Holiday Apartment in Country Villa with Pool
In the Heart of the Monferrato Hills - the Land of Wine and Truffles
Sleeps 2/5 (1 Bedroom)
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An 18th-century villa perched high on a hillside in the enchanting Monferrato area of Piedmont. The villa has been lovingly restored, but includes all modern amenities - including a pool. The Monferrato itself - famous for its world-class fine wines, truffles and wild boar - is a huge area of rolling hills with its slopes covered in acre after acre of vineyards, cropland and woods. This unique area holds a vast array of wonders for you to discover - hundreds of ancient hilltop villages, majestic castles, out-of-the way inns, family wineries, historic churches, small hidden chapels and soul-calming nature sanctuaries. You can explore via an extensive network of trails for hiking, biking and riding, or experience the area by car, winding along the famous 'wine roads', stopping off for wine tastings and lunch at a village trattoria. The villa is just a few minutes from shops, banks and restaurants. Turin, Genoa and Milan are all a short drive away as are beaches, lakes and mountains.
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| Rental Period | Per Night | Per Week | Per Month | Min. Stay (Nights) |
| 1 January 2011 - 1 April 2011 | €460 | 3 | ||
| 2 April 2011 - 27 May 2011 | €570 | 3 | ||
| 28 May 2011 - 18 September 2011 | €740 | 3 | ||
| 19 September 2011 - 21 November 2011 | €570 | 3 | ||
| 22 November 2011 - 30 December 2011 | €460 | 3 |
Notes on prices
Prices are for the properties per night/week in euros.
Accepted pets: 5 euros per night per pet. Apartment rental 2 weeks or more: 5% discount. Contact owners for monthly rental rates.
Changeover day
We have no particular change-over day. Check-out time is 10 am. if other guests are arriving that same day and check-in after 4 pm if the apartment was pre-occupied... otherwise, both are somewhat flexible.
Accommodation
| Bedrooms: | The spacious bedroom is air-conditioned. Has an antique iron bed and a living room area with a piano, couch, armchairs, coffee table, antique wardrobe and desk and chair with internet connection. |
| Bathrooms: | The small en-suite bathroom is completely tiled with polished stone and has a sink, toilet, large walk-in shower. |
| Kitchen: | The kitchen, built along one wall of the dining room, has a full-size fridge/freezer, 4-hob gas stove, electric oven, microwave, coffee maker, sink and storage cupboards. |
| Living Rooms: | The dining table seats up to six and the lounge area of the room has a single day bed and a double hide-a-bed sofa with end and coffee tables. This room also has a pellet-burning stove, satellite TV and air-conditioning. |
| Other: | The Terrazza Apartment is so named because it boasts a large private terrace with a retractable waterproof awning that overlooks the gardens and surrounding hills. The terrace is fully furnished with both lounge and dining areas. |
| Cleaning/towels/ linen/maid service: |
bathroom and pool towels are furnished as are all bed linens. Cleaning and/or maid service are available at extra charge. |
| Amenities/Facilities: | hob/stove oven fridge/freezer fridge microwave washing machine tumble dryer iron/ironing board satellite tv telephone internet access central heating air conditioning cot high chair barbecue shared pool |
| Suitability: | pets accepted |
| Location Type: |
Notes on accommodation
The villa offers free parking directly across the street in our private lot, but guests can pull up into the front courtyard for loading and unloading. The grounds are completely enclosed, so very private and secure, The pool is unfenced and unguarded, so parents must provide proper supervision. Pets may be allowed by special agreement, but check with us for limits and policy. Considerate smokers are welcome, but smoking should be kept to terraces, courtyards and other outdoor areas. We also have a small number of bikes to lend free of charge (no helmets) and even a bilingual guide at a reasonable rate. The owners of Villa Due Valli also run a language training business and can offer a learning-vacation for English, French, German or Italian, tailor-made as light or intense as you would like. We also have a friend who is an experienced Italian chef who is willing to come to the villa to teach guests how to prepare a number of typical local dishes (see rates on website).
Accessibility
While the ground-level the ground level of the villa does have extra wide doors that could accommodate a wheelchair, the bathroom and kitchen facilities have not been adapted to the severely physically challenged. The Terrazza apartment does require climbing a number of steps to reach, so is not suitable for those with serious mobility problems. If you have any doubts about the suitability of the villa for you or a member of your party, please feel free to contact us.
