Villa Platea is a magnificent Tuscan country house, located in arguably the most picturesque setting of Italy – the Val 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 the Val 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, Lake Bolsena 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 the Val 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. The property is located down an immensely private driveway.  There is a semi-private driveway, about a 5 min. drive worth, located off of the main state road.  The private driveway leading to this house is up about .02 kilometres into the large hillside where the property resides.

This is an extremely cosy, stone Tuscany rental home with great stone-brick floors, offering everything a renter requires on 30 acres of private land.  There are two bedrooms located in the main core of the house and an additional three which are technically external bedrooms, but still located under the main roof.  There is a nice parking area with plenty of room for more than enough cars required for the capacity of this house.

The first double bedroom is a twin and is situated off of the corridor of the main entrance.  This twin double enjoys an en-suite bathroom with shower.  The second bedroom is a master double with a closet and dresser and beautiful en-suite bathroom with separate bathtub and large, glassed-in shower.   This bedroom enjoys a ceiling fan.

Down a flight of steps leads to a living room with couches, day beds, a stone fire place and exit out onto a terrace with a dining table for 6, patio chairs, and some of Tuscany’s best views.  There is a secondary living area with a daybed (which can sleep one), a card table, T.V., & fax machine. The downstairs area boasts the beautiful, large dining room and kitchen.  The dining table is a rectangular table for 10, there is a large, stone fireplace, and the kitchen enjoys a double oven, 8-range stovetop, slicer, dishwasher, microwave, and small island preparation area.  Great kitchen for food lovers!  There is also a full bathroom with shower and a laundry room with refrigerator & freezer and washer & dryer.

The kitchen leads out onto a beautiful and beautifully panoramic stone terrace with covered dining area for10, a nice, large living area with comfortable seating areas and couches.  There is a small vegetable garden and outdoor barbeque area.  The terrace goes all the way around the house, which is situated on a beautiful mountain surrounded by pine, cypress, fig, nut trees, and grape vines.  Views from the property go out over the towns of Radiocofani, Pienza, & Contignano.  The terrace leads down to a small set of steps to the pool area with several lounge chairs for sunbathing. The 3^rd & 4^th bedrooms, located around the back of the house, are independent but can be communicating.  The third bedroom is a twin bedroom with en-suite bathroom, while the fourth bedroom is a double with en-suite bath with separate bathtub and shower.  The 5^th bedroom is the tower bedroom, located up a small flight of steps leading out next to the 3^rd & 4^th bedrooms.  This fifth bedroom is a double with en-suite bathroom with shower.

Features

• Heated swimming pool : 13 meters long x 4 meters wide; (Solar panels 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
• IPod Attachments for your IPod
• Wireless Internet
• Safe

• 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
• 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.

History

This property was purchased in the last decade of the 20^th Century and underwent a total renovation.  Owned by a renowned interior designer, the villa is a beautiful stone-brick building and 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.