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Review submitted by john from winchester (Submitted: 29 Sep 2012)
An old property and we acknowledge that was clear. On the plus side there were clean towels and sheets. Kitchen was clean (if lacking work space) and the oven was cleaned during our second day upon request(!). Bathroom x1, shower room x 1 and toilet x1 were clean. Thus we were quite content in respect of cleanliness. Beds were comfortable,
On the other hand the electrics are old and tired and still the cooker and the water heater will, if on together, trip the electrical supply. Several light bulbs were missing and a few wires on show that perhaps should be properly encased and hidden. There is one old b&w tv on which we could only receive one english channel - BBC world news. The "balcony" was just room enough for two but the small table and 2 chairs were old and broken. The "garden" was not suitable for sitting out in - overgrown/weedy and no suitable patio area. and we found if misleading to suggest there is a river at the bottom of the garden as it was closed off by a large wall and a substantial dro p
( not the idyllic stream a the bottom of a garden that was "suggested")
Noise from the road - ( front door opens onto the main road) was substantial and whilst we acknowledge there was reference to this at the time of booking it was a distraction.
Overall, compared to other places where at this time of year we could have stayed for the price of over £500 for a week it was not good value - if the place gets a makeover, and is smartened up and attention given to making guests comfortable with decent outside sitting areas and a decent TV/sat receiver, and electrics are tidied up there is no reason this could not be a nice place in which to stay
Review submitted by leroy..kerstin and oliver from wimborne.dorset (Submitted: 11 Oct 2010)
without doubt a beautiful location.the poole was close by and excellent.river access was wonderful and the house was very close to all to see.great food and a great super market wthin walking distance.
The photos of the house are not accurate.the house needs some work doing to it.rustic.so if your looking for the perfectly modern placde to stay.this is not it..a little more effort could be made to keep lawns cut etc.and rendering is coming off the walls.however it is a 200 year old hous.
better arangements for key collection would help.a bit hit and miss.
sound of the river in the evening was wonderful and the traffic is no real problem either.
wonderful holiday
Review submitted by Claire from Sheffield (Submitted: 28 Sep 2009)
On first sight the house looks quite shabby, particularly from the road, however the vast garden and access to the river make up for this from the rear. The house is a good size and really convenient for the local cafes and restaurants, although too far from the railway station if you dont have a car. The garden is the best feature of the house, is really peaceful and perfect for relaxing. The rest of the house is well furnished, our only complaints would be to be able to have the water heater on at the same time as the oven without tripping the electricity out, and perhaps a lick of paint everywhere, it is a beautiful house but tired and would benefit from a bit of care and attention.
Review submitted by Markus from Düsseldorf (Submitted: 16 Jul 2009)
Simply a wonderful place! Perfect also with children (if not too small). The house is extremely charming and authentic, a real Mediterranean summer house of a wealthy bourgeoisie from 2 centuries ago. Yes, it is located directly at the village road – but the forefront only the backside goes to an enormous park falling slightly towards a wild mountain river. If you sleep in one of the big bedrooms on the park side, you will need to get accustomed to the river noise, not to the cars… The famous Spa is 2 km away, there is a great public pool on the hill at Villa Ada. Mountains, river bathing, markets and villages with excellent and cheap food all around, 30 minutes to Lucca, another 45 minutes to Firenze. (Once your children have discovered the river, you might be forced to cancel the beaches in your vacation agenda.)
Review submitted by jonathan from reigate (Submitted: 30 Aug 2008)
the House met all our needs.We loved the garden size and enjoyed the generous room, in the house.
We road noise needs to be considered as we couldnt use the front bedroom to sleep in.
We were fortunate to meet Pietro and would like thank him for his hospatality and consideratation while he was in Bagni di Lucca.
Review submitted by Glyn from Shrewsbury (Submitted: 21 Jul 2008)
I was disappointed at the quality of the property.
Originally the Villas must have been a wonderful place.
Obviously over the years it has faded and at present it leaves a lot to be desired. Generally it was clean, but the wiring for the hot water up stairs is a ‘death trap’.
The garden was unkempt – the grass was actually cut on the last day of our holiday – and the leisure facilities are worn out and in a state of disrepair.
A good point, though, is the position of the villa within Bagni di Lucca. Only a few minutes walk to the supermarket, restaurants and shops, and a short walk to the Lido outdoor swimming pool.
