10/10 Excellent
Bridget W., WEST NEWBURY
25 Sept 2017
Everything we needed in the area we wanted
My husband and I rented this beautiful home for 9 nights in September 2017. It was our first trip to Italy, and we wanted to experience the Emilia-Romagna area in particular. In the end we only stayed 6 nights, but that was because we made some last-minute changes to our itinerary once we arrived. Frank was super helpful from start to finish and very prompt in responding to emails. He gave us great directions to the house and provided suggestions for shopping, dining, and sightseeing. We were not able to coordinate a time to meet in person, but we had no trouble getting into the house and found everything easily once inside.
We had two minor issues: there was no tumble dryer as listed on HomeAway, so we had to hang laundry outside to dry. We normally have no problem with this but we happened to be there during a rainy week; happily we managed, and having the washing machine was very helpful. Also, at the risk of sounding like a pair of Goldilocks, we didn't find any of the three beds very comfortable. However we recently invested in a very high-end mattress at home so it's entirely possible we have become snobs.
As mentioned there was quite a bit of rain while we were there, and temperatures ranged from 11C in the hills to 23C on lower ground. Luckily Frank had warned us in advance that the typical weather was off-kilter, so we had packed accordingly. We did have a very nice fire one night to help ward off the chill. On nice mornings I sat outside on the terrace with a book and hot chocolate while letting hubby sleep late, and we dined outside a few times too.
Frank generously left us a case each of his red and white wines. We only tried the red and found it delightful. What a nice treat!
We had researched activities, festivals, and other events in advance of our arrival, but we did not come across "The Best of Italy 100" race until we arrived. This was a car, cycle and bike race based in Castel'Arquatto, so we were able to go check out all the Italian-made vehicles which was a very nice surprise while we checked out the castle and village. We were able to find online information regarding road closures during the race which was helpful in our planning over those three days. We took some long drives through the countryside and had some great meals despite a bit of a language barrier. Everyone was welcoming, and Google Translate was extremely helpful throughout our trip! Next trip we'll have better Italian. Excellent rental!
Bridget W.
Stayed 9 nights in Sep 2017