| Date | Rating | Comment
[Guest Comments: 23 positive, 0 negative]
|
| 05/16/09 |
N/A |
Guest Comment Entered By Homeowner:
Dear Marco,
As a child my husband played the violin and always wanted to hear the sound
of a Stradivari, so Cremona was on our list to visit.
What wonderful surprises awaited us. We were warmly received by your
parents who showed us around your spotlessly clean, centrally located
apartment.
The kitchen, while small, was fully equipped for us to cook dinner every night.
The bedroom, which is in the loft, is a good size, has a firm mattress, nice
linens and excellent bedside lighting. The bathroom has a shower which is
the best we have ever had in an Italian apartment. The full sized clothes
washing machine was more than we expected. The livingroom, too, was very
comfortable and contained a good selection of travel information and books.
The information book you provided your guests was detailed, thorough and
essential to live comfortable both in the apartment and the town itself.
We had planned to visit other cities during our week but with all the
information you and the tourist board offered us, we spent all our time in
Cremona.
It is a wonderful civilized town that has magnificent churches, piazzas,
beautiful parks, museums, upscale shopping and great street markets. The
town is alive with people who enjoy life and all Cremona has to offer.
For anyone interested in hearing the Stradivari being played by a maestro, a
visit to the audition is a lifetime experience.
Between the comfort of the apartment and the charm of the town, we had a
memorable week.
Kindest regards
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Leone G.
Naples, FL
|
|
| 06/25/08 |
Positive
|
| My husband and I spent one week at "Due Colonne" and would highly recommend both "Due Colonne" and Cremona. The Piazza in Cremona is truely special. The Cathedral was begun in 1107 and the bell tower is the highest in Europe with the world's largest astronomical clock and we heard the oldest Stradavarian violin in the world. This is truely the sweet life and not many people know or visit Cremona. Great place to spend time. The Piazza had many activities planned during our week - music - all types pop, hip hop, opera- mime - a journalist immigration debate, the Italian Independence Day Celebration and more. Due Colonne was the best accomodations on top of all of this. A beautiful, comfortable and well located apartment in the historic district. Thank you Marco! |
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Anonymous |
|
| 06/03/08 |
N/A |
Guest Comment Entered By Homeowner:
Hello Marco,
I wanted to e-mail you sooner but it's taken this long to catch up on
everything. The trip was fantastic. We loved Cremona and your condo is
beautiful. We loved the hardwood floors and the loft was terrific. I think we
ate about two gallons of gelato. My wife is addicted to it I think and I'm not
far behind. We climbed the tower and got to see almost the entire city and
outlying areas. It was a great time. Thank you for donating the condo for the
golf tournament. It gives people like us a chance to see a beautiful part of the
world. We took enough photos to make a major motion film. We wish you
much succes and many blessings throughout your life. Stay well and thanks
again.
Rico and Elsie Petrocelli
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Rico Petrocelli
|
|
| 02/03/08 |
Positive
|
My husband and I rented Due Colonne for about a week in January. We were so happy with the apartment, with the location, and with the lovely town of Cremona - our first time there.
We have stayed in dozens of rentals over the years, and a few of the things that impressed us about Due Colonne were the comfortable heat, the sparkling new bathroom, the abundance of storage space, electrical outlets and lights, the and the very comfortable bed.
So glad we found this place - we'd return in a minute! |
| |
Anne, Reston, VA |
|
| 11/26/07 |
N/A |
Guest Comment Entered By Homeowner:
hello marco,
we arrived back in brooklyn thursday night. thank you for your wonderful
accomodations in cremona. It served as a great point of departure for
dicovering northern italy. we both had such a fantastic time. your parents
gave us a lovely welcome, though our language difficulties proved to be a
challenge - and an exciting adventure - during our entire stay in italy. italy is
a magical place and our experience was only enhanced by our stay in due
colonne. we especially loved the cafe at the corner of your block and the
gentleman behind the counter. never in ny will you be served coffee by a
man in a suit. we will be sure to recommend due colonne to anyone we know
traveling to italy. Grazie mille!
