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Villa Molinazzo - Orvieto
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Accommodates 10 or 14 — 5
or 7 Air-Conditioned Bedrooms — 5 or 7 Baths
Housekeeping - Swimming Pool - Tennis Court - Hi-Speed Wireless
Internet
Villa Molinazzo has been one
of our greatest success stories. The Roman owners of La Rosaccia
did it up with their usual superb taste, and it is as close
to perfect as any country house we know of. And the location
in Southern Umbria is one of our absolute favorites in all
Italy. Orvieto and Todi are the biggest "name" towns
nearby; there are dozens of interesting, less heralded villages
in the area. Why, you might even hear Italian spoken on occasion!
If you're in search of Chianti/Disneyland, this isn't it;
instead, this area still retains something of the authentic
about it. Our sample itinerary for this area tells it all.
Villa Molinazzo is a luxuriously
restored farmhouse with 5 bedrooms, 5 baths, plus a detached
guest house with two bedrooms, two baths. Plus private swimming
pool and tennis court. Views are superb. Reaction from visitors
has been overwhelmingly positive.
The ensemble accommodates 14
persons, even 14 adults, comfortably. By the way, you can
rent the main house alone, if you number 10 persons or fewer;
in that case, the guest house will not be rented independently,
i.e., it will remain locked and unoccupied.
The ground floor of the main
house is about 3,000 square feet. The entry hall/studio contains
sofas, a library, desk, and TV. This leads into the principal
living room of the house, with a fireplace and a huge picture
window taking full advantage of a panoramic view of the surrounding
countryside. Two French doors lead out onto a covered portico
furnished as an outdoor living room. A separate dining room
with another fireplace features a dining table seating 16
comfortably.
Also on ground level are the
spacious, well-equipped eat-in kitchen with French doors leading
out to the garden. A guest half-bath adjoins.
Finally, still on the ground
floor, you will find the master bedroom suite containing sitting
room with sofa and TV, dressing room, bathroom with shower
over tub, and bedroom with indivisible matrimonial bed.
Villa Molinazzo comes equipped
with a portable computer hooked up to the internet (either
via a second phone line or via a separate DSL line for higher-speed
access). Television is via satellite, and you'll find a telephone
for both outgoing and incoming calls; washing machine, dishwasher,
stereo/CD player; and most other appliances for 21st century
life.
Upstairs are four more-or-less
equal bedrooms (one indivisible matrimonial and three unifiable
twins), each with its own en-suite bathroom, and all enjoying
delightful views over the surrounding countryside. The house
is very good for groups of several couples; though the master
suite downstairs is a little bit more "important"
than the other rooms, no one would feel resentful about having
any of the bedrooms. By the way, the upstairs bathrooms consist
of one with tub and hand-held shower plus three others with
big American-style shower stalls.
The guest house, about 30 feet
away from the main house, and connected to it by a charming
pergola, contains two nice bedrooms, one set up as a matrimonial,
the other as a twin, with an area for sofas and TV. The guest
house also contains the laundry room with two washing machines,
accessible from the outside if the guest house itself isn't
being used.
Furnishings throughout the house
reflect these owners' immense good taste. Many of the pieces
are antiques, but at the same time all the modern conveniences
are present, including new plumbing and electricity.
The property boasts a brand-new
swimming pool and tennis court. Housekeeping is provided daily,
and additional services like cooking, food shopping, childcare,
and personal laundry and ironing can be arranged.
Perhaps the most important development
at Villa Molinazzo resulted from a conversation we had with
the owner of the property who asked us what single thing he
could do to make Villa Molinazzo even more appealing to visitors.
Our answer? Air-conditioning. Air-conditioning is almost unheard
of in Italian country houses. And now, Villa Molinazzo features
a brand-new air-conditioning system in all the bedrooms. Thus,
at least at Villa Molinazzo, no one can say they can't sleep
because of the summer heat. But be aware: While you'll be
ecstatic about having air-conditioning in the bedrooms, it
is the only utility charged for as an extra. The owner has
no interest in profiting on this. You'll be charged exactly
what you consume, and utility costs in Italy are very, very
high. If you choose not to use the A/C, you won't be charged
for utilities; if you do, you'll be charged for just that
portion, as the A/C plant has its own meter.
Villa Molinazzo gets our highest
recommendation. It's not cheap, but it's far from overpriced
for what you get.
| Rates: |
June 30-Sept 1
|
May 26-June 30;
Sep 1-29 |
Other
periods |
|
Main house alone
|
6,670 euros / week |
5,800 euros / week |
4,850 euros / week |
| Main house plus
guest house |
7,250 euros / week
|
6,380 euros / week
|
5,510 euros / week |
| Extras: |
Air-conditioning
charges per meter reading |
|
Minimum stay:
|
1 week |
| Pool open: |
May 29
- Oct 2 |
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