Villa dei Mulini

The setting was beautiful, and our group of four had a wonderful dinner last night. We began with bruschetta, then had sliced beef with Parmesan, smoked salmon, and fresh tuna. Each of us tried a trio of different homemade tortellini, and we finished with a gorgeous birthday cake.

It's a beautiful place, clearly set up for special events, but the night we spent there was a terrible experience. We called to ask about staying overnight and told the receptionist we had our two-year-old with us. They didn't mention that a wedding was happening that evening. We had to endure a nightmare until 02:30, and the property offers no real space or privacy for other guests during a wedding. The staff smiled, but our family got no comfort at all. Then, after the noise had died down, we opened the window for some air and saw a person urinating over the lake, right in front of the reception door, apparently without considering that guests might be around. I'll never forget to ask, “Are you perhaps hosting a Wedding today?” The location is otherwise very beautiful, but we couldn't properly see or enjoy it. What a shame. If the receptionist had told us about the event, all of this could have been avoided.

Manuela and the Team made our wedding at Villa Dei Mulini, in early October, everything we dreamed of. Planning a wedding abroad in the middle of the pandemic was stressful, but their communication in the months beforehand helped ease that. They were incredibly flexible with guest numbers and last-minute changes when some people couldn't fly, far beyond what we'd expected. Even with heavy rain the day before and that morning, they waited until the last possible moment before setting up the beach ceremony in case the sun came out. It did, and we had brilliant sunshine all afternoon. The ceremony was exactly what we'd hoped for. The venue is beautiful, and the decorations and thoughtful touches suited the surroundings so well. The day ran smoothly, with every little detail thought through so I didn't have to worry about it. The food and drink throughout the wedding and our stay were amazing. Choosing the menu after the tasting was hard because everything was so delicious, and the kitchen kept the same quality when making it in larger quantities. Everything was timed seamlessly, and by the end of the night our guests were full and happy. The waiting staff were polite, professional, and patient with our embarrassing lack of Italian. No request seemed like too much, and the barman worked incredibly hard all night. We couldn't have asked for a better venue or service. I can't recommend it enough, whether you're planning a wedding or want to get away to the Italian countryside somewhere that feels like a dream.

A few things would have been useful to know before booking. Weddings take place here pretty much every Saturday, and swimming isn't allowed. We arrived on a Saturday and were told there'd be a wedding that evening. Nobody had mentioned it beforehand, or we'd have booked somewhere else for at least that night. During a wedding the restaurant closes and the grounds are off limits to visitors who aren't attending, so you're stuck in your room. We were told the music would stop at midnight, but it was still playing at 01:15, loud enough for us to sing along to “lambada” in bed. They gave us a small bottle of champagne to make up for it, so I was happy with how they handled the problem. Still, if we'd known, we would've stayed elsewhere. Most of the rest of the week is spent getting ready for the next wedding, with a huge party tent set up in the garden and equipment stacked around different spots. There's a private beach and a clear photo showing steps down into the water, but you're not allowed to use them, which was a disappointment for us. It wasn't all bad: the bed was good, the rooms were quite spacious, and the restaurant patio had lovely views. The restaurant food was good, though expensive by Italian standards and the portions were quite small. The air conditioning wouldn't go below 26 degrees.