Villa Guest book
Gorgeous estate in the tuscan hills
Thank you for allowing our unruly family to spend an absolutely marvelous get-together in this gorgeous estate in the Tuscan hills. Unforgettable!
A special thanks to Donatella and her team for making everything perfect and comfortable - and for a smashing pizza party on the Wednesday. They organised, cooked, served and cleaned everything with wonderful smiles and friendly jokes. We will be back!
SEPTEMBER 2024 - Horst family Germany
What an exciting, happy & eventful week we have all had here.
Dear Everyone,
what an exciting, happy & eventful week we have all had here.
Wonderful organisation, beautiful friends and family and unbelievable celebrations of Naomi & Chrigle's commitment ceremony.
Thank you for having me. I have absolutely loved my time here.
Until next time....love & best wishes
SEPTEMBER 2024 - LYNNEEE Australia
It was all so perfect!!
We celebrated our wedding blessing here, as this place means so much to us and we have lots of precious memories here. It was truly a magical weekend.
Thank you Donatella for the "pizza party", everybody loved it...💜
Thank you to all our family and friends for all the help 💜💜💜
AND Lynne 💜💜💜 that came all the way from ALASKA!!
It was all so perfect!
much love
SEPTEMBER 2024 - NAOMI & CHRISTIAN CH
We left a wonderful place but we bring back home marvelous moments!
We have spent a wonderful week in La Pianella estate.
We leave plenty of excellent "rememberances"
Silvia, Mers and Zaira training very early at the swimming pool.
Geri & Carlos giving master classes at the tennis court.
Paul playing incredibly the piano in the evening.
Carlos & Josk playing chess like professional players!
ALbert and Alex climbing in the forest and reaching a restaurant (up, up, up from the hosue)
myself (Jordi) helping in the kitchen as the \\"Grand chef\\"....and most of the times not in the kitchen.
...and Lia playing around with Massy....who enjoyed being the center of attention of the family!
But there are many more moments....Volley in the swimming pool and games at night (laughing a lot!) eating sunflower seeds and sharing lovely meals outdoors prepared by Donatella and Sonia, who treated us extremely well!! We left a wonderful place but we bring back home marvelous moments! Arriverdeci!! Va Bene! A presto! ciao!
AUGUST 2024 - Garcia family Spain
A truly memorable week....
What a wonderful family home, perfect for a clan gathering...
my favourite parts....
the views
the pool
pizza party. such fun
lunch upon arrival
tennis matches
Dona & Sonia wonderful hosts.
A truly memorable week. I can't put into words how supportive Donatella has been.
lots of love....
AUGUST 2024 - Todd family GB
What a wonderful two weeks....
What a wonderful two weeks we've had - a perfect spot for a family getaway & friend get together!
Donatella, Nadia & Sonia took such good care of us. We had excellent meals, enjoyed touring the surrounding towns of Tuscany and staring at the breath-taking views. Our rooms were lovely.
Donatella was so helpful to us all - arranging transportation, problem solving and giving excellent recommendations. We all enjoyed ourselves immensely! Many, many thanks...
JULY 2024 - Clarke clan UK
What a wonderful 2 weeks we\'ve had!
A perfect spot for a family get-away & friend get-together!
Donatella, Nadia & Sonia took such good care of us. We had excellent meals, enjoyed touring the surrounding towns of Tuscany and staring at the breath-taking views. Our rooms were lovely. Donatella was so helpful to us all - arranging transportation, problem solving and giving excellent recommendations. We all enjoyed ourselves immensely.
Many many thanks
JULY 2024 - Clarke family GB
What a wonderful stay in the most beautiful setting here at \"la pianella\"
Balmy evenings and wonderful company and AMAZING scenery.
Donatella was so helpful as usual and nothing was too much for her!
The pizza party absolutely fantastico!!!
A week is never enough....
JUNE 2024 - Lawrence Smith
A beautiful tranquil place in italy!
La Pianella
A beautiful tranquil place in Italy!
Thank you for a lovely week among friends. We enjoyed the fabulous foods & company during the past week.
Some tears of joy & appreciation shed as well, due to the lovely present Matt gave Ed & the live music on pizza party night!
With love to you all....
JUNE 2024 - Freya & Edward NL
Beautiful days at la pianella
Beautiful days at La Pianella...pool, tennis, pizza oven, BBQ...just the perfect place for our family come-together. Many thanks 0of course to Donatella for looking after us.
We had a wonderful time - 19 (including baby) members of our family. The children appreciated the pool, the tennis court and the table tennis.
Donatella helped us with all our problems, thank you...
May 2024 - Merhart Family (Germany)
What a fabulous, adventurous week we had at la pianella!!
Donatella your dinners were out of this world. The welcome dinner by Sonia my special, magical birthday dinner of wild boar and the fun and absolutely delicious pizza dinner/party made our experience one to always remember. Thank you for everything!
October 2023 - Sherwin group (USA)
We had a fabulous time here at la pianella!
Grazie Molto tutto Donatella! We had a fabulous time here at La Pianella!
Thanks you so much for howing us your delicious recipies. Thanks to Sonia for her welcome night dinner. Everything was fabulous!
October 2023 - Sherwin family (USA)
It is a very beautiful and serene place
We had up to 17 people here and had the most amazing time! It is a very beautiful and serene place for a holiday with other families and the kids.
The people here are very warm and friendly. The owner was terrific to deal with including when we had to postpone due to covid.
And we can not praise Donatella and Sonia enough; lovely people who made beautiful dinners for us and attended to every request we had. An amazing place that we would love to return to!
