This is a paradise for kids, and a genuinely relaxing holiday for parents - the ultimate combination. Set in 5 acres of land, Villa Pia is just over the Tuscan border into the Umbrian countryside, with forest, field and olive-grove views stretching for miles. The location couldn't be more peaceful yet it's an easy drive from several airports (Perugia, Florence, Pisa and Bologna). Families flock here for the informal, house-party feel, the rustic Italian food, and the toys, games and space to run free that keeps young ones happy for days on end. Both children and adults quickly make friends; many families return year after year.
The 25 bedrooms are simple but spacious (choose from big family rooms or pairs of inter-connecting bedrooms), and all meals and drinks are included, which means no stressing about where to eat or what to cook. There are reasonably priced cookery classes for both kids and adults, as well as a local beautician who offers great facials and massages for tired parents. Sit back in the sun-filled courtyard with a coffee or cold beer, safe in the knowledge that your little ones are having the time of their lives.
Highs
- Everything kids love: a warm pool, soft play, sandpits, bikes, trikes, scooters, trampolines, even tennis and a woodland playspace
- All-inclusive rates, so no need to worry about soaring costs
- Hearty and delicious Italian food, with a kids' tea at 6pm and adult-only dinners (plus help-yourself snacks and drinks all day)
- A great location close to Perugia and Arezzo, with magnificent views all around
- Daily housekeeping keeps your room spotless
Lows
- If you prefer your own space on holiday, this isn't for you; it's a very social, though laid-back, communal atmosphere
- A strict payment/cancellation policy, no credit cards accepted, and a 7-night minimum stay in school holidays (Saturday-Saturday)
- No food is served on Thursdays so you'll need to eat out
- Rooms are very simple - No TVs, DVD players, air con or toiletries - and the 4 in Palazzo Regina are off-site, a 5-minute walk away
- Boutique Hotel
- 25 rooms
- All-inclusive meals and drinks
- All ages welcome
- Open all year
- Heated Pool
- Spa Treatments
- Beach Nearby
- Babysitting
- Creche / Kids Club
- Car essential
- Parking
- Pet Friendly
- Disabled Access
- Restaurants Nearby
- WiFi
- Air Conditioning
- Guest Lounge
- Terrace
- Garden
- Gym
- Tennis Court
- Bicycles Available
Rooms
The rustic 15th-century buildings can accommodate up to 25 families, in either large Family Rooms (an open-plan space with a double bed and 2/3 single beds) or pairs of Inter-Connecting Rooms (a double and a twin) with a shared bathroom.
We stayed in the main house and our 1st-floor room was spotless, with charming original-tiled floors and decorative ceilings. Furnishings are simple, and there are no luxuries (no TVs, DVD players, toiletries etc), but you have lots of space to spread out, and lovely antique drawers and wardrobes for your things. Most importantly, bedrooms are warm in the cooler months and airy and cool in the summer. Bathrooms are mostly small but perfectly functional, with a shower over a bath.
Four of the rooms are in Palazzo Regina, a restored building in Lippiano. It has its own kitchen for making drinks and snacks, but meals are still taken at the main hotel (5 minutes' walk). Rooms here can be booked for shorter stays.
Features include:
- Fan
- In-room treatments available
- WiFi
Eating
The price is all-inclusive of food and drinks, and meals are taken communally. Breakfast is a simple buffet of cereals, breads, croissants, meats and cheeses, but we'd recommend you skimp on it in order to enjoy the amazing lunches. A bell rings at 1pm and the cooks deliver a vast array of mouthwatering dishes - veggies, salads, sausages and divine homemade pastas (the pesto was particularly memorable).
At 6pm a kids' tea is served in the dining room. This might be more pasta or homemade pizzas. Then, once the kids are in bed, olives and nibbles appear, before a 4-course adult dinner is served, along with plenty of wine. In summer this is all outside; in winter in the dining room or kitchen. Popular dishes include steak cooked on a wood fire, truffled tagliatelle and plenty of fresh fish.
On Thursdays the restaurant is closed, but you can still help yourself to snacks from the communal kitchen for breakfast. There is a local bar for light meals, or staff can help you order a takeaway / book a restaurant (and a babysitter).
Features include:
- All meals included
- Communal dining
- Vegetarian options
Activities
- Many families stay on site all day to enjoy the pools, toys, games, bikes, tennis court, and just running free in the 5 acres of garden and woodland play areas
- Children's cooking and art classes are on offer a couple of times a week and were a roaring success with our kids, who made cookies, muffins, jam tarts and pizzas for their tea
- For adult relaxation, head to the beauty room, where Maria offers massages, mud wraps, facials, manicures and pedis. Or take a Pilates or yoga class
- The local town, Lippiano, has a fairytale 10th-century castle and gelaterias, both heaven for kids
- Borrow bikes to explore the woods, go walking, or arrange horse riding with the local stables
- Book a babysitter for the afternoon and go wine tasting
- Opportunities for days out abound: Citta di Castello (20 mins' drive; stunning medieval architecture), Arezzo (30 mins; the Church of San Francesco has incredible murals and there's a Roman amphitheatre), Perugia (1 hour; the capital of Umbria, with a helter-skelter of cobbled streets and ancient stairs) and Siena (1.5 hours; its old town is a Unesco site)
Activities on site or nearby include:
- Art classes
- Cooking classes
- Cycling
- Hiking
- Historical sites
- Horse riding
- Language courses
- Museums / galleries
- Shopping / markets
- Swimming
- Tennis
- Well being
- Wine tasting
- Yoga
Best Time to go
The hotel is open all year. To make the most of the weather May/June and Sept/Oct are best - warm days and cooler evenings.
Our Top Tips
Location
Villa Pia is on the edge of a small town called Lippiano in Umbria, a couple of miles from the Tuscan border in Italy.
By Air:
Perugia is the closest airport (40 minutes from Lippiano), or fly into Florence (1 hour 15). Rimini, Bologna and Pisa are all about 2 hours' drive away. Click on the links below for a detailed list of airlines serving these airports.
From the Airport
You'll need a car to get here and to explore the area - see our car rental recommendations. You can park for free at the hotel.
Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.
More on getting to Italy and getting around
Airports:
- Perugia 68.0 km PEG
- Florence 120.0 km FIR
Other:
- Beach 70.0 km
- Shops 3.0 km
- Restaurant 3.0 km
Our guests' ratings...
Based on 1 independent review from i-escape guests
Feedback is only from guests who have booked and stayed through i-escape