Essential Italy

We know car choice is important for the enjoyment of your holiday, our supplier – Maggiore Car Rental – will guarantee the following:

• highly competitive prices
• no major tour operator is working with them, therefore we are quite sure that queuing will be kept to a minimum, even in high season
• all cars have air conditioning
• a full and comprehensive back-up system

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We do not book flights, we leave it to you to choose the best departure point and flight times to suit your party. We have compiled a list of airlines flying to those regions in which we offer accommodation.

Flights are from the UK, if you are travelling from elsewhere, please don’t hesitate to contact us, we will recommend an airline flying from your departure point. If you are unsure which airport in Italy is closest to your accommodation, please call us on 01223 460100 or email

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Santa Maria degli Ancillotti Assisi

The Villa family have run Santa Maria degli Ancillotti for many years and make their guests feel immediately at home. Guests return year-after-year, drawn by the comfort, the welcome, the position and the wonderful restaurant. Here you will find the ideal place to relax and unwind in classic Italian countryside, yet you are just a few kilometres from the sights of Umbria – Assisi, Perugia, Todi, Spoleto and Gubbio are all within easy reach and lesser known treasures such as Montefalco, Bevagna and Deruta are also nearby. After a day out-and-about nothing will be more welcome than a dip in the pool and a fabulous meal cooked and served by Paolo and his charming family.

The rooms are spread out between the ground and first floor of the stone house and all have twin or double beds. There is an en suite bathroom with shower and a living room which also has the bonus of a small kitchen area to brew up a ‘cuppa’. The lush garden offers plenty of private corners to relax and read a book (and consequently nod off!) and the pool and hydro-massage tub are close to the restaurant terrace where a cooling drink is never far away.

The focal point of the Santa Maria is the restaurant (the whole family joins forces). Paolo’s wife Rosanna is the driving force in the kitchen and their daughter Susanna creates the most delightful cakes for breakfast and desserts for dinner. Their son Alessio is a constant source of humour and charm, serving dinner in a professional and relaxed manner. Despite the wide range of restaurants within a short drive, invariably clients spend most evenings dining at Santa Maria degli Ancillotti.

With Assisi so close, it is easy to avoid the crowds which invade this religious centre, and with so many fabulous, smaller and lesser-known villages to explore, your time away from Santa Maria degli Ancillotti with prove very rewarding. The ultimate reward though being the return to your paradise in Umbria – Santa Maria degli Ancillotti.

For guests wanting to have access to the facilities of the hotel but looking for more privacy, the family also offers Villa Palombara – just 600 metres from the hotel.

Essential Italy is very happy to offer Santa Maria Degli Ancillotti , we are sure that guests will have a relaxing stay in good quality accommodation, be in the perfect position to explore Umbria and also will receive excellent hospitality (and return home a belt size larger!).

New in Puglia for 2012

Helen & Sarah have just returned from a very fruitful trip to Puglia...

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