September 2023 - Maxwell-Neal (Australia)
Wonderful holiday with great friends in a perfect setting
We had a wonderful time in La Pianella, made it extra special by Donatella's attention and delicious food. Jenny & Paul
Wonderful holiday with great friends in a perfect setting and looked after so well by Donatella, many thanks! Mark & Katie
What a lovely holiday in a fabulous Tuscan villa. Donatella is such a joy and made our hols even more enjoyable by her cooking! Gill
AUGUST 2023 - Taunton family GB
It is the most beautiful and special place...
(we) Had the MOST wonderful time at La Pianella - it is the most beautiful and special place. We loved it! Thank you so much for all the fabulous food we had & especially the joint birthday celebrations for us on Firday night - so memoroable. We'll never forget it! We would also love to have a wedding at La Pianella - it would be so perfect! So would be good to discuss some plans. Take care & ciao for now!
August 2023 - Jemma & Tom (GB)
La pianella showed all the beauty of italy
La Pianella showed all the beauty of Italy and it's hilltop location. We completely enjoyed our time, our stay and especially our meals prepared by Donatella...
It was a wonderful week. Lucca will be talking about his pizza making skills for a long time!
JULY 2023 - Cleveland group (USA)
A wonderful experience...perfect
A wonderful experience...perfect!
Thank you so much for the amazing property and wonderful hospitality.
JULY 2023 - Cleveland group (USA)
La pianella exceeded expectations
Hard to summarize how our week at La Pianella exceeded expectations, from the beauty of the home and to how well it fit for our large family, the meals enjoyed on both terraces, the fun in the pool and tennis court, and maybe best of all the Pizza party with Donatella and a meal she prepared for us later in the week. We were even greeted by the property owner and given some history on the estate and the life that has been documented in a work of fiction by former UK political figures. The steep road up to the estate is no joke, and we had two large 8 passenger vans. So confident drivers or arranged transport is a big help. But it is well worth the adventure and once you are there, you'll find little reason to leave.
JULY 2023 - Charlotte USA
Thank you for a wonderful stay!
Thank you for a wonderful stay!
Donatella was a responsible, caring and attentive hostess. Her cooking skills are amazing....booking her and Sonja for an authentic Italian diner was a really good decision.
We will keep these holidays in good memory and will think about the good times we shared in this very house.
JULY 2023 - Maag CH
Magical....
Magical university friends reunion with families La Pianella was absolutely wonderful. We had late night swimming,pizza night and lots of laughter. Thank you to wonderful Dona as well!!
JULY 2023 - Sasha & friends (GB)
This has been one of our best vacations...
This has been one of our best vacations...
Donatella is the most amazing, she is always happy and willing an help(ful).
I appreciate all she did to help me pull off a beautiful party for our friends and family. I will never forget her or this place. Thank you.... ❤️ Sarine
JUNE 2023 - Martini family (GB & I)
My favorite vacation ever.
My favorite vacation ever. I love this house and now it holds so many memories.
I will miss Donatella - she has been such an amazing helper and person!!
Thank you - Gianna ❤️
JUNE 2023 - Martini family (GB & I)
La pianella is magical!
We recently spent a week at La Pianella, courtesy of a very good friend. La Pianella is magical! It is gorgeous and well appointed. There was also room for everyone (eight in the main house and four in the farm house), to gather inside or outside (in the garden or at the pool or the tennis court), but also many private spaces for those who wanted a bit of solitude. We were lucky enough to eat dinner al fresco on the terrace in the beautiful garden almost every evening. Many of these evenings were made even more special by the culinary talents of the extraordinarily knowledgeable and helpful house manager and chef, Donatella, who is wonderful! In addition to the delicious pizzas she created in the wood fired pizza oven, one evening we asked Donatella to prepare a special meal for our host, and it was spectacular! From the many appetizers (including caprese salad, shrimp with tomatoes, artichokes en croute, marinated mushrooms, and scallops in little scallop shells), to the most delicious vegetable lasagna and tiramisu we have ever tasted. Thank you again Donatella! La Pianella is conveniently located about ten minutes from a great supermarket, fifteen to twenty minutes from Lucca, and not very far from Forte dei Marmi. Yes, the last "mile" or so drive up to La Pianella is a little challenging (especially in a full size car), but it would definitely not keep us from visiting again and again
JUNE 2023 - Zoberman family (USA)
Had an amazing time....thank you for a lifelong memory
Had an amazing time. This is a wonderful place to relax and bond with family. Donatella made us all feel at home. Thank you for a lifelong memory.
October 2022 - Fornach family
I had a wonderful time...
Thank you for your help and teaching me your way of making pizza.
I had a wonderful time and it was my pleasure meeting you Donatella.
October 2022 - Charles senior USA
We all had an amazing time-la pianella has proven to be a perfect place
Thank you so much for everything!
We all had an amazing time and really enjoyed our stay. La Pianella has proven to be a perfect place to bond and to spend quality time with our family. Donatella was an amazing asset as well, with her amazing cooking and piano playing abilities, we can not thank you enough! with love
October 2022 - Buscarino family USA
Vielen tausend dank....a thousad thank yous...
a thousand thanks for this wonderful place, it was a week full of friends, emotions relaxation, fine meals and drinks, many laughs, dancing, discussions and enjoyment!
May 2022 - Regi and guests CH
A week full of magic & happiness ....grÜnhof - workcation!!!
Sitting at night under the starry sky, after a week full of MAGIC & HAPPINESS.
