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Reviews VENETO
James Patterson, 2 adults from Black Hill, Ballarat – VIC
Property: IVC443 – Cabrenta
Where: Bassano del Grappa
2008 October 18-25
Dear Travel and More,
We thoroughly enjoyed our stay in Bassano del Grappa and found the accommodation very good and very well located in relation to the town centre and the region as a whole.
We visited Venice twice by train and found that very convenient and far better than using the car. We visited most of the regional attractions by car and would recommend it as a base for Veneto .
Overall, we enjoyed our stay - there were some excellent restaurants, bars, delis and shops in close proximity.
Thanks for the opportunity to visit this very interesting place.
Jim Patterson
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- John and Judy Hoey – 2 adults from Caulfield (Melbourne) - VIC
Bassano del Grappa – Property : IVC443 – Cabrenta
Area of Lucca – Property : ITL428 – Arsina
2008, October 4-18
Hi,
Thanks for all your help – it was invaluable.
Feedack, as promised.
The apartment 'Cabrenta' in Bassano was much beyond our expectations. It was furnished and finished with top quality fittings and materials, was a very short distance from one of the main town squares, and was clean, safe and quiet. It was much bigger than we anticipated. We could have lived long term in that apartment. We were very pleasantly surprised to find it had underground parking for our car as well. It was very roomy, and many of the paintings were original oil paintings. The photos on the website don't quite capture just how nice this apartment is. We were also greeted by a charming French speaking lady, who had a bottle of bubbly in the fridge for us. We would unreservedly recommend the apartment, and also Bassano del Grappa as a place to stay. We made some good 'friends' with some of the local shopkeepers, and there were mercifully few tourists there to overcrowd the place. We wanted access to the Veneto and its towns, and Bassano is perfectly sited for that. It has a very interesting history, is a very nice size, and has easy access to the road and rail networks. We loved it, and hope to go back someday.
Arsina (by Lucca ) was fine, but lacked a washing machine. The cottage has a great terrace, but it is not all that private as there are a few residences in the complex. We had a very relaxing stay there, and there are some excellent walks through the vineyards and villages and past some wonderful villas.
The little car (Fiat Grande Punto) was great. It was only 1200cc but it would still do 140 on the autostrada after you wound it up. Having a small capacity engine meant it was very frugal with fuel as well. When we drove on the Amalfi coast, after a long run from Todi, I was petrified driving on that busy, narrow winding road. The second day I felt a lot better as I wasn't as tired, and by the third day I was really quite comfortable and enjoying it. I think the Italians are very good drivers. Fast, good humoured (no road rage that we saw) and they know to the nearest millimeter where each corner of the car is. I would rather drive with Italian drivers than Australian drivers any day. It's their national sport and they enjoy it, they enjoy a bit of bluffing (like in a poker game) and they don't automatically get angry when they don't get their way. There's quite a bit of theatre involved as well. We drove 3,500km in 4 weeks.
Many many thanks for your patience setting all this up, we would like to meet you one day and say hello in person. We would also very much recommend using TravelandMore. Your service was very personal and efficient. The emails were always promptly and politely answered, and were very professional. You provided us with top class accommodation at very reasonable rates. We went to another place for a few days which we organized direct with the owner and it did not match our expectations at all. With an agency having some responsibility for the quality of the accommodation you have more certainty of being well looked after, and that's important. Thank you also for organising an excellent rental car for a month – again at very competitive rates.
Regards
John and Judy
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Carolyn Harris – 2 adults and 3 children from Melbourne - VIC
Vicenza 2008 June 7-11
Bellagio 2008 June 11-14
Dear Travel and More,
We enjoyed the accommodation in Vicenza very much. The owners of the flat were lovely and most helpful. The accommodation was clean and well stocked with non perishable food which we were able to use if we needed to. The town of Vicenza was quite lovely and we enjoyed the surrounding district - especially being able to buy beautiful cherries at the roadside! Bassano del Grappa was a real highlight. It was also handy to get to Venice although we recommend the express train!
