warmly recommended
NigelP
Alresford, Hampshire, UK
Review Submitted: August 5, 2008
Date of Stay: July 2008
This is a lovely place for a holiday. The pool is especially good, with wide views. Spoleto has good railway links, though a hired car is recommended to make the most of this hillside location. We received excellent customer service. The apartment was good value for money and comfortable rather than luxurious.
Owner's Response: The word “luxury” crops up every now and again. When I talk about these apartments having been “luxuriously restored”, I mean just that ! No expense has been spared in terms of the restoration of these apartments. Therefore, it is a luxury to have retained the original arches and all the various nooks and crannies that are in abundance. Many restorers of old farm-houses either cannot afford to have done this or skimp by simply concealing all the original features under concrete rather than spending time exposing them beautifully.
We have tried to provide “comfortable” interiors so that guests do not feel nervous or afraid of staining or breaking something precious, especially if they have children. For instance, the interior furniture is all solid oak, in keeping with the newly polished and cleaned original 16C beams throughout each apartment.
However, I do not think we have achieved this “comfortable” feel at the expense of the luxurious restoration. For anyone who appreciates fabulous restorations, they will understand that 16C cottages, bursting with original features, every one of which has been high-lighted in the restoration, renders the addition of “luxury” items superfluous, irrelevant and meaningless in this Umbrian rustic context. As another critic commented, you can go to Florida to get all that. Or, you can book into our 4 star hotel in central Spoleto with its 16C frescos, ornate chandeliers and flash furniture, in keeping with its aristocratic history. But, you won’t get the pool, the self-catering and the panoramic views.
Of course, if you wish to pay more as well as be charged for damages, it would be easy for us to anachronistically upgrade the interiors to please critics, who are unappreciative of our efforts to retain the kind of authenticity that requires simplicity. So, we won’t ! However, even our harshest critics have all accepted the luxury of the grounds, the pool and the Jacuzzi.
Lastly, we would recommend a car to those who wish to explore areas, where there is no public transport. However, if you are the fit type and just want to spend a relaxing holiday in a local area, bursting with restaurants, shops and bars, you do not need a car. It is a mere 0.75 mile walk to the historic centre of Spoleto, a 0.35 mile walk to the nearest large supermarket and well-established bar, where you can buy meals as well as snacks and a 0.5 mile walk to the train station, from where you can get to practically anywhere in Italy !
Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
No
Helpful votes: 4/4
