Margaret
If you can't relax here, you can't relax anywhere!
Villa Croce is magnificent! From the moment you reach the top, get out of the car, and reality hits you where you are, you literally never want to leave again. The manicured, fragrant gardens throughout the property, the romantic lighting on the walkways and various steps, the choice of flower and greenery varieties, the colors chosen for the villa and pool area, THE VIEWS, all strike a perfect balance even before you enter the villa. Inside is spacious and sturdy with stone floors, plaster walls, beautiful architectural staircases, with plenty of windows, doors and shutters. The air-conditioning works well, and when needed it was enjoyed. The spa with the hot tub, sauna, large shower, treadmill and loungers was used everyday. The W/D was used one day and worked well. All 6 bedrooms were spacious, very comfy beds with nice linen and well appointed ensuite baths. We all enjoyed the rain shower heads and heated towel racks. It was nice having deep tubs for those that don't have them to soak in at home, with showers. The two masters have beautiful private balconies to have morning coffee on as the sun comes up and the world below starts to slowly wake up. The air up here is heavenly and crisp, and if anyone is into yoga, these balconies would fit the bill. The large kitchen is well equipped with whatever you'll need. I did bring my own spices which I would recommend doing since there are none, but a wonderful welcome basket with fabulous olive oil, coffee, wine, crackers, etc is offered which was all consumed and enjoyed. The pool, though a little trek to get to, was so relaxing. Large, clean, with romantic night lights and a mechanical cover that goes on each night to keep it clean and temperature right. The full bath and full kitchen right there came in handy, as we kept all our beverages cold, snacks handy, and didn't have to walk back up to villa for a bathroom. Two of our favorite places to hang out was the terrace off the back, and the outside covered dining area off the kitchen. All our meals were there bc it was so easy to just prepare and bring them out one door. You were out of the sun, or rain, but still alfresco dining in comfort and elegance. The plethora of rosemary in the garden was used in just about every meal one way or another, as an herb, or decoration on the table! Being where we are in a natural setting they do have tiny ants that liked the kitchen. We made sure that everything was wiped down well before and after food prep and all open food was kept well sealed or in the refrigerator and that kept them at bay. As far as the villa hosts and manager, we couldn't have asked for better. Silvia, the manager, met us at the villa when she said she'd be there, and let us in the gate. ( very protected property with electronic gate that you get out of car and communicate over an intercom with person inside). She welcomed us and oriented us to the workings of the villa, then gave us privacy and her cell number to call for any reason. We did need Silvia for a few things, one with an issue at the villa and another with something personal, and both times she immediately responded and "rescued" us so our vacation was back on track in a short time. The owner, Oliver was responsive as well, and worked with Silvia to assure quick resolution to any issues we had. We used the ping pong for tournaments, and the tennis court for matches (get ready for a hike to get there). We didn't use the large TV room with many DVDs, or the fire places. We did take family photos all over the property with a tripod, and got some wonderful portraits to frame for our memories. (the color we chose for dress was plum, lavender shades and white, and against the villa and greenery, resulted in a good choice). The couple of things that we weren't crazy about, but just let go with all the amazing things we had here, was the road up to the villa is poor. Rutted, gravel and dirt only, narrow, vertical, and windy. We had a 9 passenger van, so definitely we would experience more severity in the road than cars would. We made sure that we were organized each day to do all our shopping, touring, etc with only ONE time down and up the hill. There also needs to be cushions on the pool chairs. We can't say enough about this villa experience, Silvia, Oliver and Sabine. We've rented villas in several areas of Europe and this is a really special one! Short distances to Assisi, Perugia, Gubbio, Spello, Lake Tresimino, to have fun 1/2 adventures and return to relax at the villa each day. And believe me, I challenge anyone who can't relax here!
Response from Abercrombie & KentJul 4, 2019
Dear Margaret, Many thanks for your extensive review and feedback. It is greatly appreciated. We hope that you choose A&K Villas again in the near future. Kind regards, Craig Masters Client Relations Manager A&K Villas