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"WONDERFUL STAY"
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This is a great place to stay to get away from it all. Beautiful house and pool and plenty of room for our multi generational party of 8 including two guests under the age of 3. Roman was always available with any questions and we had chef Valentino come in one night and cook dinner for us which was amazing. Lucca is about a 12 minute drive away. If possible, don’t rent a large car as the roads in Vorno are tiny!
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Reviewed by: Chris V, US
Reviewed: September 2022
Date of stay: August 2022
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"We had the most amazing time at Casa Joanna"
We are a family of 5 (14, 11 and 10) and the house and pool were more than we all could have wished for. The local restaurant was perfect and the help and hospitality from Roman and his wife Michaela was just the icing on top – thank you for letting us stay in your beautiful house.’
Reviewed by: Nick G, UK
Reviewed: August 2020
Date of stay: August 2020
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"First class Villa"
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I would highly recommend staying at this fantastic villa in Vorno in northern Tuscany. Surrounded by lush gardens, grape vines and tranquil hillsides you can lay back and relax by the private saltwater pool and really get the feel of the Tuscan countryside. The Villa is spacious (there were 12 of us), with two large fully equipped kitchens, two dinning areas, two sitting rooms, an outdoor eating area and BBQ, and 6 large bedrooms, all with their own full ensuite bathrooms. The house is clean and the pool and gardens are beautiful. There is also a large vegetable garden that you can help yourself to. Roman, the manager, provided first class service, nothing was too much trouble and he even lent us his families bikes when we want to go for a ride. He will also arrange for a chef to come in if you want one (it is well worth doing as Valentino was brilliant). You do need a car if you want to go anywhere else or buy supplies, as there is only one good restaurant in Vorno and no grocery stores. Roman will arrange cabs for transport if you don’t wish to drive though.
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Reviewed by: Diane, CA
Reviewed: June 2019
Date of stay: June 2019
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"Cannot recommend this place enough!"
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Our third trip to Casa Joanna, which is simply a stunning property that is very well maintained and cared for and offers a luxurious, spacious, and ‘warm’ environment to relax for the whole family. Every one loved the pool, the beautiful art and homely touches that make this home feel like your very own Tuscan retreat. Correspondence ahead of our stay was, as ever, timely and helpful. Contacted during our stay was courteous and helpful, and we can only say THANK YOU SARAH & ROMAN for your service and care. The local restaurants are fabulous, the local people are friendly and caring, and the local countryside (which I spent time exploring on an mountain bike, and my wife ran trails in the hills) is simply breath-taking. Cannot recommend this place enough! Until next year!
Reviewed by" Anonymous, UK
Reviewed: August 2018
Date of stay: August 2018
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“The villa was perfect"
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Casa Joanna is set in the Tuscan Hills with a beautiful view of the mountains. This being our first time to Tuscany, the property was exactly what we imagined it would look like....complete with beautiful gardens, cypress trees, fresh herbs, bay leaf hedges and so much more, The villa was perfect.....very spacious yet inviting and fully equipped with everything you could possibly need to make your stay wonderful (including dishwasher, gas stove, washer, fully equipped kitchen, plush towels, etc). We found the kitchen to be a wonderful place to cook, eat, enjoy wine and hang out. We had a cooking class in the villa with Chef Valentino and it was an incredible experience. We loved cooking together and then eating out on the terrace. The bedrooms are all ensuite and a good size. The beds were very comfortable. The property is ideally located to do day trips throughout all of Tuscany. We used a tour company called "Cruises on the Road in Tuscany" and they were amazing to work with. We visited Florence, Pisa, Lucca, Siena and Cinque Terre And then to make a perfect situation even better, we met Roman, the property manager. When we arrived, Roman was there to meet us with Prosecco and a welcome basket of Tuscan goodies. From there, it only got better! He made sure that every part of our trip was perfect and he treated us like family. Roman was a big part of why this trip was so amazing!! Casa Joanna exceeded our expectations. We stayed at the villa for five nights and we absolutely fell in love with the people and the place. We definitely will go back one day!
Reviewed by: Toni F, USA
Reviewed: 25th June 2018
Date of stay: June 2018
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"We hope to be back one day!"
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Our family recently came back from a two week vacation in Italy of which we spent one glorious week in Tuscany. The six bedroom eight bathroom Casa Johanna was perfect for our group of nine (we could have used more people actually!). Both Roman and Sarah made us feel very welcomed and the huge villa had all the amenities one could ask for. The pool was well used almost every day by our kids and the canopies and loungers were great! The grounds were immaculate with beautiful flowers and greenery. The 360 degree views of the Tuscan hills and the city lights of Lucca were amazing. The pictures, as one previous guest mentioned, do not do the place justice. We also loved the area and had a chance to explore. Peace and blissful quiet was just what we needed. Thank you very much for hosting us Roman and Sarah!! We hope to be back one day! ~With much love and appreciation, the Hwang's.
Reviewed by: David H, USA
Reviewed: 3rd Sept 2017
Date of stay: August 2017
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“We loved Casa Joanna!”
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I am writing as 1 of 3 families who were holidaying together at Casa Joanna, and can safely say we had a wonderful holiday there. Roman was a fantastic, knowledgeable, accommodating house manager - always happy to give advice on local restaurants, shops, walks etc. In fact a very memorable part of our week was when he took about 8 of us to pick fresh figs in his friends garden! he also made a reservation for us at an outstanding local restaurant.
