hacsutton

Hello,

We are planning a trip to the Almafi coast with a fairly diverse group of people. We are planning to rent a villa for a week. Where would you suggest we setup camp?? We will have a car. Our group ranges from 1yr old to 67yrs old. We were looking at Positano, but am concerned about all the stairs (from what I read it is very steep everywhere)... Obviously, concerned for the older portion of the group. How is Almalfi or Ravello?

Any guidance would be greatly appreciated!! If any of you have rented villas in Italy I would love to hear about your experience and also which company you rented through.

Thanks!

hacsutton

Pardon my spelling... Amalfi! I don't know why everytime I type it my fingers want to put an extra 'L'!!

petitepois

My husband and I rented the top floor of a villa in Positano last summer through Summer in Italy, a company which I can only half-heartedly recommend, though lots of people have had wonderful experiences with them. I would not, under any circumstances, choose the property we rented (Villa Fiorentino) as the owners truly stuck it to us in a very unpleasant manner. Summer in Italy provided only moderate assistance. Check out slowtrav.com for lots more villa rental advice.

Cicerone

Steps and hills are going to be present in most places on the coast, as it is virtually vertical. From what I know, most villas for rent in Amalfi would actually be on the upper hillsides and therefore you still have the step/hill problem. The town of Amalfi itself is not really that charming and does not have the views that you would get from the upper hillsides or from Positano homes, so I would not suggest you rent in the town itself. Ravello would probably be a good choice is terms of the least hills (as it is at the top), but some of the villas could be far out from the town. The other problem with Ravello is that it is somewhat isolated, as you have to take a bus, taxi or car down the hill (about 15-20 minutes) to get to the water and other parts of the coast. Traffic can be heavy, and getting up and down to Ravello could take longer at times. A car will not really be a great advantage to you IMO except maybe in terms of getting groceries to the house, as parking is hard to find and expensive in most towns. Make sure the villa has parking or you will be hunting for parking spaces each night.

As you have such a big group of varying ages and with presumably different preferences for activities, I would rent in Positano itself as it will have more to offer and people can choose their activities, one of which could be doing nothing but looking at the gorgeous view while younger people could go shopping or head down to the beach. There is a public bus system that makes a loop around most parts of town and will save some walking. You would also not have to use the car everyday for activities. With a big group, including older people, I would say that a large terrace with a view and a pool would be two must-haves on your list.

As mentioned above, there's a tremendous amount of info on all kinds of accommodations in Italy at www.slowtrav.com, a non-commercial website where travellers post their experiences. Other commercial websites to try are:

www.lupinari.com
rentvillas.com
domani-usa.com
bartolinibaldelli.it

hacsutton

Thanks for the information! The websites are helpful, as well. I had some of them, but not all. I agree the car is going to be a problem, but we are going to be in Italy for 2+ weeks and are traveling to Tuscany, etc. Also, with the infants it's easier to use a car than to fight getting on trains with all the extra baby stuff.

Thanks, again, for the input and advice!!

hacsutton

Thanks!! I will checkout those sights as well.

sandiedog

Petitepois-
I'm curious about your problems with Villa Fiorentino - they are holding an apt for me now. A friend stayed there and had a great experience! I've got other options so please let me know what went wrong!

petitepois

sandiedog,
Here are some pros and cons of Villa Fiorentino:

PRO
Good location, a brisk 10-15 walk down to the beach. There's a handy grocery shop across the street from the property which has an unforgettable smell -- sort of a cross between aged provolone and laundry soap.

PRO
Our apartment (on the top floor) looked just like the pictures, right down to the gorgeous pergola, with trees dripping with lemons.

PRO
Surprise! Our apartment had a recently added (tiny) swimming pool! Which leads me to...

CON
The owner of Villa Fiorentino, Domenic, informed us upon arrival that we would be charged an extra amount for the pool. But, we said, we've already paid for everything in full, through our leasing agent, Summer in Italy. No, said Domenic, you must pay an extra fee for the pool whether you use it or not as it is part of the apartment. I can't remember exactly how much the extra charge was, but it was pretty hefty -- maybe 300 euros. The swimming pool was a surprise to everyone, including our leasing agency Summer in Italy.

CON
Domenic requires a hefty deposit, in cash, for the apartment. Again, can't remember exactly how much it was, but I think was around 400 Euros. All electricity charges are deducted from this deposit.

CON
Can you see where this is going? At the end of our stay, though we refused to pay the fee for the pool, Domenic simply refused to return our deposit.

CON
This was our honeymoon!!!

CON
Two more minor complaints: a colony of ants streamed through the apartment, and the shower didn't drain.

So, there you have it. We laugh about Domenic and our experience today, but the 400 Euros were quite a loss. My advice: stay away from Villa Fiorentino.

3gigs

Make sure that you check out The Parker Company's website. We rented thru them in 2001, had a great villa in Positano (Villa Incanto) and got great service to boot, with help in car rental and local information. We were able to talk to a company representative (here in the US) who was a wealth of information. They are well-established, reputable and know what they are talking about. As one contributor above mentioned, Positano provides a lot of activity if you are with a group; but be certain to get to Ravello, and if possible, travel thru Salerno down to the ancient Greek settlement of Paestum - worth the day trip from Positano.

hacsutton

Thanks for the info on the Parker Co. They are one that we have definitely been looking into. I'm glad to hear a good review of them! I'll have to checkout that particular villa.

Thanks again!

TravelsWithStDavid

We rented an apartment in Praiano in September of 2001. We also had a diverse group of eight people, different ages. It worked out terrifically. You entered the apartment right from the road but went down steps inside. It had four bedrooms each with its own bath and sitting room, plus an extra bath off the kitchen. It was well equiped with iron, ironing board, washer and drying racks which we put out on the terraces when we went out for the day. There was a small store where you could buy milk and small necessities just minutes away. The bus ran right outside so you could go where you wanted without inconveniencing anyone else. Praiano is halfway between Amalfi and Positano so the location was great. There is a beach and restaurants within walking distance and on site parking for two cars. The name of the place was Bella Vista but is now BellaVita. You can find the website by going to Google and typing in BellaVita+Amalfi Coast. We were very happy there. The views were great and the price was reasonable.

hacsutton

Thank you so much! I will checkout that villa and location as well.