Villa Pia

BEST PLACE EVER ( Stay far FAR away if you don't . . . because everyone else does. There were pools (plural, one nice and shallow for the babes), slides, swings (one a tire swing), dogs, a cappuccino maker at the ready (it's the first thing they teach you to use), milk, yogurt and juice in the fridge, alcohol at the ready, tennis courts, fabulous Italian cooks, kids toys outside, kids toys inside, a huge courtyard in which to gather, sit, read . .

I went to Villa Pia with my two daughters (4 and 2) in July and we all had a great time. It was our first solo trip away following the death of my husband and I was a little daunted. I had been assured though that Villa Pia would be the perfect place to go as a lone parent and that advice proved to be spot on.

On arrival to the lovely hilltop village of Lippiano I asked directions and easily found my way to the main house (if you follow the road round past the castle walls, Villa Pia is through some big gates and down a steep hill on the right hand side. The welcome we received was lovely - Paola was great, very welcoming and informative. We stayed in the house in the village. At first I was a little bit concerned about this, but actually it proved to be perfect. In the evening a babysitter is in the house and looks after the children of the 4-5 families staying there while the parents go and have dinner. It was really nice to close the door and know the children were going to be well looked after and I could have nice, grown-up conversations without being interrupted!

The room we had was nice - it was actually 2 rooms with two single beds in one and a large double bed in another. There was a nice bathroom with great views out over the surrounding countryside. In the house we were in there was also a playroom with lots of toys and books and also a kitchen with a fridge full of milk, juice and water (as well as wine & beer) and everything you needed to assemble a basic breakfast. We generally ate breakfast here and then went down to the main house/pool and stayed there for the day.

Villa Pia is on a hillside, so there are lots of steps and quite steep hills to negotiate. It was actually no bad thing, as it meant I walked off much of the gorgeous food and wine I consumed! The food was wonderful - so many different dishes to choose from at lunchtimes, you couldn't help but go back for seconds. Children's tea again had many different dishes to satisfy even the fussiest child (I know, because I have one!). The nightly dinner for adults was just great. All the food, without exception, was delicious. There was a constant supply of Villa Pia's own organic wine and then after dinner an extensive range of liqueurs would come out.

The absolute best thing about Villa Pia was the people - staff and guests alike. It could have felt very daunting, walking down the steps from the village to the main house each evening by myself, but it wasn't. Everyone made me feel so welcome and it was such a pleasure to get to know some of the people. I guess this is where Villa Pia either works for you or it doesn't: group dinners like that are not for everyone. But for me, it was just the perfect way to finish each day.

I didn't actually use any babysitting other than in the evenings. I found my children a pleasure to be with - we were all relaxed and enjoyed each other's company, rather than having to worry about the usual rushing around at home. Being at Villa Pia was a huge part of this. I have never felt so relaxed on holiday. And now my children are already asking when can we go back!

Thank you Villa Pia.

PS MNHQ, Villa Pia is full board, not self-catering.

I traveled to Villa Pia with my husband and kids last June and loved it. One week wasn't enough. The other families were very nice, our kids made lots of new friends which they played with and after an hour or so of watching nervously with the other parents I felt confident enough to let them go off and have their own adventures in the vast grounds. The atmosphere, the setting, the food and the steady flow of wine all made it really easy to zone out and read my book in the sun. The food was delicious and I was impressed with the kids dinner which was simple and greatly appreciated by my kids. One of the adults dinners involved one of the best steaks I've ever had: it was cooked by Italian mothers on hot coals in the central room of the house.

Comments from other Mumsnetters:

Accommodation is "simple but tasteful". Food is "great" with a "spectacular lunch, we cut sight seeing short so we didn't miss it!" Childcare can be arranged but most don't use it: "the children run free in the fabulous grounds and disappear with new-found playmates but the communal atmosphere means you don't worry". Meal times are communal and "although all the guests were absolutely lovely, we were glad we'd gone with friends, talking to strangers can be tiring!" The verdict: "like being at a fabulous house party", "you go home completely re-energised" "the only problem is, it gets booked up!"
Mumsnet top tip: "Free range children can make for noisy mornings - so take ear plugs and then let yours get up and play with everyone else's while you doze in relative peace!"

