“Fabulous and Carefree Tuscany” From before we even arrived till the last minute of our stay Lisa, Chiara, Ian and Rebecca made our stay very welcoming and memorable. Their assistance added to a very carefree holiday - the Stone Cottage - Casa Eden was very comfortable (there was 9 in our party consisting of 2 families with teenagers) and the right size for us - the views from the rooms and the front terrace back towards Vinci and beyond to the Tuscan contryside was nothing short of magic. The location was terrific in that Vinci was a fairly central part of Tuscany that allowed us to do numerous day trips to Florence, Sienna, San Guinammi, Pisa, Cortona, Forte Dei Marmi, etc with ease. Vinci itself is a very charming small village. Everything worked in the Villa and the owners regularly checking to see if they could help with anything from suggestions on what to see and where to go to ensuring we were comfortable and happy with the Villa. The only problem we had was on our last day when our hire mini van broke down and the car hire company (a major European Hire organisation) left us high and dry - no help whatsoever. Ian, Lisa and Chiara step in without hessitation and organised to get our van towed back to the car hire centre and arranged our transfer from Vinci to Florence for our ongoing travel. With that they ensured we left with pleasant memories of our stay. We thoroughly recommend Casa Eden for all the reasons above - location, comfort, surrounding environment, and owners that go out of their way to ensure you have the best time you can in fabulous Tuscany. Our only regrett is that we only stayed 2 weeks!!

“Beautiful House with awesome View” My friends and I stayed here in late april/early May. The weather was perfect and we easily took the train to Florence, Lucca, Pisa and Rome from here. The house itself is beautiful and fully stocked. No need to pack extras, there were umbrellas, travel books, and even a ceramic flat iron to calm my frizzy hair. The balcony is a great spot to relax and enjoy the view after a long day of sight seeing. There is a quaint Italian restaurant a short walk away with great food. You can eat there or take it back to the house. Just a short taxi or bus ride takes you to the train station where you can travel to any other Italian cities.

“It was the perfect place for us. Clean, roomy, easy to get to F” The Villa is beautiful! Lorenzo was a great host and he helped arrange transportation from the airport. We had taken a late train from Rome and got to the villa felt in the evening feeling very tired. Lorenzo was great the villa was awesome and we felt at home immediately. There were eight of us and there was plenty of room to spread out. Pros Beautiful Villa Very Clean Incredible View Wonderful Gardens Plenty of Room Full Kitchen with utensils Easy to Get to Florence (bus stop within walking distance) Cafe and small market within walking distance Lorenzo was great Cons Cannot think of any The location of the villa was perfect for our group. It is out of the hustle and bustle of the city but close enough to get into the city quickly. It only takes about 15 minutes to get to Florence by bus (which was easy to use, clean, and never too crowded.) By our bus stop there are a small market and cafe. So we could get espresso while waiting for our bus. One night we decided to eat in and the kitchen was equipped with all the utensils to make a full dinner. The Villa just added to the magic we were having on our trip and we would highly recommend it.

“In the heart of Florence” The host was very friendly and thorough when showing us the apartment. The apartment is very centrally located and is within easy walking distance to all major tourist sites in Florence. The apartment has all the amenities for an extended stay.

“Let's Go Back Soon!” The villa is beautiful, cheerful, and we felt at home. Ilaria keeps Podera very clean. Podera is fully equipped and updated. Ilaria and Rafael are the best hosts one can imagine, full of useful information about the area. They are very attentive. Ilaria showed us a 20 minute shortcut straight into a free parking lot in Florence! We did not have enough converters and Rafael went right out and bought some for us. They are both very accommodating and speak fluent English. I cannot say enough about these wonderful people. Their two boys, ages 4 and 6, are also charming and sweet. However, they are little boys and can be a bit noisy when playing, but Ilaria keeps them in line! The main town, San Casciano, is lovely and quaint and only a few minutes from the villa. There is plenty of history in the town. What we also loved, besides the terrific food, wine, the little outdoor market and the pasta shop with home made pastas, is in the evenings, families are out and about in the streets, enjoying a meal or espresso and meeting up with friends and neighbors. The children are with their parents having fun, no iPods! San Casciano felt like home. We had several dinners there and loved walking around. By the way, be sure to know the Italian for the days of the week or you may get a parking ticket ;) We planned on going back to Italy, south next time, but because Ilaria and Rafael are so great, and Podera La Villa so charming, we may decide to stay at Podere La Villa again, rather than somewhere else. It is in a perfect location to visit other towns. We went to Florence, Siena, Orvieto, Livorno, San Gimignano, Cirque Terra and Montapulciano! The only drawback was the wifi is wireless and is from the upstairs apartment, so we had to sit in the living room to get a signal. It was very hot. Wish we could have sat outside at one of several lovely seating areas.

