Villa Rental in Lazio, Bagnoregio

A: It was absolutely fantastic. Everyone loved everything about it. There was a caretaker there every day, who helped with the appliances and other things. The two appliances were a bit tricky, the dishwasher and the clothes washing machine took some getting used to, but we ended up doing OK with both. The Castello was wonderful, with plenty of room for our group of 20, and a marvelous outdoor courtyard with an enormous table for our meals. We loved it all.

A: Hi Anne... Trying to shake my memory. I know that we worked with Rentvillas.com to organize the local chefs. They have a form you need to fill out for the dates you're interested in hiring and # of people to feed. I don't know if things have changed but we paid an hourly rate of $10-$11 (this was 2005) and the expense of food of course. They were so nice and the food was true to the region. Definitely a nice treat for a night or two. Worth every penny, plus a big tip!

A: The best part was everything. Must qualify that we are low-maintenance people and require very little frills. So, if you're looking for 5-star living, not the place for you. One day one of the rooms was without hot water for showers, however we're a close family and they simply showered in another's room. It is a 14th century castle--so it is old, but that is the beauty of it. You can feel the history with every step through the building and courtyard. The authenticity and flavor it brings is truly amazing. The castle was beautifully nestled on a hillside with amazing foliage and scenery. We took quite a few great hikes on the property. Reasonable drive to a number of quaint cities. The property manager would bring us a case of wine and leave it for us--when we finished it, he'd bring more. We used the cooks for two meals and they were FABULOUS! Both wonderfully kind and excellent cooks. There is a small gas station with basic foods (bread and cheese and espresso grounds) at the top of the driveway. It was a beautiful way to begin our day by walking to the top of the drive and getting our cheese and bread. The rooms were quaint and clean and we had fun exploring the whole castle. We took two weeks, with the first week at the castle. All 24 of us agreed that the castle was the best part of the trip. We were thrilled with the experience. Hope this helps. Have a great time!

A: When we stayed at the castle in July 2008, we took a train trip into Rome. It took about 2 hours to travel into Rome. We did it by driving south about 30 minutes to Viterbo, where there is a local train into Rome. We were able to buy tickets at the station and then took the train. We got off the train at Stazione San Pietro, which is about 3-4 blocks from the Vatican and less than a mile from centro storico, the center of Rome. Our group was 10 adults and 13 children, ranging in age from 5 to 18. Another way to travel to Rome by train is to drive northeast to the Viterbo train station, which is about a 25 minute drive. However, the trains are generally more expensive because this is the Milan to Rome line. This train would be good for a visit to Florence. Our experience was that the children were not bored during the 2 weeks we stayed there. They kept busy at the castle with the swimming pool (maybe not an option in April), pool table, ping pong table, volleyball, tennis court used as a soccer playing field and bocce court. The area is rural and there are several trails to walk along near farms and woods. Most days we would leave the castle for part of the day to visit a Tuscan or Umbrian town, such as Bagnoregio, Montefiascone, Montepulciano or Siena, and return to the castle so the kids could play, read or help us cook dinner. Most of the children did not want to leave at the end of 2 weeks. If there is anything else the questioner would like to know I would be happy to help. Joe

A: There is a lot to do at the Castello - a swimming pool, ping-pong, volley-ball (or do I mean basket-ball?). and a not-first-class-but-perfectly-usable clay tennis court. And it will be a memorable place to have lived in. Nearby too there is lots to see and do, but you will need a sufficiency of cars. About trains and their timetables I am afraid I have no knowledge.

A: Hello! You're right to be excited about your stay! The castle is a gem of a place. In my opinion, the pictures do not show you how nice a place this is. I remember there was a freezer, as we used it to keep our Italian ice cream cold. But as I'm more of a beer and wine kind of guy, I can't tell you if there were ice cube trays in there. I wouldn't take my chances with that, so bring some with you! If you're lucky with the weather, as we were, there's plenty to do just inside the castle area, so I wouldn't plan to go away every day. We were some 20-25 friends, who all like sports and activities, and every second day we just hang out in the garden for most of the day, by the pool, playing volleyball etc. Just ask more if you've got more q's! Kind regards Einar, Norway

A: Hello-- I do not specifically recall ice cube trays--we were there in April before the pool was opened and were drinking mainly wine--but the kitchen was definitely full service and I would be surprised if there were no trays. The couple who did our cooking was extremely capable and even without their speaking English I would seriously doubt you would have any trouble with plenty of ice for your drinks. CV was a wonderful experience and remains a cherished memory.

A: we arrived in Rome at the airport and rented a car right there (we had the car booked through a travel agent in the US). To get from the Castello to Orvieto is very easy. Once you arrive, below the entrance of the city, there is a parking lot, where we parked our cars and took an escalator (there is also the option of an elevator) to the city above. We walked through the city and I would not recommend to drive into the city with the car, because the roads are very narrow and the italian way of driving is a little crazy :-) I do not know anything about the trainsystem. We enjoyed Castello Vecchio a lot. It is beautiful!!! Kind regards, Katharina Dohre