We have just returned from a winter break at Villa Pia. The last time we were there was 2 years ago when we were still a family of 3. To our great happiness this year our family has grown. Personally, I don't like to return to a previous holiday site because there are so many other places to visit. This time however after a tough year I just wanted to relive our happy days in Italy and I didn't come up against any resistance from the family. Being winter I was somewhat worried that it would have been less enjoyable. This was not the case. The weather was chilly but sunny and there were just a few families which made the late afternoons in the house relaxing and friendly.
All the positive comments about Villa Pia have already been given in the earlier reviews. The attention shown to the guests by the staff was remarkable. It is incredible in a small kitchen 2 cooks at a time create delicious dishes for lunch, dinner, children's tea, scrumptious cakes for afternoon tea and they still find time to cater for vegetarians and guests with food allergies.
Highly recommended for families with young children.

I really cannot recommend this place highly enough to anyone who'll listen to me - truly the easiest, most stress-free way to spend a week or two with young or not so young children. Prices are quite reasonable if you travel at the beginning or end of the season, although I'd avoid the summer months for costliness and also the raging heat.

We flew with BA from Gatwick to Bologna. We took a carseat as you have to hire a car, but there's really no need to bring pushchairs, travel cots etc. as the Villa has EVERYTHING you could need for your baby: blender for pureeing, bottles, bibs, sippy cups, highchairs, booster seats, pushchairs, cots etc. As well as 3 meals a day, afternoon tea and cakes, a fridge full of yoghurts and as much wine, beer and spirits as you can manage!

The children will be kept amused endlessly and they will make plenty of friends whilst at the Villa. For the kids, there is an indoor playroom, a piano room, an indoor softplay room, a huge outdoor play area in the courtyard (the gates exiting these can be kept locked so your little ones are caged in whilst you relax in the deckchairs without having to be too vigilant), the swimming pool, ping-pong table, playhouses, plenty of board games, swings and tunnels. Adults have a quiet reading room and rambling Umbrian hills to explore.

There are lots of fantastic daytrips to many nearby medieval villages, or longer day trips can be made to the historic cities of Florence, Bologna, Assisi, Siena, Pisa etc.

Great place; v relaxing week. Lots to amuse toddlers; trampolines, 2 pools (heated up to 32 degrees - great if yours is fussy on cold pools!); lots of play equipment in different areas; tennis etc. Food fantastic quality and nice to have separate childrens tea time. Yes, you could get a bit tired of communal eating but it worked for us and with 2 under 3s was bliss to have someone else doing all the food which was superb and all the washing up!

Best holiday since having kids! We have two boys aged four and two. Wonderfull food, lots of things for the children to do and a beautifull setting. We met some lovely people, the children made friends and we really did not want to come home. One of our boys has a severe milk allergy and we were very impressed at how the hotel accommodated this and always made sure he had lots of choice like the other children. I would definately recommend this hotel for anyone who has allergies in their family. It is particularly good value at the moment, with the current exchange rate because everything is included, wine, juice, snacks for the children even afternoon cake. Although this is not a cheap holiday, you save lots of money on extras that you would normally have to buy at other hotels. Great play stuff for the Kids - 2 pools, trampolines, indoor soft play area, to name a few, though do wonder if it is particularly suitable for children aged 6 and under. Not sure there is enough to do for teenagers, but brilliant for pre-schoolers.
Would love to return!!

We've just come back from our third stay at Villa Pia and had another great time. If you want a sanitised and unimaginative 5-star villa holiday staffed with faceless people and sealed from other guests, then Villa Pia isn't for you. If on the other hand you want an incredibly relaxing family holiday that has a good balance for parents and children alike, then I'd definitely recommend it. Your children have a freedom that you wish you allowed them in the UK. They run wild with their newly made friends in the woods with hammocks and log-swings, or climbing inside a tower made out of old wine barrels. It's quite easy to not see them from one mealtime to the next. This year I managed to read three books in a week which, with three children under nine, I think you'll agree is no mean feat! The pool, (there's also a toddlers pool) is in an oustanding setting over looking the valley below. There are plenty of extra elements that cater for children and adults a like (cookery classes for both, art clases, beauty treatments and massages). Yes, the communal dining takes a little getting used to but you can always escape to some great little restaurants and pizzerias in the stunning towns and villages nearby if it feels too much, but we've always met interesting fun people and enjoyed some decent grown-up conversation at the end of the day. There are loads of places to visit if you want to get out, it's near Arezzo (and San Sepulcro is even closer) and as art lovers we enjoyed the fact that it's on the Piero della Francesca trail. You need to think of Vills Pia as if you were staying with a large group of friends but with no-one worrying about whose turn it is to do the washing up and cooking. In a way we've always found it more relaxing than a hotel. You can grab whatever drinks (juice water, beer, wine, milk etc) or yoghurts/fruit that you need from the fridge/dining area whenever you want. We were paricularly grateful for this when our children were babies as it meant we didn't have to wait for anyone to provide something or wait for mealtimes. The food is delicious and whilst there isn't a choice there is loads of variety and it all feels wonderfully fresh and local. There's also a great gaggia machine for making your own coffee!