The accommodation in Bellagio was also very clean and nicely appointed. The location was perfect if you have a car - would not recommend it if you do not have a car. Again, the staff was helpful, friendly and welcoming. The location was fabulous - such a gorgeous little spot a comfortable walk from the main town centre. Our boys particularly enjoyed throwing stones into the lake!
Another of the highlights of that week was the side trip to Sirmione on Lake Garda - a beautiful spot.
We remember our holiday with great fondness and hope to be able to repeat it sometime.
Kind regards,
Carolyn Harris ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Frances Morris & Francis Archibald from Annandale – Sydney - NSW
Vicenza
2008, June 16 – July 5
Dear all,
We had a terrific time away.
Have been meaning to email you for some time, but..... now back for 8 weeks, and seems a distant memory. Sad that is so!
The apartment in Vicenza was SO convenient and comfortable, especially with the a/c in living and bedrooms. An essential, as every single day was well over 30 + degrees; usually 34/35 and stayed high 20's all night. Just loved Vicenza , especially as there were virtually no tourists and we walked to the station (but no way is this possible with luggage; taxi essential) and so easily could go to Padova, Venezia, Verona , Treviso , Lake Garda etc for the day. Or just explore Vicenza , have a coffee, shop for local products for dinner, books or clothes if you felt so inclined.
So again, thanks for organising that, and very efficiently. Have mentioned your company to a few people.
Hope this finds you well, and that the interesting times in the USA do not affect you!!
Regards,
Frances
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Sally Douglas – 2 adults – from Neutral Bay (Sydney) – NSW
Verona
2007, September 23-30
My mother and I thank you very much for recommending the apartment in Verona . There is SO MUCH to see in Verona and it's so lovely and central to other day trips. The apartment is about 20 steps away from Verona 's famed Arena, down the quaint Vicolo Tre Marchetti, and is an absolute gem. Every time we came "home," we literally felt like it was OUR apartment, OUR home. It was so nice walking into a residence, rather than a hotel.
The apartment was comfortably furnished, with two bedrooms, wood-beamed ceilings, a nice living/dining area, and small kitchen. Nothing is overtly luxurious, but the apartment was tastefully decorated and just perfect. The apartment has two lovely balconies that overlook Via Mazzini, the main shopping drag in Verona . Our enduring memory of the apartment is sitting on the small balcony in the early evening watching the world go by. The position, right in the centre of Verona , could not be better.
The fridge was well stocked with enough yogurt, milk, eggs, and juice for the two of us, along with a nice breakfast spread of cereals, jams, and breads set up for us on the dining room table.
The apartment is up about three flights of stairs. Massimo and Camilla (the owners) live in the apartment above. They were the souls of warmth and helpfulness and gave us tons of suggestions and information especially about great places for eating and drinking. They even helped to get us to the airport when most of the city was shut down for the Verona Marathon the morning we left the city. I would stay with them again in a heartbeat. Their apartment is truly a hidden gem in the romantic city of Verona .
Susan.
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David, Fabiola and their 2 children – from Richmond South (Melbourne) - VIC
Asolo
2006, July 8–15
Now back in Australia unfortunately
Accommodation was excellent. Great recommendation.
Her house is easily good for family with two kids, maybe more, there certainly is the space. Property is a couple of km from Asolo in a beautiful spot. However would be unsuitable if no car.
Giovanna is a delightful woman. She went out of her way to help us and we had diner together a couple of times. We bought a lot of beautiful clothes from her factory.
Happy to give you further feedback or speak to potential clients if you like.
Many thanks.
David. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Napier family: 2 adults and 3 teenagers, 13, 15 and 16 years – Sydney - NSW
Bellagio – Venice – Veneto – Siena - Rome
2006 December 23 – 2007 January 20.
Dear Christian,
Belated thanks for a wonderful month in Italy . The accommodation, travel arrangements, culture etc all met or exceeded our expectations. The Christmas decorations and food made a winter visit to Italy especially memorable. Thank you.
