enjoy the view.
Garden
There was a table and chairs in the garden to use sitting amongst the flowers and butterflys. This would be shared with the owners.
Furnishings/Cleanliness/Living Areas
Everything was in perfect condition and the apartment would be comfortable for 2-3 people.
Bedrooms/Bathrooms
The bed and bedroom were fantastic. Bathroom had everything you would need.
Kitchen
The kitchen was perfect for however much or how little you wanted to cook. There were plenty of dishes, pots and pans. When I arrived there was organic, home made olive oil, honey, pasta sauce, wine, and eggs waiting for me.
Problems or Bonuses
The only surprise was how wonderful and peaceful the place was.
would you recommend this vacation rental to others?
I would absolutely recommend this place to anyone, friends and family included. This was the most wonderful, relaxing holiday I've ever had and the apartment had a lot to do with that.
Things to do in this area
In Cetona I enjoyed having coffee in the piazza as well as wandering the narrow stone streets. There is also a thermal spa nearby, but I didn't go. There is easy access to the main highway (A1) so I was able to see a lot of the area (Florence, Siena, Chianti wine region, and numerous beautiful hilltop towns).
Review not verified by RentalSystems* (Submitted: 29 Nov 2006)
Review by James from Canada
May 2006, 7 days
Location
The apartment is located on the upper floor of a house on a beautiful small farm on the road in to Cetona. The area generally is a stunning, wild and rugged part of Tuscany, a little off the beaten track, but within easy drives of Siena, Montepulciano, Montalcino, Cortona, Lake Trasimeno and Orvieto. The A1 motorway is about 10 minutes from the house if you want to travel further afield. The area is totally charming, quiet, peaceful, free from hordes of tourists, and an excellent place to relax for a week while taking in the charms of the area.
The centre of Cetona, a classic Tuscan hill town, is about 15 minutes brisk walk from the house. There is a supermarket, bakery, restaurants etc. in the town centre. It was beautiful to walk into town for an evening meal and stroll back under the stars.
The house is in excellent shape. The house consists of the upper floor apartment that is rented out to visitors and, via a separate entrance, the part where the owners live. The apartment consists of one large bedroom, a large bathroom, a ktichen and a large balcony where you can sit out and eat admiring the views of the Tuscan countryside. Everything was spotlessly clean and well maintained by the owners who, since they live in the same building, were always on hand if we needed anything.
There is an utterly gorgeous garden where you can sit out and have breakfast, read etc. In late May the roses were out and the scent was exquisite.
All the furniture was in good shape, either new purchases or sturdy country antiques.
Bedrooms/Bathrooms
All was spotless and comfortable. The bath is large and inviting, and there is also a shower.
Kitchen
The kitchen was fairly basic but well equipped and perfectly adequate for two people. There were plenty of pots and pans, cutlery, glasses etc. It's not a place for cooking elaborate dinner parties for eight, but since we were just there to relax, it was just fine.
Problems or Bonuses
The owners had provided organic olive oil, wine, honey and eggs from their farm. The eggs were so fresh and delicious, and the owners took me to visit the hens that had laid them. Also, the honey was probably the best honey that I had ever tasted anywhere, with scents of lavender and clover from the owners' farm. I bought three jars to take back as gifts.
Agency and Representatives (and price)
The owners are Italian and English and were very helpful in giving advice about the local area. Unlike many other farms rentals, they only have one apartment to rent out, and since they live right next door we had the reassurance that if any poblems were to arise, they would be on site to fix them. The price was very reasonable.
Do you recommend this vacation rental to others?
I would aboslutely recommend this without hesitation to anyone who wants to live in Italy for a few days or a week away from the tourist hordes, but with the convenience of being able to tour around the small towns of southern Tuscany or northern Umbria.
Things to do in this area
Dinner at the fabulous nearby Frateria di Padre Ligio is worth it if you prepare yourself in advance for the 100 euro eight course tasting menu set in a lovingly restored monastery.