Ciao,
Michael and Erika
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Michael Imranyi
Brooklyn, New York
|
|
| 11/17/07 |
N/A |
Guest Comment Entered By Homeowner:
I was not able to add a new comment to your GREAT updated webpage as I
previously had an entry. My return stay at Due Colonne in September of
2007 to visit my daughter was a great experience. Being on the go everyday
exploring the area, made the return to Due Colonne every night a wonderful
treat and was every bit as acommodating and satisfying as the first
stay....knowing what I was going to experience for the second time only made
the visit more enjoyable. My daughter and I explored every part of the town
and long walks and bike rides into the countryside. Wednesday and Saturday
morning outdoor Markets were a great experience. Upscale shopping area
and wonderful restaurants, with the Piazza enjoyed every evening over a
glass of Prosecco. September is a beautiful tiime of year to visit. It is a very
clean, relaxed, and a safe town for a woman alone to visit, with Due Colonne
being the perfect place to stay. I could conveniently walk about at night
from the Piazza without worry for my safety. Due Colonne is immaculately
cared for and was a wonderful place to return. Cremona is an easy trip from
the Linatte or Malpensa airports via connecting bus to the train. Once in
Cremona, Due Colonne is a quick walk or cab ride away. Ideal location for
exploring all parts of the town. Highly recommended for the true Italian
experience.....
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Pam Aberle
Lodi, California
|
|
| 10/28/07 |
Positive
|
Due Colonne is perfect. My husband and I go to Cremona often, and we wish that we had discovered this wonderful apartment earlier.
The apartment is spotlessly clean and ideally situated to explore beautiful Cremona. Most things are within a 5 minute walk and nothing is beyond 15 minutes.
In addition, the area around Due Colonne has all of the practical amenities that you would need: the supermarket, the dry cleaner, and pharmacies are just around the corner.
The incredibly warm hospitality of Marco's parents added tremendously to our stay in Cremona. We look forward to seeing them again as much as we look forward to staying at Due Colonne.
|
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Marco and Rachel Ramoni, Boston, MA, USA |
|
| 08/28/07 |
Positive
|
If you want to experience the Italian culture then "Due Colonne" is where you should rest your bags. Our family has only positive comments about this beautiful apartment. We stayed for a month in Italy, with our two teenage children (our kids loved it) and one week was in "Due Colonne", we wished it had been two. Exceptionally clean, all the amenities that you need, the washer is a plus. How could you not love waking up to the smell of fresh bread every morning? The town of Cremona is beautiful and we loved walking the streets every morning and every evening. Everyone was friendly and helpful and you felt you were home when you walked the cobblestone roads with the people of Cremona. The Duomo and Piazza was so inviting and every evening we looked forward to walking there and having a coffee and watching all the comings and goings.
It is wonderful to not write a negative comment about a place you visited. We had the pleasure of meeting Mark and Marco, they were very hospitable. If we ever have the opportunity of returning to Italy, we will definitely be looking to stay at "Due Colonne". Wonderful vacation, wonderful memories. |
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Carol, Ontario, Canada |
|
| 07/21/07 |
Positive
|
Thank you Marco for allowing us to spend a wonderful week in your apartment in Cremona. The apartment was great and very comfortable for four people. We cooked some of our own meals, thanks to your well equiped kitchen, and the addition of a washing machine was most welcome. Your recommendations were spot on eg. bar, gelato etc. We loved walking to the piazza every night for our expresso. The bakery downstairs was very handy for breakfast and the supermarket was close by. Cremona is a lovely town and we were able to make easy day trips by train to Modena and Parma, Mantua, Bologna and Milan. Please thank your Mum and Dad for being there to let us in and explain everything to us. Even though we didn't speak Italian, we understood perfectly what they were telling us. Perfect apartment, perfect town, perfect position in Lombardia. Thanks again
Yvonne, Dallas, Melanie and Trent |
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Yvonne Kingsland, COWRA NSW AUSTRALIA
|
|
| 07/10/07 |
N/A |
Guest Comment Entered By Homeowner:
Hi Marco,
Sorry, I tried to leave a review but couldn't get the site to let me.
We enjoyed our stay in your apartment very much! The location was great at
your apartment is charming, cozy and perfect for our needs. Thank you for
being flexible about the time of our stay with us. Cremona is a great place
and we hope to return soon. Wonderful people, food, and of course the
Violins! We hope to return for a longer stay soon. Your parents were great
Marco and strangely enough we bumped into a number of friends while there.
I guess the violin world is a small wonderful world!
