Stunning old building, beautifully renovated and with chic yet cozy interior. Lots of space for bigger groups or families, given the different floors, two fully equipped kitchens, terraces and access to two pools. Loved the view over the valley.
Given the upper segment (vacation home) pricing though, we had very high expectations but a few things let the property down... The village feels like an open-air museum with its small alleys and partly abandoned houses; charming on the one hand and a little sad on the other. Quite a contrast... Also, you had to pass half-broken houses and concrete mixers to get to the Palazzo itself. Then again, very authentic, right. While the house was well cleaned, you do find some cupboards filled with old clothes, cleaning products and other items. Would have expected these things stored away from guests. The garden pool is super beautiful with its wooden decks, garden kitchen and views - however, you do need keep the 100m walk in mind (esp. when with small children). Same for car parking, be ready to carry your luggage over the cobblestone. Also, no aircon and it does get quite warm in most of the bedrooms. There some fans and two (little efficient) mobile aircon units for the 3rd floor.
The agency could unfortunately not reply all our inquiries.. Upon booking, we had direct contact with Roel/ owner who quickly and reliably replied to all our questions, and acted swiftly when needed (dishwasher broke down and got replaced the very same day!). However, we had the feeling that Roel had gotten tired of this project. Luckily he had put us in touch with Ilhem & Michael who cooked for us delicious Italian meals at the house a couple of times and provided top-notch concierge services (reservations, activities arrangements, etc) that gave the 5star feeling such a luxury vacation home needs. Wonderful energy & fun to have around!
Overall, the house is not yet at the level you would expect from seeing the pics and given the price level. It takes a little more to transition from a B&B to a luxury house aiming for a certain clientele. Wishing Palazzo Giusti and also the village Pescaglia all the best!
