You may have seen my post earlier. I rented a villa in Tuscany and now some of the participants aren't coming.

How do I unload the extra rooms? I feel like a travel agent and I am a couple thou in the hole.

Any suggestions would be appreciated!

Thanks.

Maybe I should have asked about toilets in Tuscany - that may have elicited some help

More info would be help. Is the villa paid in full? Have the people that cancelled paid anything? How many people are you talking about? How large is the villa? It's hard to tell you what your options are when we don't have any facts to go on.

If you rented (paid for) the villa yourself with only an oral commitment from the other parties, I'd say your SOL and personally wouldn't of ever done this.

Post the facts and maybe someone can offer some solutions.

I'd say this falls under the "Expensive Lesson" column on the spreadsheet.

Hi,

You can try the budget travel website, which has a "Share a trip" board. Maybe you can find someone to join you.

http://groups.msn.com/budgettravel/shareatrip.msnw

You might also pose a question on www.slowtrav.com, which is a website that is geared toward people who like rentals instead of hotels. They have a really big Italy contingent.

Hope this helps. BTW, have you considered making those who bailed out pay you, since they are the ones messing up your plans?

Good luck,
Karen

Thanks for all the suggestions. I am SOL, as someone so elequently stated.

Yes, this is an expensive lesson, but it never hurts to try to stop the bleeding - most of my money is owed to Sally Mae, anyways.

Just think of all the space you will have, and no one to bother you!

Random thoughts: might help to know something about the ages and tastes of you and those occupying the other rooms. Obviously, people renting the other rooms will have to be amenable re:kitchen use, etc.

Otherwise, how 'bout holding an on-line lottery for the rooms? Donating as fund-raiser to some local charity (you get the write-of)? Ebay?

2 rooms are occupied. One by 3 30-something women and the other by my husband and me.

The owner does all the cooking, so no probs there.

You know, the charity auction is not a bad idea at all. Will look into that.

Meanwhile, I have posted some stuff on the boards suggested.

PCircle...perhaps you might get someone interested from this board if you would post the dates you will be there and tell us where in Tuscany the villa is located.
Wish we could help you out, but alas, not this year...

http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...p;tid=34424923

This thread gives all the details re dates, etc.

Thanks Leslie,

Here are the details. Of course, the price is totally negotiable since I am SOL at this point

Here is the link to the villa webstie:

http://www.relais-chiaraelorenzo.com/

If anyone wants to stay in a fabulous place for a few nights (upto 7 nights) between July 2 and July 8, please contact the villa owner via the website or send me an email ([email protected]).

Details:

- 1 double and 1 triple available

- Every room has a private bathroom

- Breakfast included in price ($885 for double 2 people 7 nights/8 days & around $1,000 for 3 people in the triple for 7n/8d)

- Pool built in 2001

- 15 minutes by train from Florence

- Stay for one night or 7 nights, between July 2 and July 8

- The other guests are 30-something professionals from the DC Metro Area

If you are looking for a fantastic place to live in Tusacny and you want to be able to visit Florence, Cinque de Terra, Rome, and Pisa, this is the place for you!

Again, email the owner or me at [email protected]

PCircles - oh how I wish I could go! I am also a 30-something professional from the DC metro area!

If I didn't have a full 4th of July weekend planned already, I would definitely have looked into airfares!

Ah, to dream...

Karen