If you have a large group Villa Chieteno is a perfect place to stay in Tuscany. We were a group of 18 family members from 18 to 70 during late June . We used all 10 bedrooms. What makes this villa so special 1. Location! So close to so many things in Tuscany—Assisi, Montepulciano, Monteciano, Pienza, Sienna, Civita di Bagnoregio, Cetona, Chiusi, Citta della Pieve, and much more. This is wine country, sunflower country and olive tree country—so beautiful. Cars are mandatory. 15 minutes from the A1 expressway 2. Total Privacy—never saw another person within a mile of the villa 3. The incredibly large swimming pool with wonderful pool furniture 4. The immense size of the villa with 5 private apartments with separate living areas and kitchens. In addition, the common living room, dining room and kitchen were very large and provided a wonderful area for the group congregating 5. The beautiful patio with 20 person dining table overlooking the Tuscany countryside—we ate 4 meals here--two of the meals were prepared by Bea and were delicious. 6. Linda, our contact point for the villa was so helpful along every step of planning our trip and giving us great recommendations on wineries to visit, arranging transportation, restaurants and, grocery stores 7. Villa provided a pay as you go initial stock of 40 bottles of excellent wine (average 7 euros/bottle) and 40 bottle of water. Recommendations of what to do 1. Ravazzi Winery tour and store 15 min. away--great wine tasting in the middle of their beautiful vineyard and incredibly low prices (4 euros great Rose) 2. Avignonesi Winery Tour with lunch.Absolutely fabulous tour and lunch with wine pairings. 3. Castello di Fighine Michelin 1 Star Restaurant 20 min. away on a remote hilltop town. One of our best meals ever had 7 course tasting with great wine 4. Sensory Spa in Terme Di Chianciano about 25 min. away. 20 station amazing spa, massages available and great place for lunch 5. Cetona Centrum—lots of good shops and restaurants—7 min.away 6. Rick Steves Monteciano Drive—most gorgeous drive of wine country in Tuscany. Make an appt at a winery 7. Civita di Bagnoregio. What an amazing ancient city on a remote hilltop 8 Assisi. Great city and monastery to St Francis Caution: Villa (especially 1st floor) can be very warm in hot weather (93 degrees plus). Insist on fans for every bedroom. Leave all windows and outside doors to bedrooms open. That will equal comfort.

We held a three day celebration, Bea prepared a pasta night with 4 types of pasta for +30 persons. The main dining room proved sufficient to welcome such a large number as the rain forced us inside. For a welcome night, all our guests were flabbergasted by the quality and tastefulness of the dishes. We even had a trio of panacotta for dessert which were very tasty and light. The rehearsal dinner took place in nearby Citta Della Pieve, at restaurant Coppeta, as suggested by Bea. The restaurant is a very wel known local venue, full of local crowd and turned out to be a blast. Fantastic food, wine and very very good service for such a large group of 40 people. Linda has helped a lot too, working her vast network of local business people and friends and organized a tour of the Ravazzi winery for us. The owner, Roberta, prepared a tour and wine tasting with matching local cheese and cuts. The wedding day and the following day were very busy comprising of the wedding celebration, the cocktail, the dinner, the party, the midnight table and the next morning brunch. Due to the larger turnout of guests at our wedding than previously expected, we relied on a local supplier for the catering under the strict supervision of Bea for the food preparation and service. Both worked very well delivering the same tasty food we had tried at a much smaller scale at Beatrice place a few months earlier. All venues were successes in large thanks to Bea and Linda's help. Only them know the villa so well to provide the best support, the best accessory, be it the outside lamps and candles, the right place to plug speakers, cocktail tables, ice buckets, coordinate the waiters with the ceremony schedule and speakers.... their contribution to our wedding was essential and key and today we are so grateful for them being so generous and competent. I will conclude saying that Villa Chieteno is a magic place, you can come and enjoy it simply and Linda and Bea will make sure you have all the privacy you are looking for or, hold an event as important as an 80 people wedding and, most importantly a milestone life event, Linda and Bea will be up to the challenge to make it a world class event for you and your guests. For the rest of my life I will be grateful for Villa Chieteno, Beatrice and Linda, may you enjoy it as much as we did and preserve the authenticity of this place. Thank you Linda and Bea