Bellagio: 6 nights. The winding road from Como was memorable as an introduction to Italian roads and drivers! Bellagio was magic. The apartment is small but perfectly located on a cobbled street. It was a delight to open the windows and shutters in the morning and look out over the rooftops to Lake Como and the mountains beyond. Adriana is a wonderful host and we managed to communicate despite my dodgy Italian. Christmas lunch at “Silvio” saw us sitting at a window table with a “chocolate box” view of Lake Como . Thanks for booking it for us! We sampled many courses win the company of locals and their extended families. The open fire at reception with the family dogs curled up in front of it completed the scene! We were welcomed by the locals and by the end of our stay were confidently taking car ferries all over the lake. We also managed a really memorable day trip to San Moritz. Most of the gardens and villas were closed over winter which was disappointing.
Venice: 3 nights. Thank you for recommending a fantastic genuinely authentic Venetian hotel located not far from the Academia Bridge . Arriving at the hotel jetty by water taxi set the scene for a memorable stay. Breakfasts were included and there was a broad range of choice with both hot and cold food. Staff was helpful making reservations at nearby restaurants and helping book concerts. We had a very sumptuous never-ending banquet on New Years Eve at a restaurant recommended by the hotel and came back to find gifts of Grappa and chocolates waiting in our rooms. “Buon Anno!” The gondola ride was wonderful bundled up in blankets and able to glide under churches that are only accessible at low tide. Even the Murano glass arrived safely following our return to Sydney .
Veneto: 4 nights, in San Zenone (near Asolo and Bassano la Grappa).This was a beautiful and very comfortably, recently restored farmhouse. The apartment was large and well heated with a wood fire in the kitchen. We ate at home a lot choosing to sample the local food. Our hostess made a special trip from Padua to welcome us and suggest villas and places to visit. We kept the washing machine busy. You would need a car to stay here but it is easily accessible to many places and we wish we had had more time to explore this lovely area. The traffic was fine for this time of year but can be a problem at peak times.
Siena: 3 nights in a farm stay. We stopped on the way at “Ferrari Galleria”, near Modena , for the Y chromosomes family members who overdosed on a huge display of racy cars through the years. Next stop was at our agriturismo by Siena where we met up with our NZ friends and their 2 teenagers. The landlords were wonderful hosts and we ate the best meals (and drank the best wine) we had tasted in Italy . Nadia even made our daughter a special “Senese” birthday cake for her 15 th birthday. The accommodation was comfortable and every room had its own bathroom. The dependence was an added bonus as a retreat for teenagers who spent many hours playing cards around the fireplace. The farm stay is very close to Siena and has beautiful views of olive groves and vineyards from its window. The food is all locally grown and organic.
Rome: 8 nights. The apartment was located near Barberini Square and Trevi fountain, a great location within easy walking distance of many attractions and shops. The apartment was very comfortable with a lift and good security but noisy, as is to be expected when staying in the middle of Rome . A special bonus was an “alimentari” directly opposite with welcoming smells from the coffee machine. The apartment was well heated and a handy washing machine again! We happened to have a problem with the door lock but it was quickly sorted by the caretaker who also helped providing local info rmation like where the nearest DVD store was located!
We really appreciated the comfortable and professional transfer to the airport from right outside our apartment! Thank you!
Overall a fantastic experience and made so much easier to organise with your experience and recommendations. There is no doubt I would have spent hours on the internet trying to find the perfect accommodation. It was so much more enjoyable to work through the choices you came up with having first eliminated everything that was not suitable. The rental car bookings went through without a hitch and the navigator was a life and time saver (except when it lost signal). We even got upgraded to a people mover when we went to collect our car at Venice airport. Though we did get stung with an extra days rental in Florence after getting lost in the Tuscan countryside taking the scenic route!
The only drawback to travel in winter is that less tourist info rmation places, villas and gardens are open. But there are definitely no long waits for museums and galleries and the winter sales are well worth the trip. We are looking forward to booking our next holiday with Travel and more and have no hesitation in recommending you to friends and colleagues.
Grazie mille.
Mary and Bill.
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