The house itself was a perfect place for us all to relax - plenty of sun loungers, lovely bedrooms, huge living area. I hope we can return soon!
Room Tip: We hired both houses, and all the rooms were good - some doubles were bigger than others, but all were comfortable.
Reviewed by: Clair A. United Kingdom
Reviewed: 7th of September 2015
Date of stay: August 2015
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“Tuscan Heaven”
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Casa Joanna was a beautiful retreat for the five of us traveling to the Lucca area! The grounds and the home were perfect! We spent a couple evenings at home, preparing our meals in a gourmet kitchen. We ate out in the garden at our candle lit table. A couple of evenings we dined right in Vorno. I loved Alba's restaurant! I don't remember the name, but Alba the owner was gracious and the food was top notch. Her market was where we would pick up fresh breads and cured meats.
Roman, manages the property. He was so helpful, friendly, and gracious. Giving us helpful hints on where to travel and how to get there!
The Villa is a duplex. We used one side. It has three en-suites which worked out just right for us! We had the opportunity to meet Tony the owner the last couple of nights we were there. He was delightful.
We enjoyed morning runs/walks and lounging in the garden. It was a perfect location for our day trips to Rome, Cinque Terre, Montecarlo, Volterra, and of course Pisa and Lucca. I highly recommend Casa Joanna to anyone traveling to the Lucca area!
Roman, thank you. You helped make our vacation one we will remember!
Reviewed by: Cathy K, Florida, USA
Reviewed: 6th of October 2014
Date of stay: September 2014
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"Fabulous Vacation Spot"
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Our group of 5 stayed at Casa Joanna for 10 days in late September-early October. The on-line photos, description, and Google Maps & Street View did not do the property justice. It was so much better than we could have imagined. We stayed in the eastern half of the house with 3 large en-suite bedrooms, a large, fully equipped modern kitchen, free wireless internet, warm family room and huge beautiful, private yard, cabanas, swimming pool, and gardens. The views are unbelievable from the grounds and bedrooms towards the mountains to the south and Lucca and the the Apennines Mountains to the north. Working with the owners and reserving the property was very easy (international wire transfer with excellent instructions). The property is located in the quaint, quiet, and beautiful village of Vorno in the heart of Tucscany which contained several great small restaurants within easy walking distances - Bimbotto's, Osteria Cucina dello Scompiglio, La Bettola, and il Rio. The people are all very friendly and helpful and patient with our poor Italian vocabulary although most spoke some English. The village had great walking and hiking trails with fantastic views towards Lucca and the mountains north. The house is located 4 miles from the Lucca train station from which we traveled to Rome and the Cinque Terre. We rented an auto and easily navigated all over the area to the Mediterranean beaches close by - Marina di Vecchiano (10 miles) and Forte dei Marmi. We drove to Lucca, Pisa, several wineries, Volterra, and Montecarlo. The wine and food was fantastic. The Caretaker, Roman, speaks English well. He was invaluable in helping plan our trips, giving advice, making suggestions, and taking care of the property. He also met us at Pisa Airport where we rented a car and he escorted us to Casa Joanna only about 30 minute drive away. I would highly recommend vacationing at Casa Joanna and all of my traveling companions agreed that it was one of our most relaxing, memorable, and fun vacations we had ever taken.
Recommended for: Girls getaway, sightseeing, families with teenagers, families with young children and romantic getaway
Reviewed by: Ed, Virginia, USA
Reviewed: 4th of November 2014
Date of stay: September 2014
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“Wonderful, quiet retreat in rural Tuscany”
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We stayed with my two parents and my two young children and had a wonderful time. Vorno is a lovely small village just south of Lucca. Very comfortable bedrooms and a large kitchen and living room. No problem for 6 of us. Each double bedroom (three of them in our villa) is en-suite There are a couple of restaurants in the village which are 5 minutes walk away, otherwise its a short drive to Lucca where you will find many. Lots of wonderful towns and villages are within a short drive - highly recommend Montecarlo just off the SP31. A slightly longer drive is Portovenere (75 minutes) but well worth it as you can catch a boat to the Cinqueterre villages.
The villa is great, well maintained, clean and the pool is set in a nice garden. The gentleman, Roman who manages the villa is very helpful, he knows all about the area and can give you advice on where everything is.
There is a small shop in the local village (again a 5 minute walk), but for a larger supermarket its a drive to Lucca.
Stayed August 2014, traveled with family
Reviewed by: John, Abu Dhabi
Reviewed: 16th of September 2014
Date of stay: August 2014
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“A Beautiful Tuscan Experience”
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Set in the Tuscan hills with spectacular views of the mountains, this villa is perfect for rest and relaxation. Lovely gardens, and very spacious accommodation. Very comfortable beds. Roman, who manages the Villa, is very helpful, and nothing is too much trouble. Set in a very rural village, but still has easy access to Lucca, only 5 mins away, lovely for an evening stroll. 30 mins away from the beach at Viareggio. where you can find lots of restaurants/bars and a busy but sandy beach. if you like a quieter beach try Torre del Lago just a couple of miles to the south of Viareggio. The pool at the villa is great for families with young children, not too deep, with comfortable sun beds with plenty of shade. All in all, we really enjoyed it here.
Reviewed by: Christina, Rugby, UK
Reviewed: 25th of August 2014
Date of stay: August 2014
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