If you come to San Francisco please come and say hi to us at the Symphony!
We have already recommended your place to colleagues.
Thanks again,
sarn
PS You are welcome to use this email on the website if you like. Sorry about
my lack of computer skills.
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Sarn Oliver
San Francisco, CA
|
|
| 06/27/07 |
Positive
|
Don't look any further for a terrific place to settle into local Italian life!
Due Colonne is a spotlessly clean and very comfortable, open-plan apartment located right in the heart of Cremona, a beautiful, architecturally and historically rich town that has somehow managed not to be completely overrun with tourists. You will have fine restaurants, lively piazzas, and great retail shopping all around you yet still feel secluded in quiet third-floor space.
We spent a week and a half there and in addition to exploring Cremona for three of those days also took convenient day trips to Verona, Bellagio, Sirmione, Parma, Siena, San Remo, and Castell'Arquato. True, San Remo and Siena were a stretch, but hey, by doing 145 kph in the left lane on the beautifully-engineered Italian superhighways you can cover a lot of ground!
Marco's parents were wonderful hosts and thanks as well to his brother we learned right away where to find free parking and the best time to take advantage of it.
We heartily recommend Due Colonne -- you will not be disappointed! |
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John and Suzanne Schneider, Salem, Massachusetts
978.745.1969 |
|
| 06/24/07 |
Positive
|
We had a wonderful one week stay at Due Colonne. The accomodations were perfect. We enjoyed living above the bakery for bread, pizza, and pastry. We didn't feel like tourist as there didn't seem to be many around. Cremona is a lovely Italian town. The view from the bell tower is fantastic! We highly recommend this apartment - and hope to be back in the near future.
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Peggy and John Palumbo, St. Paul, Minnesota USA |
|
| 04/26/07 |
Positive
|
| If you want to see the real Italy then this is the place to go. Cremona is beautiful and Due Colonne is perfectly situated in the heart of Cremona. The city offers so many sightseeing possibilites. We also visited Verona and Venice, both just a train away. This apartment is perfect. It has everything. It is so much more comfortable than a hotel. We are definitely going back to Cremona. Thank you again! |
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Katherine McAuliffe, Salem, Massachusetts
|
|
| 04/20/07 |
Positive
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| I recently spent a week with my daughter and her husband at the condo. We had a wondeful time. The condo is really lovely" roomy and comfortable. Its very tastefully decorated, with all the modern conveniences. Its located only a short walk from beautiful Cremona, truly an incredibly gorgeous city,uncrowded, and full of great food, friendly people and wonderful sites to see. Its easy to travel to other places from Cremona, but not necessary if you want to really experience La Bella Italia! Marilyn Kolbas, Signal Mt., Tennessee |
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marilyn kolbas, tennessee,usa
423 8869134 |
|
| 11/04/06 |
Positive
|
My husband and I just returned from three immensely satifying weeks at Due Colonne. The apartment surpassed our expectations on every count and we enjoyed the meals we prepared there every bit as much as eating and relaxing in so many of the delightful dining and snacking establishments in the area. The spotlessly clean accomodations had every convenience, including an elevator just outside the door!
It is true that music pervades the culture with violin-making shops at every turn and many interesting musical events to attend. The highlight of our stay was attending an excellent performance of Il Trovatore at the Teatro Ponchielli.
Our son and his wife joined us midway through our stay. We drove to Bellagio and Bergamo and later to Venice and they took a separate side trip to Firenze and Pisa. Vijey and I also spent a day in Milan prior to heading home.