We already miss:
-Aperol at the pool
-dancing with the fireflies
-sweating on the tennis court
-eating Italian soul food outside with a big family
-dancing naked in the sprinkler system
-Pizza with WURSTEL
-smoking a hookah at midnight
-cleaning the dishes while dancing to techno music
We will come back for sure!
❤️ ❤️ ❤️
MAY 2022 - Grünhof crew Germany
Already thinking about when we will come again.....
The villa is gorgeous and very beautifully and exclusively located in the mountains. We were a group of friends and especially made use of the great pool, the tennis facilities (very well maintained!) and the garden. The villa is very well equipped and has enough space for so many people. The communication with Donatella was just great - just like her pizza evening! We had a fantastic 7 days and are already thinking about when we will come again. Grazie a tutti!
August 2021 - Alf & family (Germany)
Beautiful tuscan paradise
Thank you for a lovely week in this beautiful Tuscan paradise.
And a special thank you to our amazing hostess, Donatella.
She has taken such good care of us all and we have enjoyed her cooking and smiles 😊
JULY 2021 - Joachim & company (Denmark)
Grazie mille!
GRAZIE MILLE ❤️
Amaaaaazing holidays with the best !!!
GRAZIE @ Donatella, everything was perfect!!
DOLCE VITAAA a L'Italienne ❤️
Beautiful house,
beautiful host,
best food, thanks for everything!
June 2021 - Schutz & friends (Swiss)
Amazing villa with pool & tennis court 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
We had an amazing stay in this beautiful house surrounded by trees and vegetation. The surroundings are very calm. Everything works fine and if there's a problem, Donatella is always available for you, with a smile. By the way, she did an excellent dinner for us. The pool and the tennis court are just perfect to enjoy the Italian sun. My friends and I really recommend this beautiful house and many thanks to Donatella and Clare for the hospitality.
JUNE 2021 - Richard & friends (CH)
5 star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The accommodation is very nicely located and has enough space, both inside and outside, to spend a nice holiday with a large group.
June 2021 - Bindel and family (Germany)
Thank you for this amazing playground la pianella
Lots of drinks ✅
Donatella's delicious food ✅
Merciless tennis matches ✅
Adventurous horseback riding ✅
ice-cold swimming ✅
Happy friends ✅
+ beer + beer + beer + wine + aperol ✅
Thank you for this amazing playground La Pianella!!
May 2021 - Felix & friends (Germany)
Happy place
La Pianella Estate is nestled high in the Tuscan Hills. The Villa is stunning and can accommodate a large group (18) whilst providing so much space that you feel that you each have your own uninterrupted little piece of heaven. The farmhouse is slightly smaller and perfect for a much smaller group (8) or couple of families. Both properties have their own salt water swimming pools and with the beautifu I gardens, tennis court and breathtaking views you feel that you never want to leave. The owner Clare has made sure that every possible need is catered for and the recent renovations are beautifully finished and now caters for wheelchair access. Donatella the manager is so helpful. I have been returning here to holiday for several years now with a group of friends and it has not only become a home from home but is my "Happy Place".
5 Stars
August 2019 - Sarah Howard Smith
Can not be bettered…
What an idyllic setting for our son’s 40th amongst great friends and family. Outstanding pool and wonderfully peaceful. Lovely to meet Donatella & Mary Ann. What marvellous hosts! Can not be bettered…
So sad to be leaving.
August 2019 - Dorlings (GB)
Yet another amazing holiday at la pianella!
Many memories made and laughs had. See you again next year!
August 2019 - Antill & friends (GB)
Yet another amazing holiday at la pianella!
Many memories made and laughs had. See you again next year!
August 2019 - Antill & friends (GB)
A totally wonderful stay at la pianella!
Can highly recommend “A beautiful day” beauty treatment for the best massage and facial ever! A big thank you to Clare & team for making our sty so perfect!
July 2019 - David & Viv (GB)
Friendship, laughter & so much joy...
There are insufficient words to describe the joy that La Pianella brings time after time... friendship, laughter & so much joy...
A spectacular view and of course „MY POOL!“ 😀
July 2019 - Sarah (GB)
Perfect place to relax in a beautiful tuscan setting….
An amazing place to celebrate my 60th birthday surrounded by family & friends. La Pianella was a very special. We have created a whole new set of memories with our extended family. A magical place in the perfect setting. Cooking the local produce and Tuscan wines in this beautiful setting.
A spectacular setting was just perfect for a relaxing holiday in beautiful place!
Perfect place to relax in a beautiful Tuscan setting….
June 2019 - Family Windrim (Canada/USA/Ireland)
Villa review
My children surprised us on our 50th wedding anniversary & 70th birthdays with a week at the villa! The 9 of us, the Millers, the Balls and the Slotninkshad a great week here, very spacious, amazing, surreal views, wonderful pool & tennis court. Donatella made us first a traditional Italian meal of two kinds of lasagne and then another night she made pizza after pizza in the pizza oven right outside. We spent many days in the sun on the comfortable loungers. Many trips to Lucca wandering the lovely narrow streets and open piazzas.
May 2019 - Family Bayler
Thank you for such an incredible week.
Such an amazing villa here in Pianella. The food is incredible thanks to Donatella and her amazing group of people. The tennis court was used daily and the pool was a lovely cool down. We have had such an amazing time here and hope to spend many more weeks here in the future!!!
Thank you for such an INCREDIBLE week.
August 2018 - Milne family (GB)
All 14 of us had a fantastic time.
