If you want amazing views, fantastic hospitality, great weather, peace and quiet all in your own very well appointed home away from home in a stunning tranquil setting - GO. You will love it. We went with our two small children in mid October and between trips to the beach, the mountains and the plethora of medieval hilltop towns, spent everyday in the pool. If you want the extra bedroom the interlinking apartments Rafaello and Rossini are perfect. Trying hard to think of a fault but can't. It really is the most relaxing, laid back holiday I have ever had - made even better by the fact Ian and Bob do not have a blackberry charger!

This region of Italy is simply breathtaking, filled with scenic views of unspoilt hilly countryside undulating between the valleys of several rivers that flow from the majestic Sibillini mountains to the Adriatic coast. The hilltops are dotted with plenty of small and a few larger towns, each with its own attractions - fantastic restaurants tucked away down sleepy side streets, impressive churches and important religious sites, markets offering the finest local produce, glorious beaches - and our week's visit only scratched the surface of all there is to see and do. Like other reviewers, we see ourselves coming back to further explore this remarkable region. Tourism in Marche really is in its infancy; the roads are quiet and it is easy to get around, and you will only find groups of tourists in a few of the more famous locations (for instance, the basilica in Loreto).

The apartments themselves are a perfect mix of luxury and home comfort. The attention to detail is evident throughout, from the original wooden beams below the ceiling, through the working fireplaces, to the fully equipped kitchen complete with a bottle of local olive oil. Each has its own little garden area around the property (great for al fresco dining), and there is a good outdoor heated swimming pool - although it was a little chilly at the end of September!

What really made the holiday special though was the warmth and hospitality of our hosts. Ian and Bob don't simply rent out their appartments; they were on hand to give information and advice, draw personalised maps of town centres, accompany us to their favourite restaurant and, if all that wasn't enough, hold a splendid DIY pizza evening (yes, you roll your own, create your own topping, then bake it in their very own outdoor wood fired pizza oven!). They made sure the kitchen cupboards were stocked with some basic items before our arrival (invaluable for us as we had our nine month old daughter with us, who I suspect wouldn't have appreciated a trip to the supermarket after the flight from London!), and even allowed me to use their laptop and internet connection to check in online for the return journey.

As I just mentioned, we travelled with our baby daughter in tow; wherever we visited, we were greeted with warm affection and cries of "bella bambino!". A cot was provided in the appartment, which meant we didn't have the encumbrance of our travel cot.

I would very much recommend Casa dei Fichi to anyone wanting to see the real Italy from a convenient and very comfortable base. There is plenty to do, but the pace of life in this region is a lot slower (nearly all shops close for a few hours at lunch), so you can just relax into the local routine instead.

We have stayed on several occasions and always had a wonderful time no matter what time of year.
All the apartments that we have stayed in are very comfortable and fitted out to a high standard.
It is in a great location with some outstanding views, a good sized pool that my wife loves and some good places to visit without having to drive for hours.
Our hosts Bob and Ian are always extremely helpful and we are fond of the dogs as well.
I am sure you will have a great time there

We spent 10 days at Casal dei Fichi in September 2008 and as many of the guests already wrote , this was hopefully just the first stay. The house is surrounded by huge fields , the landscape is great , no traffic noise, no city pollution. The apartments are comfortable and really well equipped , there is a pool , big enough to take a swim in a hot day or laze around it after a tour in the surroundings. Jan and Bob are friendly and take care of guests in a personal but not "invasive" way. I appreciated that Bob borrowed me some books about local mountains trails , remembering that we spoke once about my love for walking and hiking ; a small but significant sign they are not just renting you a space.
And ... we enjoyed a lot the pizza night , although we hope Jan and the other guests were not disappointed because the only 2 "italians" are not pizza champions .

Finally I cannot forget to mention the "welcome team" ..(look at the photos ) !

Ciao from Erna and Adriano