Le Marche, Sarnano, Villa San Raffaello Reviews

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Good Points: The jaw- dropping views of medieval Marche and the Sibillini Mountains, the architecture of the Villa, attention to detail, free orgainc vegetables provided daily. The Games, the DVD and book library. The pool was a great size and allowed us to get our daily fix of lengths. The owners were really helpful and supplied a lovely welcome pack and useful tip sheets. The main surprise was that Le Marche has stayed undiscovered for so long and that we found such a great villa at such reasonable prices and that there was so much to see and do locally.

Bad Points: Its not fair, I want to live there!!

General comments: LocationThe villa is set in its own farmland with amazing views of Le Marche's countryside, the town of Sarnano and the Sibillini Mountains. Whilst relatively isolated it is only 2km from the town of Sarnano.Nearby AmenitiesSarnano is a 15 minute walk or a couple of minutes by car from the villa and has over 30 restaurants - from pizzerias and osterias to quite plush places. The town has three supermarkets and quite a few delis; there are wine cantinas where you can buy directly plus local characters who will sell you their produce. There's also numerous bars, a pub and a late night jazz club and disco.The House/ApartmentThe apartment was one of four in a farm that's about 150 years old. The owners have rebuilt parts using original materials and it has a lovely rustic feel, but is also quite stylish mixing antiques with modern kitchens and bathrooms. We found it quiet and loved the fact that the pool and villa were surrounded by the owners farmland yet near enough to town.GardenOne of the best features were the gardens and outside seating, which includes a loggia and an indoor garden. One apartment has a very big balcony with room for maybe 10 people seated; this has views of Sarnano and the Sibillini Mountains. The pool surround is also large enough for a full house. There's also free organic vegetables provided by the owners.!Furnishings/Cleanliness/Living AreasThe place was very clean, spacious and comfortable and there were more than enough chairs. The furniture was an eclectic mix of new and old, but all pieces were in great shape and added to the ambiance of the place. Bedrooms/BathroomsAll beds were brand new and very comfortable, as was the linen. The bathroom was new and high spec with a powerful shower. In total there were six bathrooms serving 10 bedrooms. We rented a two bedroom apartment though. Our bathroom was clean simple and big and fitted into a rustic structure of the old house. KitchenLots of thought seems to have gone into supplying lots of big pots and pans, enough cutlery, crockery and top end cookers. The dishwasher was thrashed and the overall kitchen design was quite contemporary but really in keeping with the house.I would absolutely recommend this Villa to others; the location is stunning, the accommodation is very tasteful but mixes old and new in a lovely way and the eye for architectural detail is tops.Things to do in this areaRestaurants: Chiaroscuro - Belforte, La Marchiagiana - Sranano, Sherzi a Parte - Sarnano, Ai Pini - Sarnano.Towns to visit: Macerata, Tolentino, San Severino, Ascoli Piceno, Sarnano, Porto San Giorgio.Places to visit: Hells Gorge, Frassasi Caves, Abbadia di Fiastra (monestery and museum), Urbisaglia Roman ruins.