Luxury Travel Advisor - July 2008 - (Page 16)

DESTINATIONS BY SHARRI WHITING DE MASI The 14th-century Villa Il Poggiale (www.villailpog giale.it), near San Caciano Val di Pesa in Chianti, less than 12 miles from Florence, was the elegant country home of a Roman family. This Dimora Storica (historic house) offers 24 antiques-filled guest rooms and suites, each decorated differently—we dreamed of romance in Junior Suite 11 on the ground floor, with its sumptuous canopied bed, silk curtains and Old World luxury. Junior Suite 3 is also downstairs and opens to a terrace. One flight up (there is no elevator), Junior Suite 20 is big and rustic, with beamed ceilings and a grand bathtub. Number 19 is a two-story apartment, perfect for a family, with two bedrooms (one has three single beds), two baths and a kitchen. Villa Il Poggiale has an intimate restaurant, open only to guests during the season. The lovely grand salon is the perfect place to read or relax with a glass of wine, and the stone-columned loggia (lodge) is perfect for sitting in the shade to soak up the heady Tuscan air. Each guest is given his or her own personal key to the villa, so it’s easy to pretend you’re at home. Ask Monica Cozzi, reservations manager, to arrange for babysitting service, cooking classes in La Tinaia with chef Jeff Sickman or tours of local wineries. Owner Nathanel “Tinto” Vitta (011-39335-605-6828), who spent childhood summers here, is a charming host and loves sharing the nooks and crannies of the house with visitors. Tip: The entire villa can be rented for a country wedding. Villa La Massa (www.villalamassa.it) is five miles from the center of Florence, but it’s a world away from the bustle of the city. Set along a bend in the placid Arno River, this Medici-style villa has 35 rooms and suites arranged around a frescoed atrium in the main building. We stayed in Deluxe Double 44; on the third floor, it is a corner room with views of the river from all the windows. We also loved the wonderful Junior Suite 45 next door, with its wall of glass that extends from bedroom to bathroom. This one can connect to number 44 or 46 to add a living room. Room 49, a deluxe double, offers a view of the Duomo in Florence in VILLA MANGIACANE is set amid olive groves about seven miles outside of Florence. Tuscan Villas 16 LUXURY TRAVEL ADVISOR | July 2008 www.villailpog http://www.villailpoggiale.it http://www.villailpoggiale.it www.villalamassa.it http://www.villalamassa.it

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Luxury Travel Advisor - July 2008 Contents Publisher's Letter Editor's Letter California Coast Tuscan Villas Ranch Vacations Gansevoort South Rancho Las Cruces Reserva Conchal Spas of the Maldives St. Lucia A Gentleman's Touch The Pulse Just Back Sightings Source List

Luxury Travel Advisor - July 2008

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