We held a three day celebration, Bea prepared a pasta night with 4 types of pasta for +30 persons. The main dining room proved sufficient to welcome such a large number as the rain forced us inside. For a welcome night, all our guests were flabbergasted by the quality and tastefulness of the dishes. We even had a trio of panacotta for dessert which were very tasty and light. The rehearsal dinner took place in nearby Citta Della Pieve, at restaurant Coppeta, as suggested by Bea. The restaurant is a very wel known local venue, full of local crowd and turned out to be a blast. Fantastic food, wine and very very good service for such a large group of 40 people. Linda has helped a lot too, working her vast network of local business people and friends and organized a tour of the Ravazzi winery for us. The owner, Roberta, prepared a tour and wine tasting with matching local cheese and cuts. The wedding day and the following day were very busy comprising of the wedding celebration, the cocktail, the dinner, the party, the midnight table and the next morning brunch. Due to the larger turnout of guests at our wedding than previously expected, we relied on a local supplier for the catering under the strict supervision of Bea for the food preparation and service. Both worked very well delivering the same tasty food we had tried at a much smaller scale at Beatrice place a few months earlier. All venues were successes in large thanks to Bea and Linda's help. Only them know the villa so well to provide the best support, the best accessory, be it the outside lamps and candles, the right place to plug speakers, cocktail tables, ice buckets, coordinate the waiters with the ceremony schedule and speakers.... their contribution to our wedding was essential and key and today we are so grateful for them being so generous and competent. I will conclude saying that Villa Chieteno is a magic place, you can come and enjoy it simply and Linda and Bea will make sure you have all the privacy you are looking for or, hold an event as important as an 80 people wedding and, most importantly a milestone life event, Linda and Bea will be up to the challenge to make it a world class event for you and your guests. For the rest of my life I will be grateful for Villa Chieteno, Beatrice and Linda, may you enjoy it as much as we did and preserve the authenticity of this place. Thank you Linda and Bea

While I would love to be selfish and keep this amazing place to myself, the magic of the place would not be the same without the hosts and their amazing kindness and hospitality. This review intends to be a fair opinion on the villa and the premises and in gratitude of the heartfelt hospitality we received during our stay at Villa Chieteno. My wife and I were looking for a villa to welcome our respective families and friends flying from France, Canada, Monaco, Germany and Africa and celebrate our wedding in May 2016. We found the villa on Internet through Linda who was very helpful giving the right information and help us deciding this would be the right venue (map of floors with rooms, number of beds, bathrooms and all accommodations the villa offers). It took only a few minutes and we knew that the Villa was the right place and that we were in good hands with Beatrice, she's very sweet, straight talker, competent and would do anything to make sure our stay and our wedding would be the best day in our lives. She prepared a trial dinner of what she could prepare for our wedding diner, it turned out to be an amazing culinary experience. Bea is an amazing chef, and she also cooks dessert! Every dish tasted so fresh, well balanced, with quality ingredients, a perfect blend of home food and finesse found only in gourmet and high cuisine restaurants. Would Bea have a restaurant, she'd earn her stars without a doubt. Villa Chieteno turned out to be very comfortable and cozy, much more than the initial rustic look may suggest. Weather last May was cooler than usual and because we had a few babies and elderly as part of the guests, the heating provided proved very efficient and comfortable. The beds and linens all very new and fresh looking. The kitchens are all equipped for families to dine in their respective apartments when needed and enough champagne glasses to accommodate the many spontaneous parties that took place during the week. I will not comment to the villa and the surroundings apart from saying the scenery and views are just out of this world. I will note the highways a few miles away which can be heard when the wind blows inward, but it is far enough to remain a very very distant sound and will not spoil a quite day chilling at the villa. The pool side is magic, the fields are magic, the smell of the forrest and all the surrounding flowers is magic, the villa architecture is perfect, the landscaping is well balanced and not overdone.

I had a wonderful time at this amazing villa in the countryside of Cetona. The property was beautifully designed for both privacy and large group or family interactions. The pool was lovely, as were all the exterior appointments, landscape and scenery. Our friend group had the pleasure of being hosted by Linda Pappas, who was so knowledgable about the area and gracious about our needs. We left with a sense of lasting friendship with Linda. The stay at this villa was charming, peaceful and authentic. The nearby hill towns were a delight and a short drive from the villa, though a car was essential. It was everything I had hoped for and more!

I had a wonderful time at this amazing villa in the countryside of Cetona. The property was beautifully designed for both privacy and large group or family interactions. The pool was lovely, as were all the exterior appointments, landscape and scenery. Our friend group had the pleasure of being hosted by Linda Pappas, who was so knowledgable about the area and gracious about our needs. We left with a sense of lasting friendship with Linda. The stay at this villa was charming, peaceful and authentic. The nearby hill towns were a delight and a short drive from the villa, though a car was essential. It was everything I had hoped for and more!

