Villa Monacelli

A wonderfully peaceful stay on a small hill just beyond Fano, with the sea spread out below.

Villa Monicelli mostly lives up to its promise of a calm, relaxing break. The atmosphere and setting are the best parts: it's charming, with only a few rooms, so the quiet is hard to beat. It's a good escape from everyday routine and, especially, the chaos of children. Being able to set your own check-in and check-out times is handy too. The rooms have an early twentieth-century look, are spacious, and the air conditioning is a relief on hot days. Breakfast is served, with a decent range to suit different tastes. Dogs can stay free, which is good news if you're traveling with one. A few practical things got in the way of a perfect stay. There's no refrigerator in the room for drinks or food, and nowhere to hang even a small item of clothing. The room isn't made up during the stay, and the trash isn't emptied, not even after one night, so cleanliness was the biggest letdown. The Wi-Fi also didn't work, which matters to many people. It's a great pick if peace and quiet are what you're after, but bear those service shortcomings in mind to avoid an unpleasant surprise.

The owners and managers are kind, and the grounds are peaceful and relaxing. Dogs are welcome at this lovely green property with a pool, about 10 minutes from Fano's center and the sea. I would have found a minibar in the room and fresh towels at least every two days very helpful. Still, I'd recommend a stay here.

I went to a birthday reception there, which I think was catered. The facility is very well done, and the pool is beautiful. It overlooks Fano with a distinctive view that slopes down toward the sea. I thought the reception was good, but not excellent.