We've been to Villa Pia four times, twice in summer, twice in April and always had a wonderful time. It is pretty free range and open plan and no the doors don't lock, but for us that was part of the charm of the place and we felt confident with the monitors and/or checking regularly on sleeping children. We certainly never felt the need for a safe. In the summer months most of the children played outside while we ate dinner, with the occasional one wandering in to adult dinner with important info (the cat just ate a mouse, I've just seen a toad, you know the crucial stuff). For school age city children it's heaven. They can wander at will and have a freedom you can tell they've never really had before. The pre-schoolers we've been with have all loved both the outdoor toys and the "lived in" playroom - yes some of the children will fall over and skin their knees, but you can't really blame Villa Pia for that. We've also been there in bad weather and it is more tricky when you can't lie by the pool, but there are plenty of trips out to local towns that all had good pizza and ice cream, a nice piazza etc which was enough for my children. There are more significant towns within an hour/ hour and a half. One wet day they organised an impromptu cooking afternoon for all the children, which went down well and let us organise a mini disco in the evening and then later stoked up the fire for the adults. The lunches are amazing as is the fab afternoon tea, the fresh fruit on tap and the sophisticated coffee machine available at all times (and a great bonding feature for the men) oh and the wonderful beauty treatments. The rooms are basic, but clean and characterful and the ones we've had have all been lovely. If you don't like talking and making friends with new folks, if you're used to hotels, room keys, safes and mark warner activities it's not for you, but if you want a house party feel in a beautiful setting and children free to run wild then it's worth a try. After a week there my dd aged 5 said "my heart belongs here" and we knew exactly what she meant.

The external aspects to Villa Pia certainly conveyed rustic charm. However, the bedrooms were rustic, dingy and furnished in a way that showed no thought to the needs of parents with young children. The bathroom was absolutely tiny. We really struggled to wash our two young children and ourselves.
However, worse than this is the fact that there were no keys. And no safe. Also, the woman in charge made it perfectly clear that our sons would not be welcome at adult supper time and so we were obliged to leave our belongings, money and passports in an unlocked room. Oh, and our children too.
We asked to leave before we even unpacked; we knew this was not going to work for us. However, were told that no refund could be made. Consequently, after being tied by our pre-payment and a very long journey with two small children, we stayed. Frankly, we had a miserable week except for our daily excursions exploring beautiful Tuscany.
The setting of Villa Pia was lovely. The swimming pool was positioned overlooking a breathtaking valley and was fairly well equipped with toys and a few loungers and shades. In the courtyard there were more toys and outdoor slides etc. However, despite being placed on a small area of Astroturf, the rest of the area was covered in sharp gravel. Lots of children really hurt themselves as they inevitably fell on this covering.
The food was generally of a good standard, although several times during the week, there was not enough to go around. There was also no choice each night, although apparently vegetarians were catered for. They looked especially happy on the night they received an omelette!
The wine was extremely unpleasant. There was plenty of it which is the best thing that can be said about it. There was however, plenty of juice, milk and hot drinks in a well designed kitchen area.
We came away from our holiday feeling pretty fed up. We were not expecting our room to be in a different building to where we would eat at night and we were extremely worried about leaving our sons in a room alone, and all the dangers that could entail, especially without locks on the door. Our monitor did not work in that area of the building. Also, the standard of accommodation was poor, giving little sense of comfort or luxury.
We have sent several emails discussing our concerns to the owners of Villa Pia as they were not in attendance during the week we visited. We have had no reply.
We are not the type of parents who are happy to leave our children unattended, especially with the recent spate of toddlers being kidnapped from other supposedly secure locations. Consequently, we would never opt for Villa Pia again.

Fantastic food and relaxed atmosphere but very dependent on good weather. In bad weather there are no activities for toddlers and both us and our two year old went stir crazy.

The playroom was shockingly bad - very dingy, only a few old broken toys, very thin glass that would freak out British Health & Safety. Soft play barn also dingy and with lots of exposed concrete floor.

Brand new tennis court very nice though - looks like the owners have spent their money on that instead because they like to play every day.

Very little to do within an hour and a half drive.