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| [ Il Cielo & Il Nido ] |
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Dear Isabella and Carlo, We are back in the States and I do not know where to begin. Bev and I had planned our vacation to Italy for a long time and we had three primary objectives; to experience Tuscany, to live with Italians and to live like Italians. In the simplest terms, our stay at Le Casine exceeded our most optimistic expectations. We thoroughly enjoyed our four weeks in Il Cielo and Il Nido. It wouild be difficult to say which was our favorite. The sun deck at Il Cielo and the larger space were its most obvious advantages while the private courtyard, spacious kitchen and intimacy of Il Nido was very attractive. Either facilitiy is desirable for different reasons, while while both share the commonality of the wonderful village of Castelmuzio, or Castello as the locals call it. We were able to fulfill our objectives partly because of the warmth and friendliness of the people in the town. At the time of our departure, we were acquainted with many of the townspeople, including Juliana, Maria, Mara and Loriano and several whose name we did not know, but we were well acquainted with their smiles. We even made friends with Maria's dog, "Nina." However, the majority of the credit for our exceptional experience must go to you and Carlo. We have never been away from home, including vacations in the States, where we felt so well cared for and safe. Thank you for making our vacation more than we could ever have expected. We will see you again in 2010! With kindest regards, Beverly and Regis Rocco - Powell, Ohio USA 10/05/2008 |
| [ Il Nido ] |
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I just stayed in a wonderful apartment in Castelmuzio. The property is called Le Casine di Castello, and is actually comprised of two apartments, a larger apartment upstairs called Il Cielo, and a smaller apartment downstairs called Il Nido. I stayed in the smaller of the two apartments, Il Nido. It is charmingly romantic and has absolutely everything that is needed for a wonderful stay. There is a beautiful bedroom and very well-equipped bathroom with shower. There is also a great kitchen with everything that one needs either for a quick snack or glass of wine in the garden, or to cook an entire meal. The owners have given every attention to detail and provided absolutely everything from a bountiful breakfast basket to luxurious bath items. The owners are also very attentive and ready to help with anything, from a crisis (I locked myself out and they came at 10pm to get me into the apartment) to giving information on the area. I found the most charming thing about the apartment to be the attached private garden. The flower-filled garden is perfectly secluded and well-equipped with chairs for lounging and a table and chairs for dining outside. Both apartments are located in the ancient village of Castelmuzio. Castelmuzio is a very charming village with all that one needs for their stay in Tuscany....grocery store (Co-op), quaint restaurants, and wonderful friendly people. It is in a great location...close to Pienza, Montepulciano, Petroio, Montisi and numerous other wonderful hilltowns. If you want the perfect place from which to explore the Tuscan countryside and still want to have a very private vacation...this is the place for you. As a special note-on this trip I stayed alone at this location and always felt completely safe. This is a great apartment for either a couple or a person travelling alone. Susan Truitt - Indian Harbor Beach, FL USA 07/23/2007 |
| [ Il Nido ] |
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Our favorite part was the little private garden surrounded with plants and flowers, lounge seating and a grille. The décor was both rustic and romantic. The first morning there, Isabella met all the guests to go over the itinerary she was offering for the week. We were able to decide what we wanted to participate in or not. We signed up for almost everything. Our week included as part of our apartment rental: a three hour guided tour of Siena with a professional guide (who was amazing!); an olive oil tasting evening with Carlos, her husband, who is a professional oil taster; and my favorite - a cooking class in the farmhouse outdoor space overlooking the most beautiful hills of Val D'Orcia, where we learned how to prepare handmade "pici" (pasta) followed by a tasting with the fabulous meat ragù of Liliana in a traditional Tuscan family-dinner - complete with Isabella and Carlos' family and all the guests at both locations! There were also activities on the list that Isabella put together that had a fee associated with them. They were reasonable - again, we signed up for most of them. They included: A wine tour and tasting of a wonderful Brunello wine in Montalcino; an amazing day at an all organic farm learning how it works, followed by the most delicious homemade, fresh from the organic farm lunch!;I can't forget an amazing dinner one evening cooked by friends of Isabella at a local monastery; then there was the last supper (the only event that I might have passed on had it not been for the company, which made it worth it) Isabella was great about knowing that this was our holiday while still giving us a little, authentic taste of Tuscan traditions, meals, and experiences. Her family took each of us in and made our stay warm and welcoming. It was relaxing, fun, interesting, educational, romantic (I could go on) vacation for my husband and I. We really needed the time and having the time there with our privacy as well as all the activities, gave us a great experience! Il Nido provided a wonderful vacation opportunity and I have not stopped spreading the word! Lisa Puffer May 19 - 26, 2007 |
| [ Il Nido ] |
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Several months ago, we contacted Isabella about staying at Cretaiole and she told us that they were basically full, except for a 3 bedroom that was more than we wanted to spend. She then told us about another property that her family owns, Il Nido di Castello, just outside of the very small, very wonderful town of Castelmuzio (about 10 minutes from Cretaiole and Pienza).
Cretaiole is a wonderful place, we spent lots of time there, and Isabella and the family and other guests made us feel very welcome. All the good things you've read here are true! The thing that I really liked about Il Nido though, is that it's much more private and quiet than Cretaiole. There are 2 apartments that Isabella rents, the downstairs studio which was perfect for the 2 of us, and an upstairs apt. with 2 bedrooms and a rooftop terrace. Also, the town of Castelmuzio was absolutely delightful. It's a tiny little town with a restaurant/hotel/bar, a Tabacchi, and an olive oil office. That's it, aside from the residents. There's also a co-op (grocery store) just outside of the town. Il Nido is definitely something that I would recommend to anyone looking for a peaceful Tuscan experience. Of course, the Cretaiole activities and experiences made this an amazing trip. Jeff Spring - Seattle, WA USA Wed 10/25/2006 |
| [ Il Cielo ] |
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What an amazing and warm person--Isabella! She knows how to conduct business in a professional manner, but still makes everyone feel at home and like a special friend, not just a paying customer! Our accommodation was excellent and the location proved to be the ideal base for exploring the towns of Montalcino and Montepulciano as well as all the small villages close by. We stayed 6 days in Castelmuzio. We felt like proper Italians in our own little village where the church bell still announces every hour. I recommend this wonderful place to stay to everyone who wishes to experience true Tuscan hospitality!
Tersia from South Africa September 2006 |
| [ Il Nido ] |
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Thank you for connecting us with your delightful apartment in Castelmuzio on our recent trip. We had a perfect, lovely, beautiful vacation and couldn't have been more pleased. Morris got our vacation off to a great start when he picked us up at the Florence airport and gave us a great little tour of the area on our way to Castelmuzio. Isabella, you and Carlo were so warm and gracious, we really enjoyed talking with you and visiting Cretaiole and the romitorio outside Pienza. Warmest regards, Juline Koken and Daniel Garcia - USA 05/28/2005 |
| [ Il Cielo ] |
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Just a quick note to say that we had such a good holiday in your very lovely villa in Castelmuzio. The views were really gorgeous, and the villa itself is lovely, well furnished and decorated. We appreciated all the trouble that you took to make our stay enjoyable. We will recommend it highly to all our friends and anyone we know travelling to Tuscany. Kind regards Eileen & Dave Thayser - USA 09/24/2005 |