4.9

Villa Virginia - Stresa, Lago Maggiore - Vakantiehuis

If I could give more than 5 stars I certainly would. Everything was nothing short of “perfect”. This experience was, from the commencement of my initial enquiries, perfectly handled by Oliver’s Travels thereafter NorthItaly Villas, both providing excellent guidance and recommendations with the utmost professionalism and enthusiasm. This was to become the theme for all of their referrals. I simply can’t do the experience justice, using a few words, so have attempted to share more personal words on each of those who made the experience extra special. Firstly – the villa and the location: Villa Virginia - a very high standard of living within the villa - catering to your every need. The photos do not do it justice!!! This special villa, tennis court, chapel and pétanque green make it a space which can accommodate all manner of activities suitable for every taste and certainly big enough to have private time (should you be sharing with a larger party). The balconies overlook the pool area and can be accessed from almost all the rooms. A lovely selection of wines can be bought from the stock that is available within a wine room on site. This was not something that was made clear on the website. The stay at the Vila was overseen by Fabio with so much care and enthusiasm for every guest (more on Fabio later). Stresa - the walk to the town and supermarkets are minutes away. Many restaurants and cafes are an easy walk to a beautiful town. Boats are very easy to hire for (private or public) cruise options. I would highly recommend Isola Bella, one of the Borromean Islands on Lake Maggiore with its historic palace and beautiful gardens. So too Isola dei pescatori where we experienced local and authentic cuisine at Ristorante Italia. Our private Captain \"Andrea\" gave us plenty of information that allowed us to understand (in English) the history of each Island. We found everyone through this cruise to be friendly and helpful. I would recommend having a private experience which Patrizia at Sublime would be happy to organise. The amazing people: Fabio (Villa Virginia Manager) - our every wish was catered for, including many extra treats we didn’t expect. His daily visits ensured we had everything we needed and nothing was too much trouble. Fabio always managed to bring the perfect \"unexpected\" treats, which included croissants and ice cream, all very well received and made our stay extra special. His standard of care set him apart from any experience we have had to date. A huge thank you to Fabio for being utterly amazing. Angelica and Brade - the most amazing chefs from Flore catering. Words can’t describe their delicious food, accompanied by their upbeat personalities and attention to detail. In short, perfect!!! They will tailor your taste with a menu that suits everyone. Patrizia Morano (Sublime Lakes) - her energy and enthusiasm was displayed in every aspect of our engagement, making sure our cruise was exactly what we wanted plus the very tall order of finding a musician who could perform to a discerning group of eleven women who have an array of different musical taste. She became a regular contact pre and post trip, checking in with regularly to ensure we were happy with everything. Happy would be an understatement for our party!! Andrea Fabiano (musician) - was so amazing and our music requests in English and Italian, were catered for. A very special personal performance - made to order. We are still listening to his music on Spotify - definitely worth downloading. There is no doubt that this special holiday for eleven very old (but young) friends will be remembered for many years to come. Thanks to all of you for making it so. “For anyone reading this review - this is highly recommended!”