We had such a lovely week at your villa with our college friends in 2015, that we decided to return with our parents and our six siblings and their spouses this year! It was the perfect setup for our large group, with private bedrooms and bathrooms for each couple. Our 83-year-old parents avoided steps by residing in the main-level one-bedroom suite.....the perfect setup for them. We scattered each day to explore the hill towns and vineyards, and had the luxury of coming home each evening to hang out by the pool, followed by wine on the patio and delicious home-cooked meals by Bea....the perfect combination of family time and quiet time! We can't wait to return! Thank you for the second annual trip of a lifetime!

We needed a property that could accommodate a large family reunion that included someone who needed easy access and no stairs - not an easy find in Tuscany. We looked at a few properties and finally chose this magnificent home. From the moment we started planning, we knew we had made the right choice. Linda was attentive, thoughtful and helped us plan a great week. When we arrived, we were met by Bea and her dog and it was love at first sight. The villa is incredible -- lots of room to roam but wonderful places to sit and enjoy each other's company. There is even a wonderful room at the top of the tower where our 21 year old spent incredible days composing musics and soaking in the view. Ah, the view -- any time of day or night, it is magnificent. We took early morning drives and walks just to soak in the sunrise. Hard to say enough things about the property -- well equipped, lovely furnishings and a simply amazing kitchen. We had Bea prepare and leave for us our first night meal and then we asked her to do a cooking class one night which was great and very memorable but the rest of the time, we generally cooked. We would go to local farm markets during the day and then cook up amazing things at night -- nothing complex just great food and wine. Even going to the grocery store is an experience. We ate out in Cetona one night and then generally had lunch in the local villages we were exploring. We also fell in love with the area. Cetona is a beautiful little town -- wonderful people, interesting small shops and a great butcher...but an even more amazing bakery (which we visited most mornings at 7). Be sure to arrange a winery tour (also great) and include a visit to Suzie's Yard which is just down the hill -- an amazing experience for all. The pool was a big hit as well -- we were in it every afternoon. The days were hot but the villa stays cool and the nights were lovely. Bea is truly extraordinary. A wonderful and "just right" attentive host. We strongly suggest taking her cooking class and spending as much time with her as you can. She speaks very good English and has lived in the area for her life. She was a highlight for our entire family. We follow her now on Instagram and have become fans. In short, the experience couldn't have been better. From Linda's superb guidance in advance to the wonderful house and Bea's friendship -- just great.

We needed a property that could accommodate a large family reunion that included someone who needed easy access and no stairs - not an easy find in Tuscany. We looked at a few properties and finally chose this magnificent home. From the moment we started planning, we knew we had made the right choice. Linda was attentive, thoughtful and helped us plan a great week. When we arrived, we were met by Bea and her dog and it was love at first sight. The villa is incredible -- lots of room to roam but wonderful places to sit and enjoy each other's company. There is even a wonderful room at the top of the tower where our 21 year old spent incredible days composing musics and soaking in the view. Ah, the view -- any time of day or night, it is magnificent. We took early morning drives and walks just to soak in the sunrise. Hard to say enough things about the property -- well equipped, lovely furnishings and a simply amazing kitchen. We had Bea prepare and leave for us our first night meal and then we asked her to do a cooking class one night which was great and very memorable but the rest of the time, we generally cooked. We would go to local farm markets during the day and then cook up amazing things at night -- nothing complex just great food and wine. Even going to the grocery store is an experience. We ate out in Cetona one night and then generally had lunch in the local villages we were exploring. We also fell in love with the area. Cetona is a beautiful little town -- wonderful people, interesting small shops and a great butcher...but an even more amazing bakery (which we visited most mornings at 7). Be sure to arrange a winery tour (also great) and include a visit to Suzie's Yard which is just down the hill -- an amazing experience for all. The pool was a big hit as well -- we were in it every afternoon. The days were hot but the villa stays cool and the nights were lovely. Bea is truly extraordinary. A wonderful and "just right" attentive host. We strongly suggest taking her cooking class and spending as much time with her as you can. She speaks very good English and has lived in the area for her life. She was a highlight for our entire family. We follow her now on Instagram and have become fans. In short, the experience couldn't have been better. From Linda's superb guidance in advance to the wonderful house and Bea's friendship -- just great.

For years I have wanted to immerse myself in Tuscany - cook an authentic Italian meal, taste local wines, walk the cobblestone streets of the villages, and gaze upon the Tuscan countryside. This trip did not disappoint! The wine tasting and traditional Italian cooking class were fun and delicious! The villa apartments are beautifully appointed. The views in every direction is quintessential Tuscany! Linda's personal attention and friendliness ensured everything was absolutely perfect! We look forward to a return visit!