All 14 of us had a fantastic time, the 3 grand-sons and 3 grand-daughters think the pool is the best ever, the tennis court is also in great demand. Donatella and Fabrizio cooked wonderful meals for us, and we had lovely trips in to Lucca for dinners, as well as shopping trips for the “girls”.
August 2018 - More Milnes (GB)
Thank you for helping us create memories to keep for ever…
Having enjoyed an incredible two holidays here over 20 years ago, celebrating m mother & father’s 50th birthdays. I have been blown away yet again by this magical place being able to share it with the whole family on my mother’s 70th birthday!
Thank you for helping us create memories to keep for ever…
August 2018 - Hayrock family (GB)
Fantastic week in la pianella villa
We had a fantastic time in La Pianella Villa. We were 14 people in total (2 kids) and there was plenty of room for us. We enjoyed the fantastic pool, table tennis, tennis court and beautiful surroundings. The house is gorgeous and the whole place is very quiet. It was a challenge for one of our family's to drive up the steep road with a caravan car but when they arrived it was plenty of space to park it. The weather was great and it was good that all rooms had fans since it was quite warm. The large bedroom with 4 beds upstairs, over the kitchen, would need an air conditioning though.
I really recommend this beautiful house and many thanks to Donatella and Clare for your hospitality.
July 2018 - Katarina from Stockholm
We hope to have the opportunity to come back!
Thank you for a perfect week in the amazing villa. We have enjoyed the house, tennis court, swimming pool & beautiful surrounds. We hope to have the opportunity to come back!
July 2018 - Asberg family (Sweden)
5* outstanding private location
Situated in secluded hills with a private gate this traditional property made us feel like we were living the dream. We were a group of three families and enjoyed a relaxing time using the pool and the tennis court every day. The local food shops are within easy reach for self-catering and we enjoyed a couple of trips to Lucca for some excellent dining out in the historic town. I can’t recommend this property highly enough. We all love it and hope to return soon.
September 2016 - David (UK)
Gorgeous villa
We were part of a large group who had rented both the villa and the adjacent farmhouse. The location is absolutely gorgeous, with amazing views out over the valley.
Both houses were incredibly well looked after, very well equipped, bedrooms were made up beautifully and both houses were very clean, neat and tidy. Donatella, who looks after the houses for the owner, was incredibly helpful and attentive, and absolute delight to be dealing with.
We didn't need it during our stay, but you can arrange for her to come up and cook!
I couldn't recommend this place highly enough!
August 2016 - Wedding guests
Beautiful villa with amazing views, swimming pool, tennis court and gardens.
We stayed for a week in August 2016. I cannot recommend this villa highly enough. It sleeps 18 people with en-suite bathrooms for each of the individually designed bedrooms. There is a lovely communal kitchen with a separate large dining and living rooms. All tastefully and immaculately presented and oozes charachter throughout. Outside there are fantastic terrace areas with plenty of space for external dining and sunbathing and a large pool and tennis court. There a lovely walks from the villa and plenty of beautiful villages and towns to visit within a short drive. The villa is well furnished and offers barbeque and paella facilities with no shortage of kitchen and dining equipment. I have stayed in similar properties and would recommend this property over many of them.
August 2016 - Ramblers (GB)
Enjoyed a restful, luxurious and restorative fortnight at this delightful property
THANK YOU!
Our 18 strong family, aged from nearly 2 to 81, have enjoyed a restful, luxurious and restorative fortnight at this delightful property. We greatly appreciated the careful thought which had gone into all aspects of our stay.
We all loved the peacefulness, the amazing views that changed so much with the light, the ciccades and the olive trees and the flowers. The lizards delighted the smaller children and the bats intrigued them.
The swimming pool was a great source of fun and for some, genuine exercise! The tennis court was also hardly out of use, despite the heat.
Most of all we loved the insurpassable, charming and ever-willing Donatella, who cooked us some truly wonderful meals (including pizzas of course!) and hugely enhanced our most memorable stay at
La Pianella.
Thank you so much....
JULY 2016 - Arabella and family GB
It's the absolute perfect place for a large gathering of people
Hello Clare,
We're just home after the most fabulous three weeks in Lucca. The party was a huge success and the location was just glorious. It's the absolute perfect place for a large gathering of people.
I thought I might try and write an article about it for a newspaper as there must be hundreds of people out there looking for the perfect venue for other such gatherings. The combination of the Farmhouse (which is just to die for by the way) and the Villa works so well. For the main party we had drinks down at the F pool and then wandered up to the Villa where we had the long table covered in candles. It looked spectacular and Donatella is a genius. She just takes on board immediately what you want and then produces it without any fuss. She's lovely and I think the women were equally as smitten as the men!
Andrea also proved invaluable in his various roles.
We managed to get 45 of our good friends there for what was a very memorable occasion and it now seems very sad that we've left them and Pianella all behind..
Thank you to you for what was a really fabulous two weeks there.
We're hugely envious that you're able to pop over there so frequently and absorb all that beauty and serenity.
Much love and a big thank you for making such a special place available to us.
