First off, it feels good to be able to rant about something I did on my trip aside from laze about Tuscany.... not that I would ever give up lazing about Tuscany for the world. But it's not the only region in Italy with breathtaking views, and Ravello did a great job of reminding me of that fact. It's also a good spot for daytripping up and down without the actual bombardment of tourists you'd get in say Sorrento (not that Ravello is tourist free, but Sorrento can be as bad as Venice with that).

Anyway, Palumbo is DeLuxe to the nines and the views are absolutely majestic. My room even had a lovely view and waking up to the sea and my own little balcony was absolutely divine. So I splurged again.... it was worth it for the service I got, the relaxation I enjoyed, not to mention the fabulous restaurant suggestions from the staff (including the hotel's own) and of course SEAFOOD which I love :).

Another thing that caught my eye aside from the general elegance is that a lot of the little knick knacks and antiques really are personal touches, and have been passed down through, I guess the proprietor's family, over the years. I like little touches like that and it definitely separates it in my mind from "just another luxury hotel."

Via Giovanni del Toro, 16 - 84010 Ravello (SA)

And so you know, I stayed in the "Persiana" room:

www.italiancollection.com/en/hotel-palumbo-ravello.html

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By now it must be obvious that I'm hopelessly in love with Tuscany and its fabulous vistas, and Montecatini Terme doesn't disappoint at all.

Though the springs and spas that sprung up around them draw a fair bit of business, it's much less touristy than many other places in Tuscany one can hit. And why argue with a place where I can enjoy hot springs AND Tuscan cuisine?

At Ercolini & Savi, I was treated not only to a lovely stay by another warm, welcoming staff, but the restaurant was just FABULOUS. And when not eating in the hotel they were very kind with recommendations. Since they helped organize so much for me and gave me a stress free holiday I promised them I'd spread the word!

Via S. Martino 18 - 51016 - Montecatini Terme (PT)

Booked like most of my trip through my new best friends: www.italiancollection.com/en/ercolini-savi.html

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Moving on to the rest of my trip! Firenze is always a joy to come back to, and I managed to find a really nice B&B for not too much money in comparison to normal Florentine prices. Casa Del Garbo is really different, and quite lovely. It was actually my first stay in a "luxury B&B" and luxurious it was! And it didn't have the cold feel one sometimes gets in a 5-star hotel.

The people who run it (I think they're a family) are incredibly warm and helpful, and much better with customer service than at many places I've seen. They honestly did everything they could to make me feel like a member of the family, and it worked!

An added plus was the spectacular view from my room, so inspiring! As if Firenze isn't always enough of a draw in and of itself, this little place was a real gem and I think others will find it that way too.

Piazza della Signoria 8
I booked here again as well, very smoothly: www.italiancollection.com/en/la-casa-del-garbo.html

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Keeping with our summer vacation rental trend, I also found another great deal in the heart of Rome's historic centre. We had some friends joining us from the States that particular week, so the two bedrooms worked out perfectly, seeing as at E1200/week, we basically ended up paying only slightly more than a quadruple room in a B&B... with our own privacy of course, freedom, peace of mind, and the kitchen was lovely too. We love to cook and it was about 5 minutes from Campo de'Fiori's market, so every day we got to enjoy fresh ingredients and try some of the tricks we learned in our very own cooking lesson booked through the agency (they found a WONDERFUL chef who speaks perfect English and was loads of fun)!

The apartment was beautiful, very artistic and luxurious, and the jacuzzi tub was a definite plus. As mentioned, the agency was fabulous and took care of everything for us, the keyholder was a very nice lady who helped us get our bearings, and the private transfer they booked for our friends went smoothly as well. The location, especially for the price, couldn't have possibly been better, and it made returning to Rome the adventure we'd hoped it to be. We definitely plan to use Leisure in Rome on our next trip to Rome, and we hope they still have the same great deals on Bernini!

Via Dei Cartari
and for pictures: www.leisureinrome.com/luxury_apartments-in-navona_square/navona_square_apartment,S,235.html

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I'm normally a hotel sort, but an opportunity came up this summer to travel Italy for PLEASURE (instead of business for once) and to keep the costs down, we decided to try something different in a few places.

Le Macchie is a beautiful Tuscan villa split into separate apartments. It's right in the middle of the national park and so absolutely tranquil and peaceful, the minute we arrived we knew we'd made the right decision. Stunning emerald views as far as the eye can see, and we even had a swimming pool to enjoy when the midday heat was on.

The location while peaceful, is still not so far from towns that you can't enjoy a day trip, and the company we used to book our various holiday rentals was excellent and professional. They were also very kind in arranging private olive oil and wine tastings and I must say I'm hard pressed to think of a more fantastic week in my life. The price was very good too.

Monticchiello, Pienza
Here's a link to the people I used with some photos: www.italiancollection.com/en/Le-macchie.html

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