Descriptions of our Italian villas

All Villas are carefully selected and described as accurately as possible. We prefer to provide as much information as possible rather than not enough. In order to please the many nationalities with which we work, our descriptions utilize terms that are accepted and used by most tour operators. If something is not clear, please ask your agency for further information. Bathrooms are described as complete when they contain a WC, washbasin, bidet and either a bathtub or a shower. Anything which is not described is not available. Please note that a Villa rental is not like a hotel rental: Villas are self-catering units and do not offer hotel services.

Beds and linen in your villa

Bedroom and bathroom linen is provided weekly. Although the swimming pool areas are furnished with chairs and tables, owners get upset when they see guests using blankets from the beds to lay on in the sun. In some Villas beds can be provided as doubles or divided into singles. This must be written down on the booking form to allow owners and keyholders time to effect the changes. Beds will not be modified after your arrival.

Villa furnishings

The Villas are all completely furnished and equipped. Toilet paper and soaps are not provided. Kitchens have gas, electric or mixed gas/electric ranges, refrigerators, and usually ovens. You are not allowed to move furniture around in the Villas, nor to remove furniture from inside and place it outside.

Heating in the Italian homes

The type of heating available is described for each Villa. According to the Villa's measuring system, it is either payable on consumption or at a fixed weekly rate. Heating always will be paid directly to the keyholder along with fireplace wood. Italian law states that a Villa must not be heated for more than 12 hours per day and only from mid October to mid April. Please be careful in using heating because it can present you with an expensive surprise at the end of your holiday. When heating is used, total gas consumption will be charged in all Villas.

Swimming pools / Gardens

Pools are guaranteed open from June 1st to September 30th. The owner or the caretaker have access to the pools and gardens for maintenance. Beach towels are not provided.

Maid service / Cooks

Maid service costs between 15 and 20 Euros/hour. Please note on your BOOKING FORM if you want to have a maid and we will notify the owners. In many Villas maid service is mandatory, and a set weekly fee is charged. At some Villas, cooks are available and arranged by the owner or keyholder. Please ask your agent whether this service is provided at your Villa. Direct arrangements with external cooks/caterers are not permitted unless specifically authorized by us. We avail ourselves of a Concierge Services company to help organize cooks, cooking courses, wine tastings, excursions, guided tours and a variety of customized services.

Domestic animals

Pets are allowed in some Villas under your complete responsibility for any damages, bites or scratches that occur. You may be asked for an additional damages deposit to cover your pet.

Water

All Villas have potable water. Please try to use it sparingly during the summer months because Italy sometimes runs dry. You are not allowed to wash automobiles or to fill children's playpools unless authorized by the owners.

Electricity

Some Villas have limited electric capacity. Please be careful in using more than one appliance at a time because circuit breakers will shut the electric system off. This can be aggravating when you have to look for the electric control panel in the dark. Electricity is all 220 volts. Please ask the keyholder to show you the location of the circuit breakers upon arrival at the Villa.

Telephones

Many Villas have telephones for guest use, and you may be asked for an additional phone deposit. Most Villas have phone meters and you will be charged at a fixed rate per unit. Some are not provided with meters and in this case you will be asked to leave the deposit and it will be returned to you following a reading through the telephone provider of units used. Italy has an excellent cellular phone network, so if you own a cellphone you should have no problems using it. Italy has both impulse and digital dialing, so make sure you adapt your laptop software if you plan to access email and internet from Italy. ADSL and WIFI are present in some Villas, and there are internet points or cafès available in even the smallest of towns.

Baby cots

Cots are provided free of charge in those Villas where the description states that a cot is available. Some Villas do not provide baby cots. Please note that only the cots are provided. You must bring your own cot linen. If you need a baby cot, please mark it down on your BOOKING FORM so that we may notify the owner.

Registration / Deposit / Final cleaning

On arrival, please give the keyholder your passports or I.D. Cards. Italian law requires registration of guests within 24 hours of arrival. You will be required to pay a security deposit of Euro 260 to the keyholder or, in some cases, a larger deposit is due and this is specified in the price list and on your voucher. Most keyholders will also accept foreign currency. Personal checks and credit cards will not be accepted. At the end of your holiday, your security deposit will be returned to you less costs of any damages that occurred.

Clients will find the Villas clean and tidy on arrival and should leave them in the same condition on departure. Although final cleaning is included in the price of most Villas (the few exceptions specify any final cleaning costs in the descriptions), this does not extend to leaving them in a mess nor with kitchens full of dirty dishes. Should this be the case, you will be charged for the extra cleaning expenses. You will also be charged 5 Euros per bag of garbage left at the house that must be removed and disposed of by the keyholder.

Please note that as of 2012, the Italian national government has passed a law allowing towns and cities to apply sojourn taxes to guests staying in any holiday accommodation. This is not applied by all towns and the amounts vary considerably from one area to another. Some of the Villa owners will ask you to pay the sojourn tax at the end of your stay, while others will not if they are in areas that are not subject to its application. You can also refuse to pay it by simply signing a statement to that effect which the owners will provide you with.

Insurance

We strongly advise you to buy holiday cancellation insurance. Our agents have their own programs. Most insurance companies offer this service in some form at a very contained cost.