Finally, the information folder does tend to underestimate the times and distances to the various places of interest.
Still, my family enjoyed their short holiday.
Review submitted by Susan from Glasgow (Submitted: 14 Jun 2008)
A beautiful and spacious villa that was excellent value for money. The garden was a great benefit too. Not really suitable for toddlers and youngers though - too many steep stairs! Would be perfect for slightly older families.
Review submitted by Elizabeth from Collector, NSW, Australia (Submitted: 4 Nov 2007)
This is a great location with much to see in easily commutable distances in all directions, as well as in the local area. The sleeping, eating and relaxing areas of the apartment were very adequate and it was lovely to have the windows open and listen to the river going by. The local eateries were great with everything from take away to what we felt was a 5 star restaurant. The local supermarket was well priced and offered everything you could wish for. Of course the local wines were both cheap and excellent.
Concerns - Instructions on using the washing machine would have be good and I would be concerned about how cold the apartment would be in winter particularly in the main passage and stairwell areas considering the gaps around doorways to the front and back.
Review submitted by Stephen from Hassocks, West Sussex (Submitted: 21 Aug 2007)
The house was a lovely old property, with plenty of room for us, but we were very dissapointed at the noise from the road, especially in the front bedroom ( the noise from trucks and motorbikes seemed to go on all night ! )
We were also dissapointed at the lack of outside seating and the general lack of upkeep both in the garden and inside the house.
Bagni di Lucca is a lovely town and is very well situated for visiting the surrounding hills.
Review submitted by Kim from Copenhagen (Submitted: 13 Aug 2007)
What can I say - great place. The 5-6000 sqm park is fantastic (Rustic but fantastic), the river is superb, the location is excellent, the restaurants in Bagni Di Lucca are good (Try Bar Borghesi for lunch -great value for money) Visit Buca di Baldabo in Vico Pancellorum - fantastic food and views.
Supermarket Conad is just around the corner - Great.
The house is great, rustic but great. Expect noise from local traffic when inside the house - not to worry - you get used to it - it's Italy!
We stayed for 4 weeks in May/june - could have stayed forever.
Thank you Pietro and Sibilla for at great stay at your house. We will be back some day!
Review submitted by Paul from Bristol, England (Submitted: 7 Feb 2007)
Although we visited in January the surroundings more than made up for the Cold Weather. After a slight hiccup with the heating, which Pietro was very helpful in fixing, the house soon warmed up. Althought the decoration is a wee bit tired, the house is lovely, and in summer should be spectacular with the river so close by. Bagni Di Lucca is a wonderful town and all the people are so so friendly. Several excellent Restaurants very close by ( Mamo being one of the best) and the local supermarkeet is excellent value with everything you could want. Well worth a visit and we would go again but we have just bought a house in a nearby village, so will be there next time. Thanks Pietro.
Review submitted by Sally from Somerset (Submitted: 3 Oct 2006)
The house is very charming and its current rather worn decor and fixtures and fittings suit it well. No doubt there will be a gradual restoration process and that will be reflected in the price which is currently extrordinarily good value.
However a couple of comfy sofas in the sitting room and some sun loungers to enjoy the lovely garden would have been appreciated.
Also I think we visualised the village as being more rural than turned out and the busy road alongside the house was a bit of a surprise.
It is a good area for touring and we enjoyed all the usual tourist haunts. Favourite days were spent in Pisa, cycling in Lucca and getting off the beaten track. The latter proved a welcome break from manic Italian driving skills!
Our favourite restaurant in Bagni was the wonderful Circola Dei Forestieri where a delicious 3 course meal in a lovely setting cost 10 euro.
All in all a very enjoyable holiday. Thank you Pietro and family for a 2 week taster of 'real' Italian living.
Review submitted by Brian from Yorkshire (Submitted: 21 Sep 2006)
Situated on the edge of a lovely, friendly village,
the garden would have been great but we could not use it because of the bugs eating us alive.
Plenty of room for all the family, a little bit hairy as the front door opens directly onto the main road passing by. Pietro was a great help overcoming our small problems immediately.
An amazing bed in the second bedroom.