“Meraviglioso” Lovely, apartment in a desirable neighborhood with easy access to all areas of Florence. I walked to all the sights of the city with ease. A bus route was available within one block. The family owners were delightful and very helpful. I felt "at home" while living in this charming apartment and would highly recommend.

“Country Heaven” I am a city boy and never relized what I was missing in the countryside. This place was exceptional. There is so much room here and the openness is refreshing. The apartment is extremely well appointed and stocked. I was not used to open windows, but I quickly became a fan. To be able to look out your window, without screen or glass was exhilarating. The main bedroom window was the perfect picture frame for looking at the big dipper. Sunset was amazing. Waking up in the morning to sunshine and open windows was life changing. After having breakfast and while waiting for the ladies to get ready, I found myself laying on the bed in absolue bliss. So much so that during my peacefulness, I fell back to sleep. I have never done that before. The location is well suited for day trips and Florence is amazing. You may want to find an alternate way into the city since parking is expensive. I would definately consider going back to this location to explore more of Italy. I would even consider helping antonella during the harvest of olives. I could get used to this kind of life, which is the best compliment a city boy could give. Thank you antonella for a magical stay.

“Perfect base to see all that Tuscany has to offer” La Casetta del Borgo was the perfect location for my recent trip to Tuscany with my wife. The unit is located in a resort with plenty of amenities including two pools and a very nice tennis court with faux grass that can be used for a small fee. It is a 10 minute drive to Montaione where one can go for dinner or buy groceries to cook in the unit's kitchen. All the necessary utensils are available to do some home cooking and I enjoyed a number of home cooked dinners and a delicious breakfast every morning thanks to my lovely wife. The main resort building has a restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, however I didn't try it out so I can't say anything about it. Paolo, the owner, was a pleasure to deal with. I was having trouble finding the location with my GPS so Paolo had me meet him at his home which is just off the highway from Florence and very easy to find. To ensure that I found it with no problem Paolo drove to the resort while I followed . Once at the resort he had the keys, a nice bottle of wine, and plenty of info about the local area ready for me. Since he knew that I had the flu he even had some flu medication for me in case I needed it! The weather was unseasonably cold when we arrived and the bedding wasn't sufficient, but Paolo came to the rescue and drove over in the rain with more blankets for us. You'll be hard pressed to find a better host at this type of vacation rental. The location was perfect for us as it was very quiet, yet was within easy driving distance of many towns and cities in Tuscany. Smaller towns like Montaione and San Gimignon were within a 10-20 minute drive and Florence, Pisa, Lucca and Sienna were all within an hours scenic drive. If driving into Florence remember that free parking can be found at the Piazzale Michelangelo which is located outside of the ZTL and is a short walk to the Ponte Vecchio, Uffizi and other old city sites. The views are also magnificent! I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this property!

“Perfection in Tuscany” We spent a perfect week at this property, which combines the charm of a classic Tuscan villa with all the amenities of a luxurious modern home. The spacious, beautifully furnished villa and the adjoining guest house accommodated three families – a total of 15 people – in utmost comfort, with ample room for everyone to be occupied in their own preferred activities. We all enjoyed the villa’s private tennis courts and large swimming pool – dazzling under the Tuscan sun by day and beautifully lit at night – and the secluded grounds offered plenty of opportunities to wander off and find a favorite spot to just relax and take in the breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside and neighboring mountaintop villages (a visit to Palaia being highly recommended) as well as the spectacular sunsets. We would then all regroup for meals together, which were a pleasure to prepare in the huge, exceptionally equipped kitchen and most often consumed around the massive table in the garden. Our only complaint about the truly memorable week we spent at this extraordinary property was that it passed far too quickly.