I've been planning our 50th Wedding Anniversary Celebration for more than a year. Our children, grandchildren, family and friends from all over the US and Europe joined us. The Villa offers a large gathering/dining room with attached commercial type kitchen. ( also, there is a very nice, large restroom off from the gathering room.) We enjoyed three group meals. Bea made lasagne, one meat and one mushroom, that we served to the quests on Saturday after the quests arrived from their long journeys. Bea also catered our anniversary dinner. The menu for the 7 course Tuscan dinner was perfect. Linda helped with ideas for this dinner. In fact, Linda answered my many questions during the entire year of planning. On the evening prior to departure, three chef-wannabees from our group visited the local butcher and acquired 8 pounds+ of florentine cut beef that they cooked on the outdoor grill. Matching up that main course with contributions from the other actual cooks in the group made for a wonderful sendoff. During the rest of the week everyone was able to choose to cook in or eat out. There are nice places in Cetona for quick meals or fine dinning at Ristorante da Nilo 53040 Cetona in the square. Each family had its own apartment with a kitchen. One of the apartments has a bedroom and bath on one level, and another bedroom and bath in the tower up a spiral staircase. The view from that room is breathtaking. In fact, the view from anywhere is amazing. The pool and surrounding areas are great. We had an age range from 14 months to early seventies with teenagers included. There was something for everyone. Those who choose not to swim enjoyed sitting on the lounge chairs reading or just enjoying the view and conversations. I would love to come back to the Villa with a group of friends some day!

We had a fantastic wedding here in the first week of September. Our family and friends stayed here with us, and we had the wedding ceremony the day before we left. Weather was perfect, and when it got hot we jumped in the swimming pool. Linda helped us so much with planning and took the time to go over the details several times months beforehand. The owner/chef Bea was so lovely, and put together a great meal on our wedding day. Best lasagna ever! All we had to worry about was the flowers and transportation. We rented one van to take people back and forth to the store and train station, but I would recommend that people get their own rental cars. The train station was about 15 min away, and from there you could get to Florence or Rome in 2 hours, and drive or take the train to Siena which is close. We did a wine tasting with the group which was so much fun, and picked out great wine for the wedding day and bought a case. Everyone said that this was the most beautiful wedding location that they had seen. If you want to have an unforgettable wedding, this is a great option.

Our group of college friends and spouses spent a week in this WONDERFUL villa! We could not have been happier with the central Tuscan location, the spacious rooms, the responsiveness of the owner, and the gorgeous countryside! The rooms were clean and well appointed. We loved being able to have our own "apartments." Bea, the owner was extremely helpful. She planned amazing dinners, tours, and patiently answered all our questions - AND helped to retrieve lost luggage. She became not simply an "owner of the villa we were staying in," she became our friend. When we left, we felt like we had "family" in Tuscany. Her warm and gracious hospitality was obvious in how she ran her beautiful home. There were flowers on the table when we arrived, and food in the pantry. (per request - a nice service!) She even left a dinner for us one night when we were out sight seeing all day! What a great place for a wonderful retreat with girlfriends, family, or a celebration! Thank you Bea! TUSCANY TRAVELERS!

We rented the villa for a group of 14 friends and family members. The configuration of the rooms into various "suites" was ideal for our group, and provided a very useful mix of private time in the suites as well as time with the group in the common dining and living room areas. The location of the villa was also ideal as a central location for trips to San Gimignano, Sienna, Orvieto, Assisi, Florence, Cetona, Chiusi and many other small hill towns. We rented four cars and had a wonderful time exploring the Tuscan/Umbria countryside. As noted in other reviews, the WiFi is inconsistent. I'd also strongly recommend either bringing a GPS unit with an installed Italy map, or renting one from your car rental agency. It was priceless and aided our explorations immensely! Linda was fabulous in helping us with our stay. Her advice as to things to see and towns to visit was invaluable, particularly since our visit spanned two Italian national holidays. The connections she has made with local wineries, restaurants and shopkeepers was also very valuable. In summary, our stay went without a hitch. We'll be back....