Review submitted by Kerry from New Zealand (Submitted: 1 Sep 2006)
Bagni di Lucca is about 20km on from the medieval walled city of Lucca. It's a smallish village that has seen better days with a couple of restaurants and a variety of shops including two supermarkets. The house is located on the main road and is very comfortably set up with cable TV, wireless internet, modern appliances etc. Very nice bathroom and ensuite. The garden is a little bit wild (but charming) and you probably can only swim in the river on VERY hot days (it looked freezing!).
Review submitted by Julie from Perth, Scotland (Submitted: 22 Jul 2006)
We enjoyed our holiday at Bagni di Lucca in this house which was very spacious. The children liked the river and it was great just to be a few minutes walk from a good supermarket, and also to be able to walk to other shops and restaurants in the town. It is only a short walk to the very pleasant swimming pool in Bagni.We were able to travel to Pisa and Florence (by train from Pescia was easier for us than driving in)which were interesting but busy. Our favourite outings were into Lucca itself and the local surrounding country side which is beautiful, especiallly the gorge at Orrido di Bottri and the Grotto Vento. The local people are friendly ( roast chicken from the van at the Saturday market in Bagni is delicious) and the lady at the tourist information is very helpful. It was also quite an amazing experience to be there in town for Italy winning the World Cup, an evening we will long remember most fondly.
Review submitted by Steven from Glasgow (Submitted: 14 Jun 2006)
The house was fantastic. Very Spacious with all ameneties catered for. The garden is massive and the balcony overlooking it a real suntrap in the morning. The village is a beautiful place and the views all around were spectatcular. Lucca is a gorgeous city and would recommend a day trip there. We ceratainly enjoyed our stay in Bagni di Lucca and will definitely be back next year.
Review submitted by Chris from Cambridge, UK (Submitted: 24 May 2006)
Lovely spacious house with plenty of character and a wonderful large garden with a river for swimming. The village has excellent amenities and a pleasant atmosphere, although the main road has surprisingly large amounts of through traffic. The house is easy to find, comfortable and good value for money, and is well placed for visits to Pisa, Lucca and Florence which we enjoyed very much. Families like ourselves with small children should note that the staircase in the house is not very safe due to the size of gap between the bannisters, so close supervision is needed.
Review submitted by graham from cardiff (Submitted: 31 Aug 2005)
We had a lovely week in this beautiful old house, despite some disappointing weather! The rooms were spacious and we had everything we needed to be comfortable. It's perfect for exploring, we took the train from nearby Fornoli to Lucca, Florence (via Lucca) and Pisa, all easy journeys. Local shops and restaurants were good and we recommend the swimming pool nearby. It's only 10 minutes walk (uphill!) but not very well signposted.
Review submitted by Henrik from Humlebaek / Denmark (Submitted: 28 Aug 2005)
This townhouse with a very big garden facing the river is a very nice place to relax.
We would recomend this place to anybody.
Review submitted by Sally from Essex, UK (Submitted: 17 Aug 2005)
This property was ideally placed for exploring the surrounding area. It was in easy reach of Lucca and Pisa and not too far from Florence. Surrounding Countryside and villages were lovely.
The owners made us most welcome. There is a plentiful supply of books to read, a playstation 2 and a few games like Monopoly.The balcony from the dining room is a real sun trap.The garden was huge and the river at the bottom was ideal to cool down in and safe. The house is a few minutes walk from a most useful supermarket, and the town of Baggni di Lucca, with its shops and cafes. The town is attractive with a river running through and surrounded by hills.We would certainly go back.
Review submitted by Jim from UK (Submitted: 3 Jul 2005)
We had a fantastic stay.
The house was clean, tidy and with a wonderfully eclectic library ranging from Carlos Casteneda in English through Barbara Cartland, Japrisot in French and Calvino in Italian.
The wooded gardens with the sound of the river was a marvellous place to eat at any time of the day. Bagni di Lucca itself has some decent restaurants and a useful market.
Furthermore, the house is well situated for practicalities as it is 3 minutes walk from one of the biggest supermarkets in the area.
My only criticism for the whole stay was that there were slightly more tunnels on the drive from Lucca to the house than indicated on the instructions.
Review submitted by mark from the netherlands (Submitted: 11 May 2005)
A well kept secret. Lots of charm and hidden suprises.
Great scenary, walks and local food.
Review submitted by Susan from UK (Submitted: 15 Apr 2005)
The area is ideal for exploring Tuscany and we were very happy with the location. Pietra was very helpful and available for any problems.