Villa Contea is a magnificent Tuscan country house, located in arguably the most picturesque setting of Italy – theVal d’Orcia area of Tuscany.  The setting is ripe with the astonishing rolling hills and the wine country that Tuscany is so well known for.  Set on a wonderfully private piece of land, this area was the exact setting for the Oscar winning movie The English Patient and the breathtaking panoramic countryside scenes from the Gladiator.

Here you are in an area rich with the best that Tuscany has to offer as you are set in a superbly strategic location.  This is some of the best driving and sightseeing country around. You have amazing areas all through theVal d’Orcia (Pienza, world-famous for its town and cheeses, Montalcino & Montepulciano, arguably Italy’s most important wine territory) all between a 15 and 30 minutes drive.  The drive through Acquapendente & Pitigliano are some of the most beautiful in Italy, period.  Siena is certainly a day trip,  San Quirico d’Orcia, a beautiful little nook of a town is only 15 minutes away, LakeBolsena is near, even Orvieto is only an hour away.  Arezzo & Cortona are only an hour and 15 mins away and Perugia, 90 minutes.  Here, you are in sightseeing heaven.

This is also Golfer’s and Spa enthusiast’s dream location.  You have the luxury of Italy’s two premier Spa’s no more than 30 kilometres away as is theVal di Chiana Golf Club (9 holes).  The Lamborghini Panicale Golf Club (9 holes) is 50 minutes and the 18-hole Perugia Golf Club just a little bit over an hourish.  Simply stated, this is THE perfect rental property.

History

This property was purchased in the last decade of the 20th Century and underwent a total renovation.  Owned by a renowned interior designer, the vast majority of the furniture and amenities are conceptualized, designed, and manufactured by the owners themselves.  In fact, most of the home decor and furnishings – from the handmade soaps and olive oils, to the embroidered towels and bathrobes, to the dining table – can be purchased from an interior design catalogue.

Description

Ground Floor:  The formal ground floor entrance is through a main door situated around the corner from a parking area (with space for many cars), while the informal ‘family’ entrance is into a beautiful, amazingly equipped kitchen with island preparation and dining table.  The perfect Tuscan kitchen has a 10 range stove-top, a double oven a stone barbeque, a large refrigerator and freezer with distilled water dispenser, a dishwasher, slicer, and lots of extra amenities.  The kitchen is a wonderful open space and enjoys a dining room with table for 14, although it can be extended for larger parties.  The dining area feeds into the super-colourful double living room, bathed in colours of red and purple.  The living room enjoys a large stone fireplace.  The property itself is a beautiful stone building with stone walls and wood & stone ceilings.  

The property boasts a large external covered dining area for 14 (but can be extended for larger parties) lying directly off of the kitchen and living room area.  This external dining area enjoys a large stone barbeque and the entire external dining area looks out onto the back garden area with an amazing infinity pool deck with views of the abounding rolling hills.  There is also a small Jacuzzi next to the garden area and a ping-pong table for your enjoyment.  There is yet a second external living area equipped with lounge chairs and seating allowing you to enjoy even another external part of the property.  

The sleeping area on the ground floor begins off of the main entrance of the property, which leads into a small corridor where there is the first double bedroom with en-suite bathroom with shower, located to the left of the corridor.  There is a second, external, double bedroom, located off of the garden area and secondary external living room.  This second double bedroom enjoys en-suite bath facilities.  There is also a ½ bath on the ground floor.

First Floor:  The first floor of the property is located up a flight of 20 steps.  To the left of the staircase is a first master double bedroom with a stone fireplace, a built-in closet, and an en-suite bathroom with bathtub & extra-large shower head.  The second double bedroom enjoys a small living room with T.V., en-suite bathroom with shower and a loft area, up a set of 12 steps, with a double bed and a set of twin beds (the loft sleeps 4 and is perfect for children).  

To the right of the staircase is yet a third double bedroom with built-in walk-in closet and en-suite bathroom with bathtub & extra-large shower head; a fourth double bedroom with built-in walk-in closet and en-suite bathroom with bathtub & large shower head; a twin bedroom with en-suite bathroom with bathtub & extra-large shower head and a second, master double bedroom with Baldachin bed and daybed window.  This master bedroom enjoys a set of built-in closet and an en-suite bathroom with extra-large shower head.

Facilities

• Heated swimming pool: 4 meters wide x 20 meters long x 1.5 meters deep (solar panels installed for the pool to have it naturally heated at 28/30°C (82/86°F) in summer and 24-26°C (75/79°F) in the mid seasons, depending on the weather)
• Hot tub overlooking the valley and enjoying sunset heated by solar panels as the pool
• Air conditioning and screens in each bedroom
• Jacuzzi for 6
• IPod Attachments for your IPod
• Wireless Internet
• Laundry room with Washer & Dryer
• Maid Service (morning room cleaning, bed making, weekly bed and bath linen changing and final cleaning)
• Electricity, firewood supply for fireplaces & barbecue, garden, and pool maintenance
• Bathrobes & Slippers
• Bottled water on arrival
• Satellite TV, VCR, DVD, CD player
• Vegetable and flower garden
• 3 acres automatically watered lawn, orchard and vine groves

Safe

• The external lights are on a timer (they automatically turn on at night and off in the morning)
• Fresh flowers in bedrooms upon arrival
• Hairdryer in each bathroom; cots, cradles, high chairs, wheelchair, can be easily provided
• Crib & Highchair can be included, as well as a baby stroller and baby monitor walkie-talkies upon request

Extra services

The property has its own solar panel heating system for both, pool and hot tub. Extra heatingVilla Contea is a magnificent Tuscan country house, located in arguably the most picturesque setting of Italy – theVal d’Orcia area of Tuscany.  The setting is ripe with the astonishing rolling hills and the wine country that Tuscany is so well known for.  Set on a wonderfully private piece of land, this area was the exact setting for the Oscar winning movie The English Patient and the breathtaking panoramic countryside scenes from the Gladiator.

