Villa Pitti Amerighi

We rented the whole villa for four days in October 2024 for 26 people. It’s hosted by Lucca Apartments & Villas S.R.L. I went back and forth for weeks about reviewing it, but decided to describe our stay. The grounds and villa make a stunning first impression. The rooms are spacious and comfortable, most with lovely views, and each has a sitting area. There’s a washer and dryer, and umbrellas in several rooms and at reception came in handy during a couple of heavy downpours. Some of the furniture is worn and could use replacing. The Airbnb listing said there were 13 separate bedrooms, each with a bathroom. In reality, at least six bedrooms are in two-bedroom suites with a shared living room. In those suites, one bedroom has an en-suite bathroom and the other bathroom is outside its bedroom. Room#25 is also a two-bedroom suite, but has just one bathroom for both rooms. The listing gave a 3 PM check-in, while Martina, the villa manager, said it was 4 PM. The website should be corrected, though this discrepancy wasn’t a big deal for us. The kitchen was disappointing. It’s dated and somewhat dirty, and the utensils and cookware are very old, unlike what the photos suggest. There was only one small gas kettle, though some rooms had electric ones that we brought down to boil water for tea. The dishwasher broke during our stay, so we had to wash dishes by hand, which isn’t what you want on vacation. There was only one key per room. On the first night, we accidentally left ours inside and locked the door. We called every emergency number nonstop for three hours and got no answer. In the pouring rain, my son had to climb through a second-story window to unlock it. That was completely unacceptable. I’d hoped to bring in my own chef, but Martina told me we could only use Convivio Catering, the villa’s exclusive catering service run by Chef Francesca. Chef Laura prepared breakfast, which Jessica served, and those meals were well done. Dinner was disappointing: the portions were very small and there wasn’t enough food. For what I paid per person, I expected much more. The dessert was good, but everyone was still hungry afterward. I’ve hired private chefs in Italy before, and this dinner didn’t meet my expectations for a true Italian family dining experience. I felt uncomfortable in front of my guests and wouldn’t recommend Convivio Catering for dinner. Communication with Martina was good. At times I felt she could be a bit controlling, which I’m not used to as an American, but I understand she was doing her job and trying to make sure everyone was happy. Even with the problems, everyone enjoyed the stay. Italy is a beautiful country.

The owners have marvellous taste, and the suites are very spacious. It’s a beautiful historic villa, with a wonderful pool and lots of privacy.

Our booking was cancelled on the very day we were due to check in, after we’d already arrived in Italy, and no reason was given. The other nice hotels in that price range and area were already full, so we had to panic and choose a cheaper one. This was our honeymoon, which we’d told villa pitti about beforehand, and I’m beyond disappointed. They don’t answer calls, and when someone does, nobody speaks English. Emails go unanswered too. Avoid at all costs!

The rooms are spacious and beautiful, each with its own bathroom and living room. A beautiful place.