Outside
Each apt. has furnished outdoor living areas for the private use of the occupants, but the gardens have a number of communal amenities. There is a small swimming pool and pool area has a covered gazebo, sundeck, solar-heated shower, deckchairs, tables, et al. The pool is unheated, but due to its all-day southern exposure to the sun, the water temperature is quite comfortable during the summer months. The pool, gazebo and sundeck are all lit at night so night-time swimming is allowed if noise kept down. We also have a communal BBQ patio with food preparation tables, chairs and lighting. The gardens are on several levels and connected by stone steps and paths which are kept lit at night. There are plenty of lawn chairs and benches... even a hammock for when you really want to relax. Guests are welcome to pick any of the fruit and herbs growing in the garden to supplement or enhance their meals. There are also a lot of trees that keep it cool and shady on those blazing summer days.
Coast/Beach
The beaches of the Italian Riviera are about an hour's drive from the villa. Two coastal towns which are a must see are the picturesque fishing village of Portofino where the rich and famous anchor their fabulous yachts and the beautiful city of Genoa itself.
Golf
Piedmont has several world-class golf courses and the nearest of these is less than half an hour from the villa.
Skiing
Turin, also known as 'The capital of the Alps', hosted the 2006 Winter Olympics. The decision to chose Turin as the host city was surely influenced by the city's proximity to so many excellent winter-sports venues. The resorts all along the borders with France and Switzerland are on average about an hour and a half away by car, so could make a nice day trip during your stay.
Special interest holidays
Language Courses: Want to learn a little Italian while you're here? We have run a language center in the area for 25+ years, so can easily arrange a tailor-made course for you at the villa. We have qualified teachers in not only in Italian, but also English, German and French who teach beginners - advanced, for a few hours or intensively.
Cooking Classes: What better 'souvenir' to take back than how to prepare some of the delicious local dishes that you sampled while here? A master-chef specializing in Monferrato cuisine can come to the villa and show you how it's done - and you and your party get to eat your creations!
Wine Tours: We are active in promoting Italian wines and would be happy to take you on a wine tasting tour, introduce you to the owners and give you a chance to pick up some bottles of your favorites.
Cycling Tours: A great way to explore the area. We have bikes and even a bilingual guide (English-Italian) who can show you all the best trails and secret spots.
Travel
The nearest international airport is the Turin airport in Caselle, about 45-minutes away by car. A higher number of flights come in at Milan's three airports, Linate, Malpensa and Bergamo. Malpensa is a little over an hour away by road, Linate is 1.5 hrs. and Bergamo 1 hr. 45 min. We can also be reached by high velocity trains out of France. The nearest high-speed train station is Vercelli which is about a 30-minute drive. As the villa is in a very rural area, a car is virtually a must.
Distances
The nearest villages are Cerrina and Murisengo, both about five minutes away by car. Both of these small towns offer all the basic amenities of shops, supermarkets, banks, gas stations, bars and cafes. The nearest cities are Casale Monferrato (20 min.) and Asti (35 min.), but Turin is only 45 min. by car.
Further details
The two nearby villages of Cerrina and Murisengo (famous for truffles) are both about 5 minutes by car and have all the basic services such as supermarkets, banks, shops, bars, cafès, etc. There are a number of excellent restaurants in the area, all of which are just a few minute's drive, and we will be happy to steer you to the best ones... and since we know the owner-chefs, we might even be able to arrange for a special discount. The famous wine-making town of Cocconato d'Asti - known as "The Riviera of the Monferrato" for its micro-climate and stunning 360° panoramas of the vineyard-clad hills - is about 15 minutes away and we can arrange a visit to one of the most important wineries there. The historical towns of Casale Monferrato with its huge, newly renovated castle-fortress and the walled, hilltop town of Moncalvo - known as 'The Smallest City in Italy' - are both about 20 minutes away by car and definitely worth a visit. And the much larger towns of Asti (famous for wines) and Vercelli (Italy's rice growing capital) are about half an hour. Alessandria and the capital of Piedmont, Turin are both about 45 minutes away by road. Turin boasts some of the best architecture in Europe, many world-class museums (including the world's second largest Egyptian museum) and great shopping. Milan is about an hour-and-a-half drive famous for the soaring, white-marble Duomo cathedral. Genoa, from where Christopher Columbus (Cristofero Columbo is his real name) set sail for the Americas, can be reached through an amazing system of long tunnels cutting right through the high Ligurian hills separating Piedmont from the coast. It takes about an hour to get there, but it's historical buildings and monuments make it a worthwhile day trip. Genoa is also home to the largest aquarium in Europe. The famous wine, Barolo, comes from the beautiful Langhe hills which adjoin the Monferrato and a day touring the many vineyards and open-house wineries makes for a very pleasant day outing.
