What an incredible place!! The house, the pool, the view and more importantly Giulia!! Could not have asked for a better place or a better host on our vacation. Can’t wait to be back.

No complaints on the property. It was clean, in great condition and as described. Only great things to say about the location...perfectly situated with easy access to the upper road and the lower road to get anywhere along the coast. The hostess was fabulous and helped us through anything we needed. I would stay here again!! Prepare for a daily workout anywhere you stay in Amalfi, but particularly in Conca as walking is the best (and most fun) way to get around and there are a lot of stairs! Be sure to stop by and say hi to Salvatore and rent a scooter and the base of the steps! Ninos was of course delicious and very close by.

Our group of 8 (4 couples, ages 35-60) fell in love with the exquisite gem, Villa Elena. From the time of our original booking, Marica was extremely helpful and prompt in answering all our questions. As our trip approached, we were connected with our host, Guilia, who was absolutely fantastic. Guilia assisted with transportation to and from the villa, arranged tours (shopping trips, cooking class, wine tasting, and a private boat trip to Capri). She went above and beyond expectations to ensure our experience was unforgettable. The location was perfect as it sits between Positano and Amalfi, close enough to enjoy surrounding areas, but far enough away to relax in the quiet and quaintness of Conca dei Marina. The villa was just as described; spacious, elegant, and meticulous. There are many seating areas to relax and experience the breathtaking view. We stayed in May with unusually warm weather so enjoyed cooling off in the pool and sitting on the patio. We chose to eat most of our meals at Nino’s when we were not out and about. The food was amazing and the staff treated us as family. As mentioned in other reviews, there are a lot of steps up to the villa, but there are many steps all over Amalfi, so just make sure you are prepared before you go. We have already decided to return next year with our adult children and are excited for them to experience the Villa Elena and Amalfi Coast hospitality. Thank you Marica, Guilia, and Villa Elena Staff for a truly wonderful holiday.

Our group of 8 (4 couples, ages 35-60) fell in love with the exquisite gem, Villa Elena. From the time of our original booking, Marica was extremely helpful and prompt in answering all our questions. As our trip approached, we were connected with our host, Guilia, who was absolutely fantastic. Guilia assisted with transportation to and from the villa, arranged tours (shopping trips, cooking class, wine tasting, and a private boat trip to Capri). She went above and beyond expectations to ensure our experience was unforgettable. The location was perfect as it sits between Positano and Amalfi, close enough to enjoy surrounding areas, but far enough away to relax in the quiet and quaintness of Conca dei Marina. The villa was just as described; spacious, elegant, and meticulous. There are many seating areas to relax and experience the breathtaking view. We stayed in May with unusually warm weather so enjoyed cooling off in the pool and sitting on the patio. We chose to eat most of our meals at Nino’s when we were not out and about. The food was amazing and the staff treated us as family. As mentioned in other reviews, there are a lot of steps up to the villa, but there are many steps all over Amalfi, so just make sure you are prepared before you go. We have already decided to return next year with our adult children and are excited for them to experience the Villa Elena and Amalfi Coast hospitality. Thank you Marica, Guilia, and Villa Elena Staff for a truly wonderful holiday.

From the reservation to check out and everything was great. Thank you

Our group of 3 greatly enjoyed our recent stay at Villa Elena. The interior is nicely decorated with antique furniture and beautiful ceramics and has a magnificant view of the ocean. While there are 7 well decorated bedrooms we only used 2 of them — the one located off the kitchen in the main part of the house (living room/kitchen/dining room) and another one on the 2nd level. The expansive patio off the living room has 2 high quality square sun umbrellas that are approx 10x10 each and afford plenty of shade. The pool is quite nice — but not heated — and there are 2 bedrooms steps away. We had hoped to use the pool more than we did mainly because the weather was spotty and a bit cool w/a few days of rain. There are additional seating areas (patio & garden) on the 2nd level where the remaining 4 bedrooms are located. In short, guests will have no shortage of places to sit and take in the view. As for steps, others have already commented at length about this and there is no need to spend much time on it other than to say that: if you arrive with luggage, we strongly advise that you ask the very friendly and attentive Giulia to arrange for a local porter to do so when you arrive and when you depart. It is money well spent and you will be very happy that you were not lugging your 2 bags up to the Villa …..or down 62 steps when you depart. We departed at 7:15 am on a rainy/windy day and were happy to have our 5 bags brought down to the car. Giulia was in constant contact with us and was invaluable, helping to make restaurant reservations; a private boat excursion to Capri; visit to a cheese shop in Ravello, etc. If we had one suggestion for the owner, it would probably be to please stock the villa with water. Prior to coming to Conca Dei Marini we rented a property on the Isle of Ischia which was stocked with about 2 cases of water (still and sparkling) and a welcome bottle of French champagne. Lugging water up to the villa over & over is a bit of a pain. That said — fun time!…..see you next time!!