We rented all of Villa Anna for a week in September 2014 to celebrate my 50th birthday. It turned out to be an incredible choice. Plenty of room for the 17 of us to stretch out and visit, a great central location, close to the Autostrada and a 10-minute ride from the Chuisi train station. We cooked up a storm, took a cooking lesson with Beata, and took day trips to Florence, Siena, Orvieto and other towns. Some days we just spent at the pool. It was beautiful, comfortable and perfectly located. Linda worked closely with us to help with all the details. I would highly recommend this property for a large group looking to kick back and enjoy the Tuscan countryside. A few things I would recommend: 1.) get a car. It's not a place to walk to or from. We rented in Rome and drove there easily. 2.) Don't arrive late at night. It's hard to see the road signs. We had to head out at midnight on more than one occasion to guide arriving guests to the villa. 3.) Wireless is really touch and go, which can make planning day trips from the villa a bit time-consuming. My advice? print out major train and tour schedules at home and bring them with you. 4.) There is no stereo system and we brought a small set of wireless speakers. The result: we couldn't get any of our music to play because of the wi-fi. If you bring something to play music, make sure it's not wireless. Small nits in an otherwise perfect vacation!

Villa Anna is a stunning Italian farmhouse in an unbelievably beautiful setting, bringing some of us to tears. It is where 26 in our family gathered for two weeks in the month of July 2014. We ranged in age from under two to 75 years old. We came from Australia, The United States (Florida, Texas and California), Belgium and the Netherlands. Some of us arrived by plane via London or Amsterdam to Rome, where we spent one night in a hotel near the Fiumicino airport. In hindsight, that was a superb idea because the 2-hour wait for our (pre-paid) rental cars, in a crowded facility, would have been hard to digest after an international flight. The six living units of Villa Anna allowed us privacy when needed. The large communal space offered a great place to gather. We spent lots of time at the house and the fabulous pool, and also traveled to many surrounding villages. Some of us made day trips by car, train and/or bus to Rome and Florence. The people in nearby Cetona were so friendly. There is nothing like watching the World Football Match in a local café, or spontaneously filling up an entire small restaurant after hours. At the Villa, we had ordered and were served breakfast daily. We also had a number of meals catered, and we prepared all the remaining meals ourselves in the very large kitchen. The food Bea prepared was fantastic, the porch and outside table most romantic. The olive oil tour, the local walks, the (rented) bike rides, the sunflowers, wild life and thunder storms, the art, the museums, the wine and food, and especially the fresh air and quiet…..it will all stay with us for years! We may not be able to resist returning once more, and we would plan to stay longer. Thank you Linda, and thank you Bea, you made our dream come through!

I was with a group of 18 friends that stayed at this fantastic property for 1 week in September. I cannot say enough great things about this house and Linda who helped us everyday with anything we could need and then some. The house was so comfortable an easy for a large group, there was more than enough private and group spaces. Linda went out of her way to ensure that everyone had a good time and all of our crazy needs were met. We were greated each morning with homemade bread, coffee and assorted breakfast items. The cooking lesson was exceptional along with the wine tours,I will remember this experience for a long time. There are plenty of restaurants close by lunch and dinner for local foods Linda came with us to the market to show us where to shop and even made sure that we did not miss a 6am bus to the airport. I cannot say enough positive things about this travel experience, I cannot wait to come back again someday

We were 18 in all! 4 generations from the UK and the US (including 5 US states) gathered in the gorgeous, immaculate Toscana Villa. We took up all 7 apartments! Everyone enjoyed the option of their own private space, but we all gravitated to the large gathering areas for meals, games, and sharing time. Who wouldn't? Surrounded by fields of smiling sunflowers, wheat, vineyards, and sunshine, we played in the pool, cooked in the enormous and perfectly appointed kitchen, and basked in the quiet of the hillsides. Spectacular views at sunset of the nearby hills made it perfect. All with the luxury of lovely clean linens, furniture that was attractive, comfortable and lovingly cared for, and every imaginable necessity, including the very useful washer and dryer! We all enjoyed the easy travel to/from Chiusi train station and the easy access to the highway. Our hosts were attentive, polite, and so very helpful, from the time of booking through the anxious travel there, to every question we had while visiting. We all left reluctantly, turning for a last wistful look at what is sure to be an unforgettable family holiday. Thank you!

I found this villa through VRBO for a family reunion in Tuscany. We had 19 people, including 4 children and a baby. We stayed for a week, visiting the local hill towns and wineries. Day trips to Montepulciano, Cortona, Assisi, and Florence were all no problem. Bea took great care of us and cooked dinner one night - she is an amazing chef and this was a gourmet experience. Other days we would head to the local grocery in Chiusi and stock up on tomatoes, pasta, and cheese. The only thing I would change is to stay 2 weeks next time. All in all, this place was nearly perfect. The house was clean, cozy and plenty big enough for everyone. The grounds were immaculately maintained. The area was idyllic - you can look across to the closest neighbors on the surrounding hills and see Citta Della Pieve in the distance. Honestly couldn't have asked for more. I would recommend to any groups heading to Tuscany/Umbria and will hopefully be back soon!