Margaret xx
AUGUST 2015 - Margaret (GB)
Loved every moment....
some of the words used to describe La Pianella in the last week. Beautiful, sumptuous, lush, amazing,stunning, wonderful, magical, peaceful, glorious! Having just had our wedding here we have experienced one of the most amazing times of our lives, but so has everyone of our guests. This is a home first & business second and the people who stay here enrich it every time leaving a small trace of their pure delight. We have loved every moment and are sad to leave, but we leave with some of the best memories of our lives...thank you
September 2014 - Bev & Mike - Wedding (UK)
A lasting memory of a perfect holiday with family
For a family reunion we have stayed at villa La Pianella with 12 adults and 6 children. La Pianella is perfect for this occasion. It breathes a very welcome and relaxing atmosphere for everyone. The kitchen is excellent and very complete! Spacious and clean are the bedrooms and most of them have their own bathroom. Even the cut-flowers in the house are refreshed during the week. The garden and tennis court surroundings are very beautiful i.e. the wisteria in the tree and the wild flowers on the hill. For some of our family the first ride to the villa by car/camper was a thrill. The villa and facilities were the reason we’ve spent most of our holiday in and round the house. The tennis court was used intensively. We did go to Pisa via back roads and to Lucca for some culture and shopping. At Pasticceria Dolcevita we have bought delicious birthday cakes. At the villa we enjoyed most of our meals. The homemade pizza but also the dinner Donnatella prepared for us. She’s stunning indeed! We would love to come back to the villa for another reunion! Thank you very much Clare and Mary-Ann for giving us good care and memories.
August 2014 - Sturkenboom (Netherlands)
Idyllic tuscany
“IDYLLIC TUSCANY”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed July 15, 2014 for a stay in July 2014
We were a large family group of 16 celebrating some big birthdays. A big mixture of ages - 5 months to 70!
A great rustic property high in the valley with spectacular views. The property suited us perfectly. Masses of space with bathrooms for everyone. Don't expect contemporary chic, this is a rustic farmhouse type style which felt cosy and comfortable..
We LOVED the tennis court, big pool - even further up the valley so lots of steps to get there...but the views..... table tennis - we were kept very busy.
BEST OF ALL WAS PROBABLY THE WONDERFUL DONATELLA who came in to cook for us and babysit on quite a few occasions. Eating out on the Terrace with everything prepared and cleared away - some great family evenings with lots of noise and no-one to disturb!
Easy journey from Pisa - just over an hour to Florence. Great taxi service from Andrea whenever we needed him. We should have spent more time in the lovely walled city of Lucca
English speaking Doctor - we went to his surgery in Lucca with a couple of hours notice as one party member had left all his medications behind - we were charged 69CENTS!!!! Take your European health card! Be ready for the final windy road to the house - first time is a bit of a surprise but when you get there.....WOW!
Very friendly, helpful pro-active owners- THANK YOU FOR A VERY HAPPY MEMORABLE STAY.
JULY 2014 - DIANA
Beautiful villa & amazing extended family holiday
We would highly recommend the beautiful La Pianella Villa. Our extended family (6 adults, 8 children ages 6 - 14) spent a wonderful week at the Villa this summer. The Villa and surrounding grounds were exceptionally clean and well maintained. The grounds around the Villa were filled with beautiful plants and flowers. The location provided beautiful views of the surrounding areas. There were many activities at the Villa to keep everyone happy, between the pool, tennis courts, ping pong table and several beautiful patios (also TV and books inside). We had to force ourselves to leave the Villa during the week for a few lovely day trips. Luca, Pisa, Florence and beautiful beaches were all easily accessible for day trips. Clare and Mary-Ann were wonderful in helping us arrange our visit and answering any questions we had. They checked in on us during our stay to make sure everything was going well. There was also a lots of helpful information at the Villa regarding grocery stores, pharmacies, restaurants and local attractions. They even provided a number for an English speaking doctor, which we needed during our stay. A highlight of our visit was the wonderful cooking provided by Donatella and her daughter Sonia. We cannot say enough kind words about their wonderful cooking and kindness to our family! Thank you very much to Clare and Mary-Ann for sharing their beautiful Villa with our family. And many thanks to Donatella and Sonia for sharing their wonderful food. We travel with our extended family every summer, but I don't think we will ever top our amazing week at La Pianella!
JUNE 2014 - Brewer (UK)
Thank you for a perfect holiday!
What a beautiful house, we had a really good time! Thank you for a perfect holiday!
AUGUST 2013 - Dan & kids
We did not feel the need to explore tuscany any further...this is it!
The house is a truly enchanted place. Lovely rooms, beautiful garden, in a superb environment.
Pizza with Donatella & Sonia was great fun (and yummy!)
We did not feel the need to explore Tuscany any further...this is it!
This place has everything.
August 2013 - Sylvia with family & friends
Altogether a delightful holiday with my family in superb surroundings
What a delightful place. It accommodated my entire family - all 17 of us from 1 yr. old to 75!! The children were intrigued by all the wild life - lizards, scorpions, bats etc...
The pool & tennis court were in constant use. Ball hunting was a popular game with the children after a game! We counted 116 steps to the pool!
Kept us all fit! Perfect weather, good walks, on small tracks. Accompanied by the constant accompaniment of the crickets and in the evening when we dined, it was the cicadas. Donatella was the perfect chef together with her assistants Sonia & Mattina.
We made full use of the pizza oven one day. Altogether a delightful holiday with my family in superb surroundings.
August 2013 - Phil and family
Lovely weeks stay....
Lovely weeks stay, despite very angry thunderstorm on the first night & the 160 odd steps to the pool!
Ate far too much - would recommend Gina's 5 mins. away and restaurant LEO in Lucca.
Forte di Marmi market on Weds. was great for beautiful cashmere & handbags - but go early!
AUGUST 2013 - the "Green" family
The pool and area around it are spectacular!