In summary, we found the Cremonese people to be refined, kind, generous and helpful at every turn, in every way. Dealing with Marco and his kind brother, Salvatore was a pleasure, beginning to end; The city is an architectural gem and the apartment is in a dream location on the Corso that was like a stage setting for a modern Italian opera itself..but was all too wonderfully real..and I didn't even get to the the stylish fashions and shopping opportunities! Cremona, done as we were able to, may be Italy's best kept secret..but now you know! |
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Mary J. Jain, Ormond Beach, Florida
001 386 615 8457 |
|
| 10/23/06 |
Positive
|
| My wife Christiane and I stayed at Due Colonne for a week and were highly pleased with the location, the facility and the amenities. Marco's parents were quite charming and helpful in getting us acquainted with the intricacies of parking in this neighborhood located less than 2 blocks from the Duomo (Cremona's historic center). The smell of fresh-baked breads and brioches in the morning is just one of the fond memories from this stay. The building is spotless, quiet and recently renovated. The apartment is close (less than 2 min. walking distance)to all the services (ATM, shops, groceries, Internet spot, etc.). Don't miss the local outdoor market every saturday & wednesday morning at the Duomo. Finally, it was easy for us to get in and out of the city to visit the Lomardia and the Emilia-Romagna. We highly recommend this charming apartment. A+ |
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Rene Villeneuve , Montreal, Qc, Canada |
|
| 10/03/06 |
Positive
|
| My wife and I spent a week at Marco's condo in September, 2006. We found Cremona to be a lovely and friendly city from which to take day trips throughout Lombardy. The condo is perfectly situated within the center of Cremona, with easy access to a very good market and other convenient stores, especially the bakery below with its tantalizing aromas each morning. Although located adjacent to a busy street, the condo was very quiet. It was well equipped with modern fixtures and appliances, and we ate most dinners there. The bed was the most comfortable one we experienced in our three week stay in Italy. Marco's friendly parents keep the place spotless. We highly recommend this pleasant place for your next visit to Lombardy. |
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jeff schmidt, Excelsior, MN
952-473-5741 |
|
| 09/25/06 |
Positive
|
| This apartment was exactly what we were looking for...away from the congestion and tourists but still full of Italian hospitality and charm. It is in the middle of everything in the vibrant town of Cremona. Restaurants, cafes, gelatto, shopping, even the train station are within walking distance. Waking to the smell of fresh baked bread was wonderful. Since the bakery, cheese store, fruit stand, and grocery store are all within a block, you don't have to work very hard to make yourself a delicious picnic. The apartment itself is PERFECT: beautiful, comfortable, AND clean! We hope to return. |
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Kevin Eldridge/Yvonne Yao, Woodstock, IL (USA)
|
|
| 09/16/06 |
Positive
|
We spent three weeks in Due Coilonne in February/March 2006 and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Mr & Mrs Belluardo were helpful & friendly when we arrived and made us feel most welcome.
The apartment itself was spotlessly clean, is very well situated in the main shopping street of the centro storico and very near the cathedral and other historical sites.
Cremona itself is a very interesting town and it is very easy to get from there to other towns and cities in Lombardia. We are very happy to recommend the apartment |
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Michael & Helen McNamara, Brisbane, Australia |
|
| 08/02/06 |
Positive
|
| My husband 2 daughters and I had a very enjoyable stay in your apartment. Marco's parents were very gracious and the apartment clean, and cheerfully decorated. The air conditioning kept us cool in July and the washing machine was very convenient. Unfortunately we didn't discover the free parking area until after we got a parking ticket. (So for future guests take the advice of past guests and park at the free parking a short walk away on Via Mantova.) If we ever get a chance to return to Northern Italy again we would want to go back to the same apartment in Cremona for our stay. Thanks again! Kathleen M |
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Kathleen Mimnagh, WV, USA
|
|
| 07/29/06 |
Positive
|
Cremona was a revelation to us and "Due Colonne', the cherry on the top. Encapsulated within the city walls is all we have come to expect of an Italian visit: culture, art, architecture, fabulous food and shopping and all of this offered by wonderfully friendly people. And yet, it is far enough removed from the usual tourist beat to make one feel that you have stumbled upon a relatively undiscovered part of Italy.
The apartment delivered all that the web page promised and best of all in the sweltering heat of July was the air conditioning.
Thank you for a superb holiday. We hope to be back some time for a longer stay. |
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Jenny and Alan Hunt, Vancouver Island, BC, Canada |
|
| 07/02/06 |
Positive
|
Every comment is right on! A great apartment
in the heart of Cremona. Easy access to
everything in the city and walking distance to
the train station.....New, modern, and
comfortable....I loved the 3 weeks I spent
there, and would definitely book again on my
next visit to Cremona. Marco and his parents
are doing a great job as hosts to a
beautiful apartment and Cremona..... |
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Pam Aberle, Lodi, California
|
|
| 06/27/06 |
Positive
|
| This place is fanstic! I rented the apartment for two months to get away from busy city corporate life. It was more than I ever expected -- the place was spotless and the hospitality of Marco (and his family) made my stay hassle-free. Cremona is well connected by train lines so you don't need to worry about having a car and I was able to visit many little nearby towns, not to mention Milan, Bologna -- even Rome. I'd highly recommend this place to anyone who wants to experience what northern Italian living is really like. Bravo, Due Colonne! |
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Jill , London, UK
|
|
| 01/18/06 |
Positive
|
My wife and I spent nearly six weeks in
this apartment, and recommend both it and Cremona.
