Essential Italy

Positioned between Arezzo and Siena this spacious 5 bedroom villa has much to offer. The house has been superbly renovated and each bedroom has its own bathroom. The garden and pool are wonderful and the position of the house is perfect for both relaxation and exploring this fascinating part of Tuscany.

On the ground floor there is a spacious living room with comfortable seating. The kitchen, which leads onto the covered patio, is well equipped with gas hobs, oven, dishwasher and fridge freezer. Most meals will be taken on the patio which is fully equipped with tables and chairs and overlooks the pool, but in the cooler months there is a charming dining room with the original stone walls. There is a laundry room with washing machine. After dinner one can indulge in a game of snooker or billiards on the full size table. The final room on the ground floor is a reading room.

Stone steps lead up to the first floor where the large sitting room boasts wonderful views over the pool and to Civitella. Four of the bedrooms lead off this room. Each has a bathroom (with shower) ensuite. There is also a further bathroom with a bath on the first floor.

‘Excellent information about location and general description of the Villa was right on. Helen and Louise did a great job. They promptly answered any questions that we had. We would strongly encourage other guests from the USA to consider using Essential Italy to book a Villa.’

Jill Bliss, Washington, USA

On the top floor there is the fifth bedroom which is large and also has an en suite bathroom (shower). This bathroom has a sloping roof and hence we recommend that the taller members of the group take one of the bedrooms on the first floor. Three of the bedrooms have double beds and two can be either double or twin.

The pool area is delightful, and there are ample sun loungers. Parents wanting to sip a glass of wine and read a book in the shade can easily keep an eye on their children in the pool as the patio is just 10m away.

Villa San Martino is positioned along a ‘white road’ and is just 3km away from the village of Civitella Val di Chiana which has stunning views across the valley and a couple of excellent restaurants. Behind the villa there is another house which shares the drive. The owners of Villa San Martino are a charming couple and the husband is a musician – next to the villa he has built a small recording studio. It is fully soundproofed and he is very happy to let guests see him working and join in. The husband looks after the garden and pool, previous guests have enjoyed having contact with the family.

For 2006 the owners have added Sky TV to go with the DVD, video player. This will ensure that those wishing to keep up with the World Cup can do so. There is also a small wine celler with a selection of local wines which they can choose from – saving shopping at the supermarket for wine and offering wines from smaller less known vineyards. Outside there are a few mountain bikes available for use and there is a great ride on your doorstep.