Dear Clare
We had a super time in La Pianella! There were 14 of us for the week, which essentially was my husbands mum and dad, 2 brothers, sisters in law and kids. My sister and 3 of her kids joined us for 2 nights so we had a full compliment of 18 those days! We all absolutely loved the house. The space was fantastic and worked really well for us. The fact that the bedrooms were located in different areas around the house was also ideal and we were able to allocate them really suitably between families/little kids/bigger kids etc which worked well for bedtimes/noise etc. Thanks so much for the room plan you provided in advance and apologies for all the trouble your friend went to do it, but it turned out to be invaluable as we had a much better sense of layout and could plan the room allocations much better before we got there and avert any difficulties!
The pool and area around it are spectacular! We were all stunned by its size and really loved it and spent most of our time up there. While the steps up were possibly initially a bit daunting we all got very good at them and even granny, grandad and all the kids were fine on them (bar the baby and the hill was a bit of a struggle with the pram but we managed!).
We had Donatella and Sonia come in 4 of the evenings which was fantastic. They are both so lovely and a pleasure to be around. It was lovely also to experience real local cuisine and such a treat to essentially be waited on and not have to do the wash-up afterwards! The other nights we cooked (once!), BBQ'd and did the pizza thing (which was great fun but we will never get jobs in pizzerias!).
Tina and Enzo were also both lovely and looked after the house, gardens and pool very well.
We had great fun with the tennis and ping pong and ran a few challenges which kept us entertaining before dinner most evenings!
All in all we had a super time and one which will be remembered for many years to come.
Many thanks
Anna and family
JULY 2013 - Anna & family
We had a wonderful time
We just want to let you know that we had a wonderful time at the Villa. Lots of space for all of us and so central for exploring the area. It is a lovely place.
Thank you for arranging Donatella for us. She cooked delicious Tuscan meals for us and also invited us to her home and to friends. What a gem! Donatella and Sonia really enhanced our stay and expanded our Italian experience...The Best
October 2012 - Carolyn and Pete
La pianella is a truly magical place
"La pianella is a truly magical place, perfect for experiencing the Italian way of life. We stayed for a week in September 2011 to celebrate our marriage with close family and friends, in what was the most amazing time of our lives. The villa is perfect for large groups of able bodied adults and small children. There were 18 of us, aged between 1 and 68 years old, yet the house never felt crowded. The pool area is great, plenty of space in and out of the water for all the group and THE most wonderful views over beautiful Tuscan countryside. At night we would sit around the long table on the terrace while the children played on the lawn, enjoying delicious food made with fresh local ingredients and, of course, sampling the beautiful local wine. On our wedding day, we had an extra 16 guests that were easily accommodated on the huge terrace. The caterers' at our reception utilised the pizza oven and I can safely say that we ate the best pizza any of us had ever tasted! We feel truly fortunate to have come across this precious gem in the middle of the Tuscan countryside as no other place would have given us such magnificent memories against a breathtaking backdrop. Prior to, and during, our stay the owner and key holder could not have been more hospitable. We took a huge leap of faith in booking the villa for our wedding day having not viewed the property in person. They answered any queries we had really quickly and could not have done enough to help. We cannot wait to return"
September 2011 - Helen and Scott, Cumbria, UK.
No words can describe the pianella experience!!!!
We would like to say “thank you” for the wonderful stay at the villa Pianella from 23 – 30 July. We and our 3 children + partners + 6 grandchildren had a wonderful time at the villa.
There are hardly any words to describe the “Pianella experience”.
We all enjoyed swimming in the swimming pool with the most stunning view of Tuscany. It was very convenient that we could stock our drinks in the fridge there.
We played many family tournaments at the tennis court, even the smallest children wanted to particpiate in them.
The kitchen is everything a good cook could wish for. There are some good cooks in our family and we enjoyed cooking the most delicious meals. The grandchildren had much fun helping to make pizzas.
The villa is beautifully situated on the mountain, and we all remember the evenings with the sun setting, while we were having our dinner.
We regretted that we could not stay longer, and we highly recommend your house.
July 2011 - Dols family Netherlands
Everything we imagined and more...
We just wanted to say thank you so much for everything. We have been back from La Pianella for a few days and already miss it so much. We had such an amazing time and could not be happier with our experience. Katinka was wonderful and very helpful. She set us up with a great winery tour and places to eat dinner near by. The catering company you suggest were also great. We feel so fortunate that we found your villa online because it was everything we imagined and more. When we return to Lucca, which we plan on doing, we would not want to stay anywhere else. Thank you so much again, and best wishes for everything in the future!
June 2011 - Lindsey and Mark
Taste tuscany
"We stayed here with five families in the summer of 2010. What a great location! A great pool, the best tennis I've ever seen and a nice cozy house. Together with our friends we have the vacation of our life . Our children (between 8 and 12 years) enjoyed themselves greatly with table tennis, badminton, tennis and a swimming pool. There is a pool-house with a refrigerator so you do not need to go to the house as well equipped. In the kitchen, everything is great for cooking. We have real food lovers and we left nothing to short. The villa is located on a fifteen minutes from Lucca so that's nice and close for a day of sniffing culture. All in all a lovely villa a great location"
August 2010 - Don Corleone Veghel, The Netherlands
More stunning than any photo can do justice!
