10/10 Excellent
Miles T.
17 Sept 2019
Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
5* - Enchanting historic villa, garden, pool, sea view, and local area in Italy and France
10/10 - A very special vacation in this magical tower/villa and a perfect place to visit both the Italian Riviera and French Riviera from. Whilst here we visited Bordighera, Ventimiglia, and San Remo in Italy and Menton, Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, Monaco, Eze, Vence and Nice in France.
Prior to arrival, Leonardo (brilliant host) got in touch to arrange meeting us at the border. Arriving on the Italian side, just across from Menton, we were kindly greeted and followed his 1960's Mini Moke for a few minutes drive to the villa - it really is very easy to get to.
We were 8 guests with and the villa slept us all comfortably. Upon entering the private road up the hill to the main entrance, we parked the cars (4 cars was fine) and entered into the villa through terraced gardens of olive trees, tall cypress trees, eucalyptus, and pine trees whilst catching a glimpse of the pétanque pit!
The 1st floor is comprised of a large living room with french doors that open out onto the large terrace to sunbathe, dine, bbq, entertain and watch the view of the Piana Di Latte and the sea towards Bordighera, Ventimiglia. The pictures are accurately presented on the website but it requires seeing in-person to fully appreciate how tasteful everything really is. The marble stairs throughout, mosaic floors, antique furniture etc. It is at once, grand, rustic and refined.
The living room has an old grand piano, comfortable chairs, an old vinyl player and a set of records that Leonardo kindly invited us to use. Through this room, the adjacent dining/breakfast room can be found with its own set of doors leading out onto the terrace and the kitchen which features a good modern gas oven and a large modern fridge as well as dishwasher and washing machine.
On the way up the stairs, there is a small toilet which has an amazing view up into the branches of the impressive old olive trees that flank the entrance. The three main bedrooms can be found on the 2nd floor. Each is a large room with a great view out to the garden/terrace/sea. Outside the three bedrooms, there is a bathroom with a large walk-in shower, toilet, double sink and window view out to the pool which is bathed in golden sunlight in the morning (the pool and pool area was incredible).
Up to the roof terrace and there is a 360-view of the hills the sea and surroundings. The terrace features a shaded area and a hammock outside the entrance to the last double bedroom and lounge area with its own bathroom/shower.
Miles T.
Stayed 6 nights in Sep 2019
