Quiet escape

Very nice location (in the middle of nowhere), spectacular views, we spent a very relaxing first week of September 2024. Temperatures dropped at night, we slept very well with open windows, did not miss air-conditionning. We very much enjoyed the pizza oven, using it every second day. It became a family event with everyone involved.
Arrival date: 31 August, 2024

  Oct 2024
  Jun 2024
Unbelievable View at Hidden Villa

Highly recommend staying at this gorgeous villa hidden in the Carrera Mountains. Kitchen is plenty stocked to cook any meal you desire and the pool provides entertainment for days.

Arrival 25th June 2023

  Aug 2023
Exceptional

I have never been to a property location this beautiful before. When we were shown around the grounds we were are all in awe. An absolutely exquisite spot. Mountains, trees and a very light sprinkling of villages surround you. The property is in fantastic order throughout and very well equipped. Thanks to the hosts who were immensely helpful, too. Can't rate it highly enough.

Arrival 22nd July 2023

  Aug 2023
Tuscan dream

An absolutely fantastic house in an absolutely fantastic location! Far exceeded our high expectations. Hope to come back!!
Arrival 8th July 2023

  Aug 2023
Beautiful Villa in Toscana

We enjoyed a week in this wonderful villa. We can only recommend this house. It is really nice.
Arrival 15/7/23

  Aug 2023
May Half Term

My family of 7 spent the week here at the end of May. It is an absolutely stunning property in the Tuscan countryside. The pictures do not do this place justice. The home, garden, pool and facilities are immaculate - you could not ask for the wrong thing. My son and I played table tennis for hours with the mountains as a backdrop! The mountain bikes are brand new, just make sure you have your energy drinks as there are lots of hills! The pizza oven was great fun and easy to use and all other kitchen utensils and appliances were available making any self catering a real breeze. The drive to the property is narrow and windy but we managed fine in a 9 seater van, just go slowly. There is lots to do in the area; trips to Lucca and Cinque Terra are recommended. The property is looked after by a local family, who are really friendly and helpful - although Google translate is a must!
May 2023

  Jun 2023
Beautiful house and views

House, garden and views are wonderful and mostly you will just hear bird song and insects. A highlight was a meal cooked by Alessandra and family. Surprisingly good local shops as a bonus and enough fireflies in the evening for a discotheque. A little remote for hard core sight seeing which was fine

6/24/2022

  Oct 2022
Very nice house in a remote corner of Tuscany

We had a very nice time and the house corresponds exactly to the descriptions. It is wonderful.
7/23/2022

  Oct 2022
fantastic

A wonderful holiday in a grandiose, well-equipped house that leaves nothing to be desired. Everything was really excellent - the communication on site was very friendly and always helpful, the house and garden are very well maintained and super clean. The view of the mountains is breathtakingly beautiful. The road to the house is indeed adventurous and it is best to bring groceries directly with you. During the stay we thought carefully about every purchase, since you've been away for a while. For whom this is not a problem: absolute booking recommendation!
9/8/2022

  Oct 2022
Stay at Casa Lucia

Excellent villa, splendid location and facilities. Wonderful area lots to see and do
8/20/2022

  Oct 2022
Beautiful house and views, but a bit more remote than expected.

The house, grounds, and views are incredible. We took pictures of the mountains across the valley almost every time we went outside. The pizza oven is lots of fun. It's a great place to get away from the touristy places, relax and enjoy some authentic Italian small towns. The downside is that the property is located off the beaten path so be prepared to drive at least 15 minutes to get anywhere; the final 1 km to the house is on a very narrow, winding road with no room for error. The housekeepers that manage the property don't speak English, so come prepared to communicate via What's App and an Italian/English Google translator. The one thing we found a bit frustrating is that the owners require that garbage be removed from the property; this would not be a problem if there were garbage bins nearby but there are none so guests are expected to find and use garbage bins on someone else's property in nearby towns.

  Oct 2022
Management comment
Thank you for your review. We are glad you really enjoyed the house and the peace, the views and the countryside, finding them incredible. Unfortunately the driving is the price to pay for staying somewhere so unique and non touristy - hopefully it was worth it! As you say those views really are out of this world. Apologies if communication was a little difficult sometimes - you were welcome to call our numbers which we gave you - we were available 24 hours per day and can easily help with communication. With rubbish collection, I am afraid that in rural Italy, understandably each property is not individually serviced (it would take forever!) and everyone goes to the local village and puts their rubbish in the communal bins, which are collected very regularly - many daily. The owners try to make it as easy as possible, leaving different bins for different waste and you may not have seen the note explaining where the full bags needed to be taken. I do agree it is a bit strange if you are used to collection at the door. Best wishes, Lorraine at tuscan-retreats
Beautiful house with a beautiful view
Beautiful Tuscan style house with a very nice, large garden and pool. We felt very comfortable. Large kitchen, 3 terraces, pool furniture... Our dogs could run and romp... All in all a successful holiday...
Arrival 20/08/2022
  Oct 2022
Beautiful place in North Tuscany
Beautiful location in Tuscany. House was great as were the grounds which are painstakingly kept up by the groundskeeper. The views are simply out of this world. The pizza night that we arranged was fantastic--come with a BIG appetite! Only thing that was less than great was the drive up the hill to get to the house--it is very long and winding but once you get there it is worth the effort!
Arrival 27/05/2022
  Sep 2022
Beautiful property and perfect escape!
Beautiful property and perfect escape!
Two families stayed here from Oregon. We loved the gardens, pool area and outdoor spaces. We did not love the long driveway to the house but it did get easier over time. The house worked out perfectly - each bedroom had a full bath and the beds and linens were very comfortable. We ended up using all the fans in our rooms at night as it got warm at bedtime. We enjoyed a nice pizza night with Diego & Alessandra. We did a few day trips - Cinque Terre, Eco Del Mar in Lerici and an ebike ride through the countryside. Highly recommend all of those and lots of pool time! Make sure to pack bug spray for eating outside. The small town of Gragnola had everything we needed - a pharmacy, grocery store, pizzeria and a soccer field. The Mountain views from the house are spectacular and we loved hearing the town church bells, the cow bells and birds singing in the morning. A great vacation even if a bit remote!
7/2/2022 at 7:18 PM
  Jul 2022
5 stars

Lonely location, car necessary, the private road is hardly passable with a large SUV. Contact person always available promptly.

 

  May 2022
Management comment
For future guests do note that the road is narrow in places and bumpy in places but it is perfectly passable in medium size cars. With a large SUV there are 2 points where you need to go very slowly! Please bear this in mind.
A dream place

5 stars

The villa is located in the middle of the green in an isolated and silent position with a breathtaking view of the valley below and the Apuan Alps, ideal for a stay in complete relaxation, without a noise or disturbance. It is very well structured with a large ground floor organized in such a way as to allow everyone their own privacy, while upstairs the four bedrooms are large and bright, each with its own large and comfortable bathroom. The pool is simply beautiful, overlooking the valley with an incredible view of the mountains and its water is salty !!! The welcome and support from Diego and Alessandra was the best we could have and a big thank you to them. Truly a stay that we will dream of for a long time to come !!!!

Arrival 16 August 2021

  Nov 2021