Here you are in an area rich with the best that Tuscany has to offer as you are set in a superbly strategic location.  This is some of the best driving and sightseeing country around. You have amazing areas all through theVal d’Orcia (Pienza, world-famous for its town and cheeses, Montalcino & Montepulciano, arguably Italy’s most important wine territory) all between a 15 and 30 minutes drive.  The drive through Acquapendente & Pitigliano are some of the most beautiful in Italy, period.  Siena is certainly a day trip,  San Quirico d’Orcia, a beautiful little nook of a town is only 15 minutes away, LakeBolsena is near, even Orvieto is only an hour away.  Arezzo & Cortona are only an hour and 15 mins away and Perugia, 90 minutes.  Here, you are in sightseeing heaven.

This is also Golfer’s and Spa enthusiast’s dream location.  You have the luxury of Italy’s two premier Spa’s no more than 30 kilometres away as is theVal di Chiana Golf Club (9 holes).  The Lamborghini Panicale Golf Club (9 holes) is 50 minutes and the 18-hole Perugia Golf Club just a little bit over an hourish.  Simply stated, this is THE perfect rental property.

History

This property was purchased in the last decade of the 20th Century and underwent a total renovation.  Owned by a renowned interior designer, the vast majority of the furniture and amenities are conceptualized, designed, and manufactured by the owners themselves.  In fact, most of the home decor and furnishings – from the handmade soaps and olive oils, to the embroidered towels and bathrobes, to the dining table – can be purchased from an interior design catalogue.

Description

Ground Floor:  The formal ground floor entrance is through a main door situated around the corner from a parking area (with space for many cars), while the informal ‘family’ entrance is into a beautiful, amazingly equipped kitchen with island preparation and dining table.  The perfect Tuscan kitchen has a 10 range stove-top, a double oven a stone barbeque, a large refrigerator and freezer with distilled water dispenser, a dishwasher, slicer, and lots of extra amenities.  The kitchen is a wonderful open space and enjoys a dining room with table for 14, although it can be extended for larger parties.  The dining area feeds into the super-colourful double living room, bathed in colours of red and purple.  The living room enjoys a large stone fireplace.  The property itself is a beautiful stone building with stone walls and wood & stone ceilings.  

The property boasts a large external covered dining area for 14 (but can be extended for larger parties) lying directly off of the kitchen and living room area.  This external dining area enjoys a large stone barbeque and the entire external dining area looks out onto the back garden area with an amazing infinity pool deck with views of the abounding rolling hills.  There is also a small Jacuzzi next to the garden area and a ping-pong table for your enjoyment.  There is yet a second external living area equipped with lounge chairs and seating allowing you to enjoy even another external part of the property.  

The sleeping area on the ground floor begins off of the main entrance of the property, which leads into a small corridor where there is the first double bedroom with en-suite bathroom with shower, located to the left of the corridor.  There is a second, external, double bedroom, located off of the garden area and secondary external living room.  This second double bedroom enjoys en-suite bath facilities.  There is also a ½ bath on the ground floor.

First Floor:  The first floor of the property is located up a flight of 20 steps.  To the left of the staircase is a first master double bedroom with a stone fireplace, a built-in closet, and an en-suite bathroom with bathtub & extra-large shower head.  The second double bedroom enjoys a small living room with T.V., en-suite bathroom with shower and a loft area, up a set of 12 steps, with a double bed and a set of twin beds (the loft sleeps 4 and is perfect for children).  

To the right of the staircase is yet a third double bedroom with built-in walk-in closet and en-suite bathroom with bathtub & extra-large shower head; a fourth double bedroom with built-in walk-in closet and en-suite bathroom with bathtub & large shower head; a twin bedroom with en-suite bathroom with bathtub & extra-large shower head and a second, master double bedroom with Baldachin bed and daybed window.  This master bedroom enjoys a set of built-in closet and an en-suite bathroom with extra-large shower head.

Facilities

• Heated swimming pool: 4 meters wide x 20 meters long x 1.5 meters deep (solar panels installed for the pool to have it naturally heated at 28/30°C (82/86°F) in summer and 24-26°C (75/79°F) in the mid seasons, depending on the weather)
• Hot tub overlooking the valley and enjoying sunset heated by solar panels as the pool
• Air conditioning and screens in each bedroom
• Jacuzzi for 6
• IPod Attachments for your IPod
• Wireless Internet
• Laundry room with Washer & Dryer
• Maid Service (morning room cleaning, bed making, weekly bed and bath linen changing and final cleaning)
• Electricity, firewood supply for fireplaces & barbecue, garden, and pool maintenance
• Bathrobes & Slippers
• Bottled water on arrival
• Satellite TV, VCR, DVD, CD player
• Vegetable and flower garden
• 3 acres automatically watered lawn, orchard and vine groves
• Safe
• The external lights are on a timer (they automatically turn on at night and off in the morning)
• Fresh flowers in bedrooms upon arrival
• Hairdryer in each bathroom; cots, cradles, high chairs, wheelchair, can be easily provided
• Crib & Highchair can be included, as well as a baby stroller and baby monitor walkie-talkies upon request

Extra services

The property has its own solar panel heating system for both, pool and hot tub. Extra heating through dedicated boilers will be charged following real propane consumption at actual market price. Pertaining costs will be settled at departure. through dedicated boilers will be charged following real propane consumption at actual market price. Pertaining costs will be settled at departure.