Villa Todari

We stayed at Villa Todari in May and it was such an amazing place. The house has been so beautiful restored and sensitively modernised by owner. All required functionality but also lovingly curated art making it feel very welcoming. The setting is wonderful, though the road is rough to get down what greats you is a field of olive trees, roses and stunning views. The kids loved the pool and eating outside in the sun. The owner is a very caring host, even supplying soap made from his olives. Could not recommend more highly.

Great location outside of Rome (about 1 hour) - cooler up in the hills but beautiful. The house is lovely - was perfect for our disabled family member who needed single level access. The kitchen is great and the outside spaces are perfect. Could not recommend more highly. Simone is the perfect host and helped us so much with a variety of things.

Simone was a friendly and extremely helpful host, with excellent English.

We were a family of 5 adults and the villa was perfect for us. The villa is beautifully appointed and has wonderful views and is set in the heart of the countryside. The owner was extremely helpful with his suggestions of places to visit and restaurants to try. You must have a car as the villa is down a long unmade road and about a mile from the nearest shop/village.

We were a group of 6 adults who spent 7 nights at the Villa Todari in mid-June 2018.
I booked through Oliver’s Travels and was very satisfied with the booking process and all aspects of the service offered by this agency.
I based my choice of villa on the photos on Oliver’s Travel’s website, and on the accompanying description of the property. My only initial concern was that the villa was quite close to Rome (50-60 minutes’ drive), and I was seeking a thoroughly restful and rural setting for these 7 days. I also wanted to be within striking distance of some of the famous hill-top towns and villages of Umbria.
I need not have been concerned. Firstly, its proximity to Rome was an advantage as by the time I collected our hire car, the fact that I only had an hour’s drive ahead of me was a huge relief. The same was true in reverse. Traveling between the villa and Rome was a breeze. And it was no trouble getting to other towns in Umbria. We went to Assisi one day, Orvieto another and on a more prosaic note, there’s a very good supermarket about 10-15 minutes’ drive from the house.
Secondly, the property could not have been more peaceful and idyllic. Photos don’t always entirely do justice to a place, and in this case my expectations were surpassed in every respect. The setting was superb. The views in every direction were enchanting; an olive grove in the foreground, surrounded by mature trees, a stunning view of two hill-top villages in the middle distance, and a gorgeous heavily-wooded mountain-scape as a backdrop.
All of us loved the house itself. It was once a farmhouse and a grain-store (I think), all very tastefully and sensitively converted and restored. It was full of charm and character, but never twee. The kitchen was fantastic, very well equipped, and perfect as a setting for dinners and lunches as it had seating for 8-10 people. We also ate as much as possible on the terrace, which is shaded by a grape vine and wisteria and has great views in every direction.
The bedrooms are extremely comfortable, decorated with restrained and impeccable taste, all with generously-sized and attractive modern bathrooms. The two main bedrooms open out onto the garden and below, the pool area. I loved the garden and pool because it was unfussy, private, and alive with birdlife. In fact that was the only noise one ever heard. The sense of seclusion, tranquillity and privacy was almost palpable.
Lastly, the host was utterly charming, as was his family, whom we met briefly as we departed. Our host made contact several days before our arrival date. He speaks excellent English so communication was easy. He met us in the village and led us down the road which would indeed have been difficult to find otherwise. It is narrow and tree-lined, and you feel truly off the beaten track. But in fact you’re only a few minutes’ drive or 5-10 minutes’ walk from the nearest village. He also made sure there was a bottle of prosecco and some snacks already in the house for our arrival, so that we didn’t have to leave immediately to get provisions. He generously told us to help ourselves to the vegetables in the small kitchen garden. We did take advantage of the offer.
All in all a fabulous time was had over the 7 days. I would definitely rent the house again next year if I didn’t live on the other side of the world.