| Date | Rating | Comment
[Guest Comments: 5 positive, 0 negative]
|
| 04/13/09 |
Positive
|
| In agreement with all the other posts here, we very much enjoyed our stay on Ischia. The house and the island were both lovely. Our young children spent hours entertaining themselves in the gardens. There were more bedrooms and space than our group of four adults and four children ever needed. The house is loaded with charm, including art and old books galore, and comes with Pietro, the house manager, a true treasure. Pietro's warmth, help and fabulous white wine were important parts of our time at the villa. We did not rent a car, but used the island buses extensively with an occasional taxi. The bus stop is just a few houses away. We left the island to visit Herculeum and Paestum, but otherwise hiked and explored Ischia, eating our way from one end of the island to the other very happily. |
| |
E. Pierce, Katonah, NY
|
|
| 10/03/08 |
Positive
|
There are many positive comments on this site about Villa Beatrice and I can only smile in agreement. They are all true. Our family has visited Ischia and Villa Beatrice 4 times beginning in 2002, and we are planning to go again next year. There are 10 of us from different households, and we’ve found Villa Beatrice a perfect setting for the family to relax, reconnect, and relish in the beauty of the island and the villa.
The villa, with its different levels, rooms, alcoves, terraces, and balconies provides so many options for places to just be. I was often drawn to the main terrace early in the morning with its view of the bay and the castle. Usually Pietro is around, always unobtrusive, doing chores or caring for the grounds quietly, until he appears with fresh ripe figs, or other fruit from nearby, or warm pastries from a local bakery. He is a gem. Warm, kind, and helpful in every way one could imagine. Once he contacted a cousin of his to help us retrieve a suit we had left in a hotel in Naples! He shares his delicious home made wine, helps with information about Ischia and dinner arrangements, and in his welcoming way always makes everyone feel completely at home.
We love the island, especially days spent at the Negombo spa, and exploring, shopping, and eating in many of the towns that hug the coasts. But some of our best memories are of being at the villa. The pool is state-of-the-art and the grounds and view are just stunning. Pietro can arrange dinner at the villa, and coming home from the beach to find dinner set up on the terrace is a dream. The many courses are always superb and Pietro serves them graciously. We sit there for hours, long after the sun goes down, enjoying Pietro’s wine and special desserts.
I can assure you, you will not be disappointed with a visit to Villa Beatrice and Ischia.
|
| |
Joanne Eichel, New York, NY |
|
| 02/08/07 |
Positive
|
My journey to Ischia began with a well-timed connecting flight from Paris to Naples. The bus to the port picks up passengers at the airport and makes 2 stops, first at Piazza Garibaldi and finally at the port. Within 30 minutes of leaving the airport I had found the next ferry to Ischia . For a first-timer like myself the trip was practically seamless.
My stay at Villa Beatrice was beyond extraordinary. Imagine waking up every morning with fresh air and cool breezes coming through the open doors of the private terrace just outside the bedroom.
Fresh pastries, still warm from the baker’s over, and home-made espresso accompanied me on the patio for my morning inhalation of the visual eclipse created by sitting in solitude on an island praised by Homer and still inhabited by the mythological Typhoon.
Villa Bea, as she sits in complete privacy perched atop a mountainous flank in the region of Fiaiano, facilitates breathtaking views of the ocean, the surrounding islands, the bay of Naples and Mt. Vesuvius, which still puffs clouds of white smoke like a Union Pacific steam locomotive.
Upon first arriving to the Villa I felt as though I were a wealthy Roman escaping the pressure and stress of the busy urban world.
Each bedroom remains with a generous dose of old-world charm, while strategically incorporating new-world amenities. Each room is uniquely decorated with original furnishings, decorative items and artwork. The kitchen is fully modernized and suited for inventing your own Italian feast. Since a large supermarket is located a short three-minute walk from the Villa, I had the joy of being able to cook dishes with local and fresh meat and produce.
Each level of the Villa has access to the beautiful gardens and lounging areas that comprise the property. Many of the bedrooms have outdoor access or private balconies. Adjoining the Master Suite on the third level is a marvelous outdoor terrace that leads to the luxurious in-ground pool adorned with its own mystical Fountain of Poseidon. On a still afternoon the water appears to be nothing more than a giant mirror imbedded in the land and reflecting the plush surroundings further exemplifying the intense serenity the Villa upholds.
Pietro, who is the Villa’s groundskeeper, is also her defacto Mayor. Though his English is limited he has had many years of experience in practical communication. On my first night I arrived later in the evening and he still took the time to welcome me, give a tour of the premises and provide excellent recommendations for a late-night supper at a nearby restaurant. In addition, he surprised me with daily deliveries of astounding white wine from his personal vineyard; a warm-hearted gesture that exemplified Italian hospitality.
After my stay at Villa Beatrice I couldn’t help to believe and further insist that I should not leave, for I felt truly at home.
|
| |
Nilsa Duran, New York, NY
|
|
| 02/06/07 |
Positive
|
| I had a fabulous experience at Villa Beatrice last fall. Ischia is just a ferry ride from Naples and public transportation on the island is thorough and convenient. The Villa is gigantic. Countless bedrooms, a huge entertaining area leading out to a spacious patio with a priceless view of Ischia Ponte and the bay of Naples. Although we did visit Naples and Pompei, there is no need to leave this charming island: lots of beaches and wonderful restaurants. The villa is located internally on the island so we got a great tast of the local culture and friendly neighbors who gave us a personal tour of the island. My favorite part of the visit was Pietro. He calls himself the Embassador of Villa Beatrice. We were introduced upon our arrival at the ferry station. He drove us to the Villa to drop our bags and then to his favorite restaraunt Bella Vista. He arrived every morning with pastries and oranges grown at the villa. As He made us our morning espresso in the kitchen, he shared with us the history of the island and convenient, fun day trips that we would have never have known about without the insight of a true Ischian. Before we left Pietro brought us wine he had harvested and bottled himself. Unbelievable Experience! |
| |
Michael, New York City |
|
| 10/06/05 |
Positive
|
| We were guests at Villa Beatrice in late September 2002 with a group of friends. We had one of the best holidays we’ve ever had and are returning again in June 2006. Villa Beatrice never failed to captivate us with its special qualities: whether its private and peaceful hillside site with a sweeping view of the Bay of Naples and Mount Vesuvius, the elegant and tasteful rooms, the pool (I understand now re-built with ample proportions), the library fit for an Oxford don, the gardens, and of course the addictive food and wine. Pietro was a charming host having picked us up from the ferry for the ten minute ride to the villa and prepared many memorable meals. Neighbors invited us to help harvest grapes for their wine which we happily accepted and enjoyed. Since it was our first visit to Ischia we had many new places to explore. We discovered Ischia to be ideally sized and offered many varied villages and landscapes. We particularly liked the hike up to the top of the ancient volcano Mount Epomeo to be rewarded with a cafe at the summit, and others enjoyed mud baths at several of the thermal spas. The late British composer William Walton’s “La Mortella” gardens are exceptional, especially after lunch at a waterfront restaurant in picturesque Lacco Ameno. Ischia and Villa Beatrice are rare places. We can’t wait to return. |
| |
Henry & Harriet Clark, New York, NY |
|