Vesta Advantage

		How we serve you			How we respond to your concerns about renting a villa
		What sets us apart from our competitors, and how you benefit from it			What our customers say about us

You can count on our expertise. We offer you our knowledge of Italy and of our villas to help you and your traveling group find the best home for a wonderful vacation.

You can call us free of charge at 800–786–5760 or e–mail us at info@vestaitalianvillas.com or complete and send us an inquiry form.

You will get a prompt, personalized reply to your inquiry. In addition we offer special group tailored consultations.

We can schedule a personalized group phone conference with you, to answer all concerns and questions about your trip and give you a better feel for the villas you are considering for your stay. Extra materials and information responding to your requests will follow the phone conference. This service is free of charge.

If you live in the Philadelphia area we can schedule an in-home consultation with you and your traveling group, with an introduction to villa rental in Italy, a presentation of the area you would like to travel to, a slide show with plenty of photos of the properties you can consider for your stay. All your needs, wishes and questions will be addressed.

The in-home consultation has a $100 fee, which will be credited towards your villa rental if you book with us.

This is a complete chart of the services we offer you:

	Free Services for all:				Regular Services for our customers:				Premium Services for our customers:
	Useful links section: We constantly update these resources and tips for shopping, activities with kids, Italian food, cell phones and much more. This is an incredible source of knowledge at your fingertips to help you plan your Italy vacation!				Personalized villa consultation: Each inquiry receives full attention and a prompt reply. As soon as we get your request we start a dialogue to determine your needs, wishes and expectations. When we have some initial information we present you a personalized portfolio of villas you can start considering. We then work together from there to refine your villa selection and plan your trip.				Special interest vacations: Would you like to take extended bike rides near your villa every day? Do you want detailed information on hiking paths? Or do you wish to participate in an Italian city marathon? We can research any specific interest for you, provide you with all the necessary information and help you arrange your vacation. Put our knowledge base, inside resources and Italian language skills to work for you. This research and consultation service starts at $150.
	Interactive Italy section: If you want to get closer to Italian culture in a fun way, browse this section! You’ll find recipes, downloadable desktops, reading and movie suggestions and more.				Help with trip logistics: We are happy to help you figure out the logistics of your trip and provide you with suggestions on your itinerary, information on public transportation, ferry schedules, and airport connections. We can also help you rent a car at excellent rates.				Personalized itineraries: We offer plenty of free tourist information, day trip ideas, and tips about interesting sights off the beaten path for you to develop your itinerary. If you wish to have a complete, personalized itinerary done for you, with daily excursions planned according to your group’s needs and interests (sightseeing/art, nature, water activities, historical, etc), we will be happy to prepare one for you. The personalized itinerary service is $100.
	Newsletter: If you would like to receive our seasonal newsletter with insights about Italy, travel resources, villa news and more, e-mail us to subscribe.				Arranging extra services at your villa: Most of our villas offer extra services, such as a personal chef for dinner at the villa, cooking classes, maid service, shopping, art classes etc. We will be happy to let you know which services are available and will try to accommodate all requests. These services have an extra cost, which you will pay directly at the villa; we help you reserve these services and make special arrangements free of charge.				Other reservation services: Perhaps you don’t have time to make your own bookings, or prefer us to call Italy for you to reserve an opera ticket, a table at a special restaurant, a tour guide, or personal driver. We will be happy to help you with any reservation you might need. The booking service fee is $20 for any type of booking. Rome airport transfers reservations have a $5 fee.

Q: All villas look nice to me. How do I choose?

A: We’ve carefully selected each one of our villas to be unique and the best of its kind. Not all our villas are for everyone, but we’re sure to have the right one for you. Simply ask us and together we’ll be able to select an area which provides the most suitable activities and interests as well as the best villa to accommodate you.

Q: How do I know that what I see is what I really get?

A: We visit every single one of our villas periodically and inspect it. We know them intimately and can give you detailed descriptions of every part of the villa. Each villa has a photo gallery and you can click on the photos to enlarge them and see all the details. For most villas we can send you additional pictures, beyond the ones published on the website.

Q: Why are villa prices so different?

A: Each villa owner establishes his/her own prices and seasons. Some owners earn their living by renting their property; others simply wish to cover the taxes on a family villa they don’t want to part with. Check what is included in the price, right below the price chart: some properties have maid service or welcome dinners included and seem more expensive than they really are. A low price is not evidence of poor quality and a higher price generally includes some special service. We pride ourselves on offering excellent value at all our villas.

Q: How can I make sure I get a good deal?

A: We work directly with owners and customers and keep our overhead costs at a minimum, so we can offer truly outstanding villas at an excellent value. If there are special offers or promotions that apply to your request, we will tell you about them. For 4-week rentals we negotiate special prices for you with the owners. Your good deal also includes our high quality service, which is rare in the villa rental industry.

Q: How much does your advice and consultation cost?

A: Our expertise is included in the rental price of the villa, unless you are requesting a highly personalized service, like a custom itinerary or information about a special interest vacation (see service chart above). We will be happy to answer all your questions and give you all possible information to determine the best region for your stay and the most suitable villa for your group. Once you’ve booked we will give you a wealth of advice and tools to make your trip logistics a breeze and to plan a fantastic Italian stay.

Q: Can I just pick a villa myself? How do I know what I can do once there?

A: Sure you can pick your own villa. If you fell in love with a property on our website and know that this is where you want to go, you can trust your feelings. Each villa page includes a vicinity tab with information about the surrounding area and day trip options from the villa. And if you have additional specific questions, about the exact number of steps to access a property or about the pool depth, simply ask us.

Q: I’m in charge of organizing my family reunion and it is a nightmare to coordinate everybody’s whishes. Can you help?

A: We love family reunions and large gatherings: they are happy events and give everybody lasting memories to cherish and funny anecdotes, which become family legends! We will help you prioritize needs in your group and help you make sure that every generation has activities and interests to pursue. We will work together on transportation issues and provide you with organizing tools to keep track of your planning stages. At crucial points of your planning we can schedule personalized group phone conferences, to recap the situation and answer everybody’s latest questions.

Q: Will I be totally by myself at the villa I rent?

A: This depends on the property you rent. Some villas are totally independent, others have the owners living on the same estate or nearby, and others still have several units with grounds and pool shared by several guests. This is always explained on our web pages and we will mention it to you, to make sure it is what you want. Some travelers want absolute privacy and relax, others wish to meet an Italian family or make friends during their vacation.

No matter where you are staying, you will have the number of the owner or key holder, and of course our office number, in case of need. We will all do our best to help you in any situation. You should keep in mind, though, that there is no 24-hour help desk and that you are not on a guided tour; villa rental is for independent travelers.

Q: What if my plans change?

A: Our cancellation policy is pretty strict, as stated on the Booking Contract. The cost of the villa rental is non-refundable. We highly recommend you to purchase travel insurance and we can give you more information about this.

Some agencies offer cancellation policies and include the cost in the villa rental price. We decided to go for competitive prices and let you decide whether you wish to have your own travel insurance. Generally this is more convenient and travel insurances also cover other important matters, like medical insurance, travel delays, luggage loss, etc.

Q: What services are included in the rental price? Will I be charged any extras at the villa?

A: On the villa pages, below the price chart, we state what is included in the rental price, what is extra, and how much is the refundable security deposit. This information is repeated in your Booking Confirmation. If you wish to arrange for special extra services, like a dinner or maid service, we will arrange these services for you and let you know their cost ahead of time; you will then pay for the reserved extra services directly at the villa, as per your Villa Rental Voucher.

No “surprise extras“