Regina Alta

Regina Alta is amazing place to get-away with friends and family. I chose the property for the number of bedrooms, bathrooms and most importantly the unbelievable pool. The location was perfect for settling in for a 3 week visit. The town of Monsummano Terme, which is where the house is located (very close to Montecatini) was charming, with many great places to eat. We shopped at the weekly market, impressive in size and fresh produce offerings. Pizza and pasta are not to be missed at Sotta Grotta (ate there 4 times) and if you want meat, go to Il Mailletto (ate there 2 times). They also have yummy Pappa al Pomodoro (tomato bread soup) and Riboletta (vegetable bread soup). Just 1 km from the villa, up another steep hill in Monsummano Alto is La Foresteria, another great restaurant with beautiful views of Montecatini Terme (ate there 3 times). Fried Polenta bits were ordered every time! The main town of Montecatini Terme, is about a 10 minute drive from the villa. It's a large city with plenty of restaurants, high end shopping and a Funicular that takes you to the top of Montecatini Alto. Osteria di Poneta was another favorite restaurant in Montecatini Terme. Lucca was a 30 minute drive away and Florence was about 45 minutes. We also visited 2 wine regions: Monte Carlo (15 minute drive) and Bolgheri (75 minute drive). Both great wine regions to try if you've already been to the Chianti region. Special tours I found were in Lucca. A 5 hour market tour and cooking class with chef Giuseppe Mazzocchi from Extra Virgin Cooking was so much fun. We cooked, ate and got to take home the recipes. Lucca Bread Kitchen taught my husband and I how to bake olive bread, Grissini and Focaccia. Upon arrival to Regina Alta, my husband and I met the owners, Anne and Alessandro. They were warm and friendly and took us on a tour of the entire property. The place was exactly as the pictures on the Italy Perfect web site. The bedrooms were spacious and all the beds comfortable. There are shutters on all the windows to keep out the heat, but they were all screened in as well and let in a ton of fresh air.I was surprised to find an American sized washer and separate dryer. I was expecting a European washer/dryer all in one. It was a great bonus for us and all of our guests that were passing through. The kitchen, while large, is not quite set up for guests who like to cook. The stove was large and professional - make sure you ask how to use it and get specifics. My husband and I love to cook, but still had problems getting the oven lit and getting the oven fan to shut off. Counter tops for prepping don't exist, but we used the large kitchen table instead. All the small appliances sit in one corner of the kitchen with the dish washer. So in the morning when you want to make coffee, toast bread, use the microwave, grab the salt, sugar, etc while emptying the dishwasher there was a bit of a traffic jam. Nothing really can be done to change this arrangement, so you enjoy the quirkiness that is part of the villa experience. Also, if you like to cook, I suggest bringing your own chef knife and maybe a paring knife or 2. The owners purchased a knife set that was fine, but all the other knives that were in the house we old, dull and stored in what we labeled the junk drawer that housed anything and every utensil you would need in a kitchen. My husband also makes homemade pasta and when we asked about a rolling pin, the owners happily retrieved it from the other property (regina bella) next door. Maybe guests don't make homemade pasta, but each property should have their own rolling pin. There is a charcoal grill which we used often and most meals were eaten outside, in front of the house, where there was a large picnic table and the best sunsets. If you are with large groups, I recommend hiring the catering service/chef to come in and cook for your group. Ars Libandi was the name and they are directly connected to the owners. They have plenty of menus. We asked for a few substitutions and they were flexible. Plenty of left overs for other meals. If you are going to pay for the chef, spend a bit extra for the serving and clean up. You'll feel like royalty. The weather during our stay was perfect, but one of our chef meals was inside at the majestic dining room table. With the windows open, it was another lovely space for a special dinner. Now on to the pool - the main attraction of this property. It's not only the pool, but the vistas and places to sit and enjoy the scenery. Umbrella table outside seats 8 and there are plenty of chairs and lounges for your guests. I figured out how far it was to swim a mile (100 laps) and started or ended most days with a private swim. When I wasn't swimming for exercise, there were enough rafts and tubes to float around with your guests. While you have neighbors on both sides of the property, the grounds are very private. While touring was fine, the main focus of this vacation was living and entertaining in an Italian villa - which is what I did for 75% of this trip. This property was my dream come true. I am so happy I found Italy Perfect when planning my big 50 birthday celebration. Don't wait to book Regina Alta if it's your dream! I reserved my 3 week stay, 1 1/2 years in advance and I had to adjust by trip by one week due to another reservations that beat me to it. Pat, one of the 2 owners of Italy Perfect was always available to me via email or phone. Someone always got back to me quickly. They answered all my questions and when they didn't have the answers, they spoke to the owners and got them. Working with Italy Perfect gave me piece of mind so I could have a relaxing vacation. There were really no surprises when I arrived. [Thank you so much Carol, we are delighted you enjoyed your stay! The Italy Perfect Team]

If you're looking for a luxurious, elegant and very comfortable villa on a hillside in Tuscany with magnificent views, centrally located with a huge pool overlooking the valley, then Regina Alta is for you! This estate is truly magnificent, a wonderful home to entertain and relax in. The photos on the Italy Perfect website will show you exactly how it looks. The furnishings and architecture are marvelous. I've stayed in a number of Italy Perfect offerings over the years and this one lives up to their excellent standards. It's located within easy driving times to many outstanding locales, (Lucca is nearby), including the charming hillside village Montecatini Alto only 10 minutes away (take the funicular up to the top). Its a perfect base from which to explore the region....although you may be tempted to simply stay at the villa with a glass of wine by the pool soaking in the gorgeous views. 5 Stars!!!

Spent a fantastic fall vacation at Regina Alta with a couple of girlfriends. Wonderful stay, loved the location and hospitality of the greeter. Lisa at Italy Perfect was super helpful and informative during the reservation process.

My friends and I enjoyed a really great stay at Regina Alta in November. The views were magnificent and the location was great for exploring the region. We enjoyed a day in Lucca, an afternoon exploring all the Montecatini has to offer including lunch at in the quaint village of Montecatini Alto - fantastic views. The villa is large and comfortable.

Bella Regina Alta! Thank you Italy Perfect for recommending this villa. It worked out so well for our group (4 girlfriends of "a certain age"). It was an easy drive from the Florence airport and we were so delighted with the location, scenery, views and exploring the local region. Enjoyed long leisurely evenings out on the veranda with wine, cheese, talking & laughing. Great times!

We took our grown children and significant others to enjoy Tuscany in the Autumn. Actually, it was more like summer although the grape harvest had begun. We enjoyed the pool, noodling around the countryside and even went into Florence for a day. We hired the chefs for a very nice dinner! Don't hesitate.