“Perfect Portofino” We stayed 3 nights at the property in June this year. It is perfectly positioned to the harbour and restaurants of Portofino. Although there is no balcony, the view from the windows is amazing overlooking the visiting super yachts and the main harbour town. Chantal was lovely and assisted us with great advice for our stay including suggesting a memorable lunch at "Puny". There is a mile of room to stretch out and be comfortable in the house. It is a very clean old building but it has most of the modern comforts you will need including wifi. Be aware that the stairs up from the main harbour are steep and daunting and would not suit unfit people or people who are not stable on their feet. You can however, access the top floor of the house from the rear and take the back lanes into town without too much effort and without having to negotiate the harbour side stairs. We rented the whole house (3 of us) which was overkill (but very private). I am not sure how the configuration works if you only take one level...but you would want the level with the view. The roof terrace was not used as it has no view.

“Laura's review of Villa San Fruttuoso” In a nutshell, my family (me, my husband, our two teenagers, my mother-in-law, my father-in-law, my sister-in-law, and her two teenagers) ADORED Villa San Fruttuoso. It was heaven on earth. It's location is nothing short of stunning. While your web description is 100% accurate, it just isn't possible to express in words the spirit and beauty of such a magnificent place. If we were to go again (and I'd LOVE to), I would spend more time just relaxing at the villa or on the water. It is just a very, very special place. It is tucked into a cliffside overlooking the Ligurian Sea. It is absolutely private, with access only being by a gorgeously kept, winding walking path that leads from the Portofino piazzetta to the lighthouse. The other alternative is by boat. The villa and its grounds are completely surrounded by lush plantings, vibrant flowers and lemon and olive trees. While it is true that the villa requires lots of walking and negotiating many steps, that is part of the beauty and privacy. The swim platform is magnificent, and we put it to great use -- leaping off of it daily to bask in the salty and blue, blue sea. The solarium is another incredible asset -- with a view to die for. And, speaking of views, most of the villa bedrooms look to the east, over the sea and towards the Cinque Terre coastline which means that the sunrises are BREATHTAKING from either the bedrooms or the solarium. You can also walk onto the roof of the villa and view them from there. Wow. And, of course, the natural beauty is just one part of the allure of this location because it is also a destination for some of the most magnificent privately owned yachts in the world. We were agog time and again as the world's largest yachts (both motor and sail) glided by or moored out in the bay. It is so much fun to sit in the piazzetta in the evening and people watch! When speaking of the villa itself -- it is charming and very comfortable. The owner has a taste for art (I believe she is an artist), and the villa is filled with interesting art and arty decor which was a big hit with our teenagers. The living room is very comfortable and welcoming. The bedrooms are great, and there are plenty of bathrooms. The real treasure, though, is Teresa -- the housekeeper and cook. She adopted us, and we adopted her right back! She is a gifted cook -- making us wonderful pesto and pasta carbonara along with other local delicacies such as squid and anchovies (which I never thought I'd eat but, trust me, they were delicious!). My son got ill on our second day in Italy -- fever, sore throat, etc. etc. She calmly found us a local doctor and arranged for an appointment. (We don't speak Italian.) And, she took wonderful care of him, making sure he had something soft and bland to eat until he got better. One day, there were dramatic thunder storms -- she made sure we had umbrellas and plans for the day. The list goes on and on -- she was just a total love.