Booking notes
Guests can book either through our website (see below) or by phone. Must be confirmed by a bank transfer of a 100-euro security deposit plus at least 20% of the rental fee. The security deposit is 100% refundable if the apartment is left clean and undamaged. Full amount of booking to be paid in cash on arrival. If cancelled 60 days or more before scheduled arrival - 75% of the transfer is refundable, 30 days or more - 50% refundable, less than 30 days - deposits forfeited.
Guest comments
19 Oct., 2010 Belinda & Ken Our stay in Italy was exactly what we needed, thanks to your warm hospitality. The villa and grounds have so much CHARACTER and will not soon be forgotten! The experience was everything we hoped for and so much more. We will be sure to recommend staying here to anyone considering a vacation in Piemonte! Grazie Mille! Sara & Tony Mathews Nashville, Tennessee
My wife and I just spent a weekend during the Easter Holidays at Villa Due Valli. The place had barely been opened and we were the only guests. Wonderful place and we were treated like family. Can't remember a nicer weekend! Beppe Severino, Ivrea, Italy.
After a long, rainy winter here in England, I was anxious to get away for a short holiday. I'm a wine buff, so wanted to go to the Monferrato. Found Villa Due Valli on the internet and booked... glad I did! Ken introduced me to all of his wine-making friends, so I was in ecological heaven! I'll be back! Oliver St. John, London.
Owner profile
About the owner
Ciao! I'm Ken Crofutt, an ex-Californian living here in this fairytale-like land for the last 25 years. My Anglo-Australian wife, Belinda, and I enjoy sharing our villa with people from around the world and exchanging experiences of peoples, cultures, wines, cuisine, et al and would be happy to advise on what to see and do while you're here. As an optional service, I run a wine-appreciation course in collaboration with friends from the Associazione Italiana di Sommeliers including a tasting tour to local cellars. Belinda, who holds a diploma from the "Ecole de Cordon Bleu" in Paris has adapted her expertise to the local cuisine and organizes cooking classes. If you want to get to know the real Italy, beyond the usual tourist haunts, this could be just the place you're looking for!
Year purchased: 2001
Why the owner chose a guest house in this location
After more than 15 years in the Monferrato, with its undulating hills of vineyards and ancient hilltop villages, we were completely under its spell and convinced that this land of wine and truffles was where we wanted to put down roots. After much searching, we found exactly what we were looking for... an 18th-century villa high on a hillside overlooking two valleys. It needed a lot of work, but after years of loving restoration, we finally had it... a beautiful villa in a beautiful setting. Just last year (2009) we decided to share the villa with visitors and put in kitchens and bathrooms to create three autonomous apartments on three levels. The response has been incredible since the moment we opened our doors and it has been very rewarding too... meeting people from all over the world!
Unique benefits of the property
Having a villa in this part of Italy has proven to be ideal. While it's in a beautiful and unspoilt rural area of Piedmont, the villa is just a short drive from major towns such as Asti, Alessandria, Casale Monferrato, Alba, et al, as well as from the major wine-producing zones of Barolo, Baberesco, Roero & Cocconato d'Asti. It's also an easy drive to three of Italy's major cities: Turin, Milan and Genoa and the Alps to the north & west, the lakes to the Northeast and the seaside to the south make for easy day-trips too. So, all in all, one couldn't ask for a more convenient location with access to such a diversity of places to experience.
For booking and further information
Property Ref IT3225
Contact Name:
Ken or Belinda
(ITALY) +39 0142949305
Alternate Contact Details:
(ITALY) +39 3482630277
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Property Ref IT3225
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