Avis PALAZZO GIUSTI: Understated Luxury with a Welcoming Ambience on the Hills of Lucca

Proximity to Lucca, Barga, Pisa, beach and Florence. Half an hour to Lucca. Local hikes off single lane roads. Lovely to have two living, dining and kitchens to dissipate guests. House manager Olivia was charming.

This villa was absolutely perfect for our 10 guests and was very charming, clean, and beautiful. The second pool that is a short walk from the villa is FABULOUS and the views are stunning. We met the owners, who were so pleasant and kind. We had a great time. Negatives would be that it was not advertised the steps/walking to get to the villa. My nearly 80-year-old parents were troopers, but this proved difficult for them. I would not advise for anyone with mobility issues. We went in August 2023 and the rooms were just TOO hot. Even with more fans being brought in. I do not suggest booking in August. Lastly, the property manager (not the owner, the manager) was rude. She started off by getting into an argument with our driver, never would respond promptly when we had concerns about the number of fans, and was very rude when trying to communicate with us regarding garbage sorting etc. She really was not nice. I also think the massage person we hired through the villa manager was very nice, but we all agreed she was not a masseuse. She basically just poured oil over us and patted it in for an hour, lol. These are minor items, and truly the space is wonderful and it was a magical time overall. I do recommend hiring. private driver, the roads are steep and it was a good call on our part to have one for the group.

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!