This is the ideal gettaway from a busy life! My second visit to the house, that should say it all but here goes; The web-site understates this amazing location, the view from my bedroom window looked across the valley and was simply breathtaking. The descriptions used on the web are accurate but cannot describe the wonderful ambiance and the 'feeling of home' that you have just as soon as you get there. Beautifully maintained and 'Swiss' clean! I cannot recommend this highly enough. You'll love the pool, ideal for a dip or if you are feeling sporty it is large enough for laps, not forgetting the tennis court or even the table variety (the table has been added since my first visit). I cannot wait to visit again in 2011. Thank you for allowing us to visit your very special home.
July 2010 - Kayto Aberdeen
Beautiful la pianella
I had a wonderful stay here at La Pianella. Within an hour of arriving I had left my London worries behind me and I was sat relaxing on the terrace of this fabulous villa, with a gin and tonic in hand!
Every morning I would climb the 99 steps up to the inviting pool, and in the early evening I would play a vigorous game of tennis - I have never played on a court in such a stunning location. The court is nestled into the hillside, and I am told that in the spring the colourful wisteria hangs from the trees and hugs the court.
Day trips in to Lucca are a must. It has so much history to devour and the beauty is as you would expect of an ancient Tuscan town.
My stay here was relaxing, educational and full of Tuscan cheer, my only regret is that I could not stay longer. You must visit here to appreciate it's beauty, as they say 'seeing is believing'.
June 2010 - Jemma London
Beautiful house
I highly recommend this wonderful house. Amazing views, very helpful owners in a very nice part of the world. Close enough to Lucca for day visits and very private. We had a very memorable stay. On a practical note, the house was clean and well maintained, gardens were pretty and the tennis court was great.
April 2010 - Craig GB
The perfect holiday!
We visited in the summer of 2009. Brought along a teenage boy - always difficult to please....... Not so at La Pianella - a great swimming pool with views to die for and the sun all day, an amazing tennis court with a great surface to play whoever would oblige and a superb choice of terraces from which to chose for long, sociable meals. A well equipped kitchen to produce healthy, or not so healthy, mouthwatering meals from ingredients from the local stores, fresh figs for breakfast and starters from the garden as well as fresh lemons for adding to the drinks all added to the "relax and feel at home" environment at La Pianella.
Clean, cool and comfortable bedrooms with bathrooms with lashings of hot water. A comfortable sitting room for get togethers and card games in the colder evenings.
Situated in Pescaglia the options for day trips - if you can tear yourself away from the villa that is! - are huge. Plenty of choice of local friendly villages or the bustling town of Lucca. The beach is not too far for a day trip either.
Altogether we can certainly recommend La Pianella for a relaxing time away with family or friends of all age groups. It was hard to tear ourselves away at the end of our stay - we felt very much at home and very spoilt - the perfect holiday.
July 2009 - Harry & Sue Uckfield UK
A truly memorable week...
A truly memorable week with very many happy memories. The pool was used virtually all the time. It really is brilliant! Love the salt water system. Tennis court also saw some exciting action, but not quite up to the standard we watched at the center court last Sunday. Thank goodness for SKY! Wonderful, wonderful
6-13 July 2013 - P, J & 3 daughters, partners & eight young!A truly memorable week...
Thrilled by the house and garden
Thrilled by the house and garden. Loved the tennis court and the pool. The views are sensational. Went to Lucca, Pisa, Camaiore, Lido di Camaiore, Tone del Lago, Peschia, Monteccatini and Gombitelli. Arrived in a down pour and found the road up daunting but got used to it. Greatly enjoyed a log fire every evening. Ideal number and disposition of rooms. Thank you for providing such an imaginative place. (p.s. Tried the pizza oven but reckon we need to go on a course!)
25 May - 1 June 2013 - Annie & David, Dan & Emma, Nick & Phoebe + families
A wonderful family retreat
A wonderful family retreat - my mother's 70th and family flew in from Oz, France and London. A wonderful week had by all.
6-13 July 2013 - Penny
I really do not want to leave....
I don't think that I have been more relaxed on holiday. I am here with a group of friends and my daughter. Fourteen of us in total but this didn't make the environment any less tranquil. The views are breath-taking. The pool is divine and the kitchen is a pleasure to cook in. I really do not want to leave.....look out for the fire-flies at night!
13.20 July 2013 - Sarah & Eden - London
10/10...amazing villa, stunning location, lovely owners!
A beautiful and well catered villa in a stunning location - a perfect place to set up a very stylish camp for a Tuscan holiday adventure.
Great facilities ranging from everything you need in the kitchen to very comfy rooms and garden WIFI, tennis court & a pool with a view!
Loads to do and explore in and around the area, beach resort within short drive, beautiful countryside to explore, great local restaurants and sights - of just the perfect base to stay and enjoy some quiet time.
summer 2012 - review posted on Trip Advisor
"absolutely perfect"
La Pianella was the perfect place for our extended family of 15 to spend a week. We loved everything about this house - the views, the pool, the garden, the rooms and the kitchen. We are a family of cooks and loved that we could grill, make pizza, bread, etc. with ease and enjoyment. The house and grounds are even more spectacular than the pictures and the lay out of the house is really designed for both individual privacy and common spaces. The memories of this week will definitely last a lifetime. Working with the owners was easy, directions were spot-on, minor repairs were made immediately and the local area is truly lovely.
So highly recommended - I would go back in a heart-beat!
summer 2012 - As reviewed on Trip Advisor
"fantastic"
We stayed in La Pianella with a group of 14. We loved the place, its view is beautiful, the surroundings are lovely, 20 mins. to Lucca, 1 hour to Florence and half an hour to the beach!
The place is well maintained and the garden is superb! The salt water pool is great, no chlorides, so you can swim all day! The owners were very friendly in helping out.
