We just got back from a 10 night stay in the Stone House and we are still decompressing from a wonderful time. The owner Franco and his daughter are very charming, warm and friendly hosts and you can ask them anything which is particularly easy for making a reservation in a restaurant. The house itself is very nice and there is nothing, really nothing, we could remark. The bedrooms and the beds are top, the bathrooms are clean and luxurious, the kitchen is perfect and the surroundings are top with a nice BBQ, plenty of room to sit and relax, enough privacy, beautiful olive trees, a great pool (29°C) with enough shadow etc etc. This is really a place to embrace and share with your family and friends. Orentano itself is just a small town with a few small shops; nothing special. There is a big supermarket (Conad) in Altopascio, just a 7 minutes drive (just follow the signs to the A11 Firenze Pisa and you get there automatic)? Worth visiting are Pisa (take a walk in the centre of town, it’s nice), Lucca (a beauty), Pistoia (pleasant surprise), Montecatini Alto (take the funiculare), Montecarlo, Collodi and Parco Pinocchio, Barga in the mountains (nice drive!) and other small villages. Firenze in the summer is to hot, to crowdy and to expensive. Some restaurants we would advise: Pizzeria Da Vito in Orentano, Bucca de San Antonio in Lucca, ristorante Forasiepi in Montecarlo (a must do), the Enoteca at the Piazza Chiara Gambacorti in Pisa. Our conclusion: don’t hesitate, just go. You won’t regret it.
Stayed for a full week with friends and family. Wonderful roomy house with enough room for 10-12 persons. Lots of space on the grounds, including a large swimming pool. Although shared with the (smaller) house near the swimming pool, this proved not to be an issue. The grounds are closed of from the main street, meaning smaller kids can safely roam the garden without risk of running into traffic. Hospitality of Franco and family is great, helping with any and all questions you may have. Loved to stay, and quite close to Lucca, Pisa, and the Tuscany coast. House itself is very much old style, but newly built, giving the best of both worlds.
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I stayed at this amazing property in May 2015 for a big family trip to Italy. The property and villa were drop dead gorgeous. It was the most picturesque setting and even better than the pictures we had seen online. The villa itself was spacious, comfortable, and contained every small amenity we could need, and more. Each bedroom had robes, slippers, and toiletries. The kitchen had all basic cooking needs and they even started our stay out with a variety of breakfast items, coffee, tea, fruit, and beverages in the fridge. On the property, they have a pool, ping-pong table, small play structure for the kids, an olive grove and beautiful landscaping.
The location was perfect for everything we planned to do on the trip. It was very close to Lucca, only an hour drive from Florence, and convenient to many other beautiful towns. My father, sister and I were even able to drive up the coast towards La Spezia and take the train to Cinque Terre in just over an hour! Orentano itself is not the ideal image of a Tuscan town, but it had its small charms and the people were great. Orentano also has one of the best restaurants we ate at during our whole trip, Trattoria da Benito. So, what the town lacked in traditional charm, it made up for in location, people and food.
Franco was an incredible host, who went above and beyond to make our stay comfortable. He came over twice with fresh baked goods for our family during our stay. On our first night, we had traveled for most of the day and didn't feel like cooking. So, Franco provided us with a homemade pizza dinner that he and his wife personally prepared. It was a delicious and decadent spread of appetizers, pizzas from his crafted pizza oven, dessert, and wine. We were blown away!
On a side note, when my grandma suffered from an eye infection during our visit, Franco drove her to the doctor and acted as her translator to make sure she got what she needed. Additionally, he drove out of his way to Lucca to pick up her prescription at the pharmacy. I have never met a host that would have gone through similar lengths to help those staying at their property.
I HIGHLY recommend this vacation rental to anyone looking to travel near Northern Tuscany, or that are just looking for a great spot to relax.
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Friends getaway | Families with young children |
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