The city is rich in monuments, and with an excellent library and good bus services (plus train services to further afield). The apartment is well-equipped, well-heated, central, with a bakery on the ground floor and a supermarket 100 metres away.
Marco Belluardo-Crosby deals fairly, and answers his email promptly; his parents live in Cremona, and make one feel at home.
I am happy to try and answer any queries intending visitors may have.
|
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Michael Greenhalgh, Canberra, Australia
|
|
| 11/09/05 |
Positive
|
| We really enjoyed our stay in Cremona. The city is beautiful as is the the apartment. We walked everywhere with ease and the bakery below is wonderful! For those who drive: there is free parking several blocks away on Via Mantova, right beside the police station, so you don't have to deal with the metered parking. We visited many small town in the area as well as Venice and had a very memorable trip. Thanks again Marco to your Mom and Dad, who are very hospitable. |
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Kerry and Nancy Rhoads, Charlottesville, VA
|
|
| 11/07/05 |
Positive
|
This place is a hidden gem. I really wanted to protect it for myself and not write anything in here, so that no-one else gets to know about it! The apartment is really lovely, everything you could want is there. It is beautifully renovated to a high standard, it is clean and it is pretty. Centrally located for walking in Cremona, it is easy to get to all the sights in minutes. The restaurants and cafes, the architecture and the Cremonese people made it the holiday of a lifetime for us. It is also easy to get to. We flew into Milan Malpensa Airport, hired a car from Hertz (on line) and drove to Cremona without any difficulty at all. The roads are well-signed and easy to use. (I believe there is also a train service.)
We are planning to return next year.
Thank you, Marco, and thanks to your wonderful Parents also.
Joy |
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Joy, Massachusetts, USA |
|
| 10/20/05 |
N/A |
Guest Comment Entered By Homeowner:
This comment came to us in an email and the guest was unable to get to the internet to post her own comments:
"Hi Marco thank you so much, the apartment was fabulous we had such a great time exploring cremona and the lakes."
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Iris
U.K.
|
|
| 09/25/05 |
Positive
|
We spent a wonderful week . The apartment is well renovated, very confortable and ideally situated in the center of the city. Cremone has a lot of charm, a middlesized town with its own quiet rythm and well-preserved historical center. The spirit of the best violin makers of the world, Stadivarius, Guarneri and others lingers around, in the Palazio communale and in the numerous shops of "liutaii". You can enjoy a cool italian atmosphere, and stll be not far from Verona and Mantova, or from smaller but very interesting places, like Sabbioneta, a jewel of 16 th century architecture, and Busseto, home of Guiseppe Verdi (a visit of his farm estate in San Agata shows the maestro was a wise countryman and plunges you in mid-19th century life ).
JP. and N. Rogel
Montreal,Canada |
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JP Rogel, Montreal, Canada |
|
| 08/17/05 |
Positive
|
Dear Mark,
We had a fantastic time in Cremona, and your appartment was absolutely
great! We were very impressed with the high standard of finish, the beds
were VERY comfortable and the flat had everything we needed for our stay.
The bakery downstairs is a tremendous plus! It is such a luxury to get fresh
bread for breakfast every day. The supermarket round the corner is extremely
useful and the selection of fresh fruit available is awesome.
Cremona has a marvelous atmosphere - every evening we walked through the
pedestrian precincts to the piazzas and marvelled at the number of people
sitting in the street cafes in the warm night air. We too enjoyed the
experience of sitting till well after midnight in several roadside cafes
watching people passing along the narrow streets and through the piazzas.
The architecture is stunning and for the female members of the party, the
dress shops are very exciting.
Your mum was great. We certainly hope to return some time if we are
allowed.
Kind regards,
Marianne and Vic Beasley |
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Marianne Beasley, Scotland
0044 1383 852 874 |
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