One point which could be improved, is the WIFI connection, which is poor and unstable, so take your own 3G connection.
Summer 2012 - As posted on Trip Advisor
Wonderful place in the tuscan hills near lucca
We spent one week with 8 adults and 6 children from 3-9 years old. A beautiful and well furbished house with a nice garden with a great view. The tennis court was a highly appreciated extra. We were welcomed with a fruit/vegetable basket. Making our own pizzas was fun as well (but a lot of work). The pool is 100 steps above the house, which has advantages as well as disadvantages. Shopping takes a 20 minute trip down a steep and narrow road to the village but that's the price for absolute quietness and privacy.
summer 2012 - As posted on Trip Advisor
It was quite simply perfect for the whole family
Hi Clare
Just want to say what a wonderful holiday we had at La Pianella. It was
quite simply perfect for the whole family and we didn't move very far!! The
house, pool, tennis court and table tennis court kept everyone exercised and
were such fun. My son in law perfected pizza in the outdoor oven by the end
of the week and we found it a great way to use up the left over food on the
last day. All the adults enjoyed sitting out in the evening with the view
and the stars and the warmth - assisted by the wine and the food. Utterly
blissful.
Please pass our good wishes and thanks to your mother - and of course to
your good self.
Best Regards
25 August 2012 - Barbara & the cooks amongst us
Exceeding all our expectations.....
Exceeding all our expectations PLUS superb personal welcome - thanks!
11 August 2012 - Ian, Celia & rabble, Clive & Maggie, Max & Danny, Paul & Yvonne
The villa is idyllic.....
Hi Clare, wonderful holiday at La Pianella, lovely to meet your Mum on our last day. The villa is idyllic and we had so much fun around the pool and tennis court, we even managed to hold our own olympics with swimming, diving, water polo, synchronised swimming, tennis, table tennis and football, great fun was had by all. I hope we can all return again for my 75 or 80th!! Thanks again and best wishes for the future
28 July 2012 - Regards Brenda
We are a family of cooks & everyone loved the kitchen
Dear Clare
We are back in the States now, and just wanted to let you know how very perfect La Pianella was as a holiday house. It is truly beautiful and we especially appreciated how well-equipped it is. We are a family of cooks and everyone loved the kitchen. Not to mention the pool, the view, the rooms etc...
It really is a perfect place and we fell lucky to have been able to spend time there.
Julia and family
30 June 2012 - Julia & family from the States
A spectacular view
There are insufficient words to describe the joy that La Pianella brings time after time... friendship, laughter & so much joy...
A spectacular view and of course „MY POOL!“ 😀
Sarah (GB) - July 2019
Lazy, hazy days
Laughter
Activities
Perfect villa
Idyllic surroundings
Atmosphere
Nature at it‘s best
Exercise galore in the pool & the tennis court... & the steps!
Lovely, homely & tasteful touches
Lazy, hazy days
AMAZING!
Meadows family (GB) - July 2016
La pianella is gorgeous
Dear Clare
I wanted to thank you for a great holiday. We had the best time!! La Pianella is gorgeous. We enjoyed the tennis court, table tennis, the garden and the lovely pool area very very much. You did a great job with the renovation and I suppose, you still have a lot to do. But the place is really great. And thankfully the corona restrictions were ok. We would have loved to stay longer but the kids have to get back to school.So I wish you a great season with nice people and say again: Thank you for all your help beforehand…
All the best
Miriam & family (Germany) - May/June 2021
...everything was perfect, even the weather 🙂
It was a really pleasant stay at the villa. Everybody was happy and enjoyed Villa, pool and the tennis court. We had a wonderful time.
From our point of view everything was perfect, even the weather 🙂
Best wishes from Germany. We miss the sun ☀️
August/September 2021 - Andy and family Germany
Made memories of a lifetime
Had a marvelous two weeks at La Pianella!
Donatella is a gem! She is an amazing chef and made us feel so welcome. We enjoyed every moment at the villa - the pool, eating al fresco, cooking in the farmhouse kitchen & driving the winding roads. We have memories of a lifetime!
love the crew ❤️
Vandeburgh, Curran, Morgen, Stoyaks & McGinley crew 💜 USA - JUNE 2022
The house is a close to perfection as one can get
One could not wish for a better and more beautiful place to celebrate an 80th Birthday with the family. The house is a close to perfection as one can get and we hope to return one day Special thanks to Donatella for her wonderful cooking and exuberant enthusiasm.
SEMPTEMBER 2022 - Copland family
How brilliantly the villa is equipped, everything has been thought of....
We are at Pisa airport waiting for your flight home. Just to thank you for our amazing time at La Pianella. Both weeks were completely amazing. everyone has commented how brilliantly the villa is equipped, everything has been thought of...the fantastic views, wonderful pool and the magical Donatella! We had a wonderful Tuscan dinner made by her our last night. Infact it was such a success, that my friends have been talking to Donatella about the possibility of hosting their wedding at Pianella - which we all got very excited about as they were not engaged before this discussion - but now seems they might be!
Hope the rest of the summer goes well and all the Pianella guests enjoy it as much as we did...
Sasha & friends (GB) - AUGUST 2023
I had a wonderful time at la pianella.
I had a wonderful time at La Pianella. Thanks to Donatella and Sonia. The food was great!!! Visiting the smaller towns & villages of the area gave me a great feeling for the Italian culture and the people.
Family & friends Sherwin (USA) - October 2023
Grazie mille!!
Perfect in every way....Grazie mille!!
Worrals UK - JULY 2024
