Dick

We are looking to spend a week in Tuscany the last week in JUne or first week in July.

I'd be apprecaitive of any first hand experiences with companies used to book your place.

Were you pleased with the place you booked? Was it what you expected it to be?

I've already checked slowtrav.com

thanks

bobthenavigator

Dick, I find Zak at tuscanhouse.com to be very candid and honest. Also, the business dealings are easy because of his partner here in the states.

canuckuphereathome

tuscany.net
Look at Podere Torricella..great spot.
Dealing with this company cheaper than most agencies as you deal directly with owner.

Betsy

I've met Zak and wouldn't hesitate to use Tuscan House.

Dick

Thanks for the info. I'll check them out.

Anyone else have any recomendations?

Parker

Go to www.slowtrav.com. They have reviews on a number of companies that provide villas and apartments in Tuscany. I've used Home Base Abroad and Traditional Tuscany and have been pleased with both. ciao . . .

PamSF

We rented through Rentvillas.com in Chianti. They have properties all over Europe. We were very pleased with the company.Check out their website.www.rentvillas.com

italiansully

We used www.windowsontuscany.com They have a very nice assortment of apartments and villas in Florence and Tuscany. Rentvillas is based in CA and acts as an agent for Windows, which is based in Florence, so you can get a much better deal directly with Windows as Rentvillas tacks on their fee.

rhkkmk

we have had very good luck with www.labellatoscana.com

rhkkmk

correction: www.labellatoacana.com

english husband and italien wife---great combo---again i have switched them around...sorry

Aveeno

My opinion...

The Parker Company
www.theparkercompany.com

I haven't used them (yet) but I have several very picky family members who have booked villas/apartments through them and were not disappointed. They have a great site (they includes pros and cons of the property), lots of pictures, and a variety of price points. Call and request a catalog (or order online). The catalog is amazing as well. I think you'll be impressed with their selection, and I hear the service is very good.

SandyB

An excellent site for villa/apartment weekly rentals is www.travel-italy.com. This site has great features, including allowing you to select your week of rental and maximum rental rate you are willing to pay. Go to the site and click on Villas, click supplier database (offering many more choices than the available by owners), click Italy, click Toscana, and fill in your weekly and price range requests, then search.
Bingo, all properties available!! The only confusing part of the property list is in the size. Size is listed in two numbers, ie. 4-2. The first number indicates the maximum number the villa/apartment sleeps, and the second number indicates how many of those will be sleeping in a bedroom. In this case, two sleep in a bedroom and the other two would be on a sofa sleeper in a living room. The descriptions of each property are very detailed.
Good luck and have a great trip

SandyB

OOPS! For the www.travel-italy.com site, size (or sleeps) is the opposite of what I had indicated. 2-4 means two people sleep in a bedroom, and the maximum sleeping arrangements are for 4 people, thus two sleep on a sofa sleeper.

Also, their 1-5 rating of properties is the opposite of American star rating, 1 being the best and 5 the modest.

MarkM

I also used Windows on Tuscany (May 2002) and had a very, very good experience. If you need more info, email me at [email protected]
-Mark M.