We had an amazing time at Villa Elena from beginning to the end of our stay. The villa was spotless and gave our group the perfect amount of space and a great spot from which to explore the Amalfi Coast. Giulia was super attentive and so helpful to us on a daily basis helping with everything from restaurant bookings, transport and activity recommendations during our stay.

We had an amazing time at Villa Elena from beginning to the end of our stay. The villa was spotless and gave our group the perfect amount of space and a great spot from which to explore the Amalfi Coast. Giulia was super attentive and so helpful to us on a daily basis helping with everything from restaurant bookings, transport and activity recommendations during our stay.

We (2 German families, all adult) really enjoyed our 2 weeks at Villa Elena. The Villa offers a stunning view over the sea, has a pool to relax and cool down, a big terrace for dining inc barbecue and all rooms offer onsuite bathrooms. We used the Villa as a basis for activities such as boating, and tours to Capri, Pompeji, Vesuv, Positano, Ravello etc. Our hostess Giulia did a fantastic job with providing recommendations, making reservations at restaurants and organizing everything for us we asked for. She is always reachable for help and a nice person. The landlord Marica and Giuseppe provided good upfront information about the Villa and potential activities. All in all a very nice vacation.

The property view was amazing! Giulia the house manager and Nino the local restaurant owner were amazing and welcoming to our family. The stairs were difficult for our family and the rooms and showers were a bit smaller than we thought. But, overall we enjoyed our time together and our beautiful views from this property!!

A wonderful place with incredible views. Giulia went the extra mile to ensure all of our needs and expectations were net. Can’t wait to return.

A wonderful place with incredible views. Giulia went the extra mile to ensure all of our needs and expectations were net. Can’t wait to return.

We were celebrating our parents' 50th anniversary and decided to stay a bit off the beaten path. Conca Dei Marini is a charming town that really provides a glimpse of small coastal town life! Villa Elena is very beautiful and we loved that each of the seven rooms had its own bathroom and in effect, functioned like a mini hotel. The pool and outdoor area was pristine and the sea view was breathtaking. From Conca Dei Marini it was easy to take day trips to Amalfi, Ravello, Sorrento, Positano, Maiori and Capri. We really enjoyed the rock beach in Capo di Conca. The location requires a lot of walking, including hills and steps, so everyone should be in good health. The property manager for Villa Elena was exceptional and provided us with a great deal of guidance throughout our stay. Our children, middle school and high school aged, loved swimming in the grottoes and in general the sea! Villa Elena is a very special place and we definitely recommend it!

Our group of 14, 4 families ranging in age from 15-52, enjoyed our stay. The view was spectacular. The main living room did not have A/C but it was not bad considering the heat that week. There are fans. Each bedroom had A/C but was controlled by a main unit. Some rooms did not get as cool as others, so those looking for very cool rooms will not get it. Some of the bedrooms were on the small side but we didn't spend much time in them. The beds were very firm and comfortable. The ensuite bathrooms were small with tiny showers, but was sufficient. Pool was fantastic, we used it everyday and night! The young boys used the downstairs "grotto" room to watch TV and play cards. Yes, there are tiny ants. We only had them on the terrace where we ate most of the time. It's the area, they get ants, no big deal. The wifi did not work in the bedrooms and in main areas it was spotty but not surprising considering the quiet location way up in the hills. 60+ stairs to get to the villa were challenging to some at first but by the end of the week we were experts and in much better shape! Some could run up! We ate at Ninos quite often as it was so close and convenient. Pizza was very inexpensive and delicious. Nino's even delivered fresh warm croissants to the villa every morning for breakfast, they are delicious, don't miss out! Just up the road, Le Bonta del Capo had good food, gelato and karaoke. It was entertaining and usually pretty busy, a little more upscale than Ninos. We walked the thousand or so steps to the beach once and it wasn't bad. Lovely little beach with several restaurants. Make sure you go at least once, and bring water shoes as beaches are very rocky. Some of us walked back the whole way up to the villa and others walked the 300 stairs up to Hotel Belvedere, and then took the local bus to Ninos.The best part of our stay was Guilia, our hostess. She was always a text or call away and helped us with reservations, bookings and any questions. She's the best and made our stay so easy and special.

Our group of 14, 4 families ranging in age from 15-52, enjoyed our stay. The view was spectacular. The main living room did not have A/C but it was not bad considering the heat that week. There are fans. Each bedroom had A/C but was controlled by a main unit. Some rooms did not get as cool as others, so those looking for very cool rooms will not get it. Some of the bedrooms were on the small side but we didn't spend much time in them. The beds were very firm and comfortable. The ensuite bathrooms were small with tiny showers, but was sufficient. Pool was fantastic, we used it everyday and night! The young boys used the downstairs "grotto" room to watch TV and play cards. Yes, there are tiny ants. We only had them on the terrace where we ate most of the time. It's the area, they get ants, no big deal. The wifi did not work in the bedrooms and in main areas it was spotty but not surprising considering the quiet location way up in the hills. 60+ stairs to get to the villa were challenging to some at first but by the end of the week we were experts and in much better shape! Some could run up! We ate at Ninos quite often as it was so close and convenient. Pizza was very inexpensive and delicious. Nino's even delivered fresh warm croissants to the villa every morning for breakfast, they are delicious, don't miss out! Just up the road, Le Bonta del Capo had good food, gelato and karaoke. It was entertaining and usually pretty busy, a little more upscale than Ninos. We walked the thousand or so steps to the beach once and it wasn't bad. Lovely little beach with several restaurants. Make sure you go at least once, and bring water shoes as beaches are very rocky. Some of us walked back the whole way up to the villa and others walked the 300 stairs up to Hotel Belvedere, and then took the local bus to Ninos. The best part of our stay was Guilia, our hostess. She was always a text or call away and helped us with reservations, bookings and any questions. She's the best and made our stay so easy and special.

We were a group of 15; two young children...we absolutely loved our magical stay in Conca at Villa Elena. Guilia was a fabulous host and was always available for our needs. She made booking any excursions and transports a breeze. We had a fabulous time and hope to return....while the stairs are mentioned several times in many reviews, we found no problems with them. My four year old walked up and down them several times a day with little to no complaints. The stairs to the beach were more effort but not impossible, especially if using the bus to the halfway point. We LOVED Villa Elena and Conca!

Highly recommend with a few caveats. First the pros- this is a gorgeous property with truly amazing ocean views, a nice pool area, lovely outdoor dining area and comfortable and well-equipped bathrooms for each bedroom. Each bedroom has air conditioning, which is very nice. The villa is covered in, and surrounded by fragrant and lovely flowering vines. The more than 60 stone steps to reach the villa from the street are tiring but doable and provide good exercise. There is a little grocery, scooter rental, small pizzeria and separate large and delicious restaurant only a few minutes walk from the villa. The kitchen is small but adequate and quite charming. And there are two refrigerators. The property manager is quite helpful in arranging for drivers and excursions if desired. The cons: parking is a bit tricky. Though two parking passes are available, no parking spots are guaranteed. The washing machine is very small and does not clean very thoroughly; the dishwasher is nearly useless so best to hand wash; a neighbor’s dog barks incessantly (but that is offset by the delightful charm of the crowing rooster); the Wi-Fi barely functions, but that can be a pro as well by encouraging your teens to unplug. Water and electricity are not guaranteed 100 pct of the time. We had one day during our week rental when we were without water most of the daytime and one night in which the electricity was out for roughly 20-30 minutes. The other con is the “maid service.” We were told there would be a cleaning at midweek but no cleaning occurred that we could discern. All that said, the pros far outweigh the cons. We’ve rented many villas over the years, including others along the Amalfi Coast. Villa Elena is a gem and priced quite fairly for the spectacular beauty it affords; the seven bedrooms with private full baths; and all other benefits listed above.

My family and I had a wonderful time at Villa Elena. The view was breathtaking. The villa was spacious, comfortable and beautiful. The pool was perfect for us to cool down after a hot day of sightseeing. Our host, Guila, was fabulous. Her guidance and support enriched our trip. She is a perfect combination of warmth and professionalism. She was able to help us chose and confirm transportation to Positano for a fishing trip and arrange a private boat tour of the coast and Capri. (probably our favorite day). Along with her charming family, Guilia prepared a meal in the villa on our second night, and it was delicious. We enjoyed the pasta and pizza a Nino's multiple times. Villa Elena was a perfect place to relax and absorb all that the Amalfi Coast has to offer. I hope to visit again someday.

We were a group of 11 adults and a child staying at Villa Elena for a family wedding in the area, and for our purposes it was perfect. I never felt like we were on top of each other as the villa has lots of private areas to escape to if necessary. The villa itself is beautiful, there are 7 bedrooms all with en-suite facilities and 6 of the rooms are accessed externally from the terraces. The villa is pretty well equipped and I didn’t really feel like I was missing any major home comforts. The views from the house are absolutely stunning and I’d have been quite happy to sit there for hours just taking it in. The steps to the villa are challenging especially on arrival with all the luggage, but we were offered assistance with this at a cost of €5 euros per case. This seemed pretty excessive but fortunately for us we were able to manage this. By the end of our stay the steps didn’t really seem that much of a problem, however if you have any mobility or breathing related health condition, I would perhaps consider staying somewhere else on the flat. Giulia the property manager was extremely attentive and helpful. She kept in touch throughout our stay and a problem we had with the hot water was addressed immediately. I have to also mention Nino who owns a restaurant bar just a few hundred yards from the villa. He was very friendly, extremely accommodating and nothing seemed to be too much trouble for him. The food was lovely too. He also helped with lifts and cabs in the area, as these can be very costly. The villa and area certainly fit our needs for the wedding party as we had lots of friends and family dropping in to see us and I would say it’s perfect for entertaining. All in all we really enjoyed our time at Villa Elena, the Amalfi coast region is visually stunning and to my mind Italy at its finest. Would I go back to Villa Elena.....yes in a heartbeat.

Our party of 12 (6 couples) spent 5 nights at Villa Elena. The villa is beautiful. I’ve never experienced a more attentive and gracious hostess than Guilia. She was delightful in every way!! I told her she can come visit us anytime! We opted to have dinner prepared. It seemed like 8 courses. It was sooo much delicious Italian food. Their service was impeccable. As other reviews have noted, the pool and jacuzzi are not heated and the weather during our visit was unseasonably cool, so we didn’t use them. It was still gorgeous though!! The 7 bedrooms are all significantly different, but nicely decorated and clean, all equipped with (we think) queen sz beds. We are all good friends and opted to draw numbers to determine the order that people would choose their rooms. Only one is located off the common area. All the rest of them have exterior doors, opening directly to the veranda. Some of the bedrooms had closets, some had armoires, at least one had a hanging rod instead. Each room had it’s own bathroom. The smallest room has very little storage space but an amazing little outdoor area with a table and a spectacular view. We spent a lot of time outside at the big tables, soaking in that view!!! The buses to/from Amalfi are very inexpensive. One day the 6 guys walked to Amalfi. It took them a couple hours. The ladies got a ride. There is an outdoor market in Amalfi (currently) on Wednesday mornings. We LOVED it there in Conca dei Marini. It was so peaceful (during our visit in May) and the people were welcoming and pretty fabulous! We wanted to stay forever! If you go, be sure to get croissants and cappuccinos from Nino’s. Dinners there are excellent as well. On another night, you can take a right at the bottom of the steps and walk 5 or 10 minutes to another great restaurant, a little more upscale. There is a really nice little grocery store there too. About the steps up to the villa... oh my. Those are steps!! We noticed there aren’t many out of shape people there. It’s those steps!! The first night was tough, especially with all of our luggage. By the time we checked out, it really wasn’t bad at all. Three people in our group have had knee replacements. They did fine. You just have to go at your own pace. There are around 67 steps up - and down. No one in our party went all the way down to the beach. Maybe next time, because I will be going back! ;)

The house is beautiful. The access up 60 stairs is challenging and makes the house isolated. It is really not in a village and there is no walking access to the water or a village . The many bedrooms and baths and lovely gardens are beautiful, but if you are looking for a place with easy access to come and go to a village or transportation this is not it. A minimum taxi ride is to Amalfi and the cost is 50 Euros. We had the unfortunate experience of renting when the town of Conca Dei Marini was having water problems. The first day we discovered after we had checked in that there was absolutely NO water. No water to drink, cook, brush teeth, flush toilets, NOTHING. Our hosts lived in town and knew this but did not even tell us about it, nor offer any solutions other than to tell us to carry buckets of pool water to flush the toilets and tell us it should be fixed some time the next day. Day 2 we did have water but day 3 when we got up in the morning once again no water. We were leaving on excursions for the day and it was distressing not to be able to even wash or shave before going, never mind showering. We found out from a local cab driver later in our stay that this happens frequently in Conca Dei Marini and unbeknownst to us most people in town ( including the Villa we were staying in)have a secondary water supply they use in these frequent situations. In the second water outage our hosts indicated they would send a plumber to the house to turn on have this secondary water supply but they never offered to turn the secondary water supply on for us when the first water outage occurred. So the many bedrooms and baths and lovely patios pool and living space is wonderful . I would give those a 5’ but the location to us was inconvenient- nice if you just want to stay in the house use the pool and look at the beautiful views , but terrible if you’re looking for village life with only 2 restaurants close by on a dangerous road, and one walkable market so a 2 for that, and the water problems that were not addressed as they should have been by the host I give a 0. I should mention the host did offer to pay for a meal at a local restaurant as compensation for the problems before we left but was too little too late.

The villa was absolutely beautiful. The grounds were immaculately kept. Marica and her staff were very responsive to our needs and requests. The villa is very high up so the views were fantastic. But the walk to the beach was about 3000 steps. During the season , one of the beaches has some transportation down to the beach, but after October 1 it was all walking and some people in our group were not capable of doing the walk. Luckily the villa has a pool so on hot days that was fine. We would have used the jacuzzi more if it was heated, but it was not. The nights were cool but we couldn’t keep the bedroom doors open because of no screens and there were bugs out at night. We used the AC which was in every room but members in my group complained of mildew smells coming from the units. My room was fine. The bathrooms were great. Some of the showers were really tiny but there were 10 of them so there was a shower for all. All in all we had a memorable time and I will definitely recommend this beautiful villa. I would love to return there one day with a wedding😬.

The house requires climbing up and down 65 steps which was challenging for some of our elderly members but do-able. The house is great and the pool is wonderful. Conca dei Marini is some distance from Amalfi and requires one to have transportation. A phone is best to have although we managed without using only WhatsApp and getting assistance from local people. Marica arranged for us to have a cooking class at the Villa and it was not only fun but really delicious!

We were a group of 10 adults (5 couples) ages 35-42 and our week at Villa Elena was pure perfection! The pictures truly do not demonstrate how exquisite and large the villa really is. All the bedrooms we stayed in had entrances from the outside and their own bathroom, so that was really convenient and we did not feel like we were on top of each other. The numerous bathrooms were all a nice size, as were the bedrooms. Air conditioning worked great, and the pool was so refreshing. We brought some pool floats with us, so that was fun to have. At our request, Marica stocked the fridge with essentials so we were all set upon arrival. We also had the chef come to the villa to cook for us one night so that was really fun and delicious. There are lots of steps to the villa, and a lot of steps in general in Conca dei Marini, so just be aware of that. I believe there are 800 steps down to the beach - which was not too bad on the way down, but not so fun on the way up, however, our whole group did it on several days. There is also a bus you can take part of the way, but we never did. We really enjoyed having Ninos downstairs. We had dinner there on our first night at the villa and brought pizza back to the villa for dinner another night. There is a grocery store down the street which is great and has all the essentials - they even drove our groceries to the villa steps so we would not have to carry them up the street. Everyone in this town is so nice and friendly. We had 2 amazing dinners at Le Bonta del Capo down the block (very walkable), including one where we did the "Lemon Tour", made lemoncello and had a lemon themed dinner. I highly recommend going there on a Wednesday for live music and getting the lemon ravioli! We chartered a boat for the day from Blue Star Positano and it picked us up and dropped us off right on the beach in Conca dei Marini - I highly recommend them, it was one of my favorite days. Marica was a pleasure to work with. She was so responsive and arranged our dinner reservations at Ninos, for the chef to come to the villa, for the kitchen to be stocked with groceries, and for some of our travel transfers (Aequalimo - they were great), including one to the Path of the Gods hike - which was wonderful and I recommend doing - if you can handle the steps of Conca dei Marini then you will be just fine on the hike. I highly recommend staying at Villa Elena and in this beautiful town. I hope to go back one day!

Villa Elena was perfect for our family group of 14. Even better than the amazing pictures. Lot's of space to relax both indoors and outdoors. Stairs to villa turned out to be very easy, even for me(72). Our hosts were very gracious and helpful. Made us feel right at home. Cooking class was a real treat, as well as a dip in the beautiful pool every afternoon. Conca dei Marina was the perfect place to stay. Located between Amalfi and Positano. Another treat was the wonderful meals and friendly service at Nino's Pizzeria, only steps from the villa. This is a must stop every day! Nino is amazing!

The villa was spacious and clean. Staff were all very accommodating and friendly as well as “Nino”, the owner of the local pizzeria and ambassador for the area!!! The area is not very convenient, however Nino was very helpful with taxis. We had 15 guests and all had a wonderful time. Highly recommended!!

Traveling with a large group (17) is a risky affair.....at the best of times, however at Villa Elena, it was as if we were a family of four – six at best, given the layout of the premises. In addition, the hosts were genuinely friendly and their initial warm welcome lasted throughout our stay, beckoning us to linger longer.. What impressed us most about the property was the large amount of space, with wonderful views everywhere, giving a feeling that we were never crowded, even without going down to the huge entertainment area at the lowermost level. The pools and jacuzzi added a valuable plus. The layout, created open spaces; yet allowed intimate settings for smaller groupings. Each room was well appointed, with linens, appliances and houseware and the bathrooms easily accommodated everyone. The only “drawback” might have been the challenging 62 steps from the street level; but even one of the 69-year old handicapped member of the group managed these quite easily. We will certainly add this location to future trips ! It was paradise on earth!!!!!!!!!!

This villa is perfect and such a great location for our large group (we were 14 adults + 3 kids). All the bedrooms are a great size each with their own bathroom plus loads of communal spaces for outdoor eating and drinking. The view is amazing and the pool/jacuzzi is perfect to chill in as the sun goes down. The gazebo on the upper level was great to escape the heat of the day and was another great communal space so no one felt ‘on top of each other’. Marica and family were also so welcoming and even gave us a gift as we were getting married during our stay. Having been to the Amalfi a few times, Conca dei Marini stole our hearts a little. You get to know all the local owners of supermarkets, restaurants, lidos and really escape all those tourists. We would recommend hiring a car/scooter as sometimes buses are too full to pick up passengers to Amalfi/Positano. Water taxi (can get from Conca dei Marini beach) is cheaper than a car taxi and a great way to see the coast instead of a tour! Cannot recommend this place highly enough - a truly perfect escape. Thank you Marica!

We were a family of 14 ranging from 2 to 85 years staying in the area for our son's wedding. The villa is stunning with comfortable private ensuite rooms and tranquil outside seating areas. It is set in a quiet location with beautiful views. We spent much of our time relaxing at the villa and enjoying the pool. We shopped at the local mini market and ate at Nino's pizzeria or the excellent restaurant near the shop. Some of us ventured down the many steps to the beach and hired a rib to explore the beautiful coastline. Our hosts were charming and made us very welcome. We would certainly recommend the villa.

Amalfi Coast is a beautiful area and Conca is a quiet, small area to soak up all that beauty. The house is very large, with external doors to all bedrooms, except for the one behind the public living spaces, ( kitchen, living, dining and laundry room, which is called "the apartment." The apartment area does not have air. Onditioning, but the fans kept it quite cool most of the time. There are three restaurants within a 5 to 10 minute walk, and a few more on the beach, which is approximately 700 steps down from the house. Home is very clean, had most everything we needed, and Marcia was wonderful to work with before and during our stay.

Our group consisted of 4 couples. Upon our arrival in Conca Dei Marini, we were greeted by Marica, Giuseppe, and beautiful Elena. They had arranged to have our luggage brought up to the villa. There are 62 steps, but well worth the effort to see the spectacular views. Villa Elena is absolutely beautiful. We spent most of our time around the pool and terrace. I would highly recommend booking the chef. The chef cooked two nights for us. She prepared a 5 course meal that was absolutely delicious and came complete with wines. There was so much food that we actually had leftovers the next day. We also met the wonderful Nino!!! Nino owns a restaurant down the street from the villa. He also helped us with taxi arrangements among other things. We refered to Nino as the Mayor of Conca dei Marini. He knows everyone and everything. The food at his restaurant is delicious. I would also recommend a meal or two at Tratorria Nino! Marica and Giuseppe were very helpful arranging reservations and provided us with general information about the area. As mentioned in another review, be sure to clean up any crumbs or food on counters, as they will attract small ants. It's not unusual for the area. The grounds around the villa are beautiful and there is much vegetation. Marica and Giuseppe were wonderful hosts. I would recommend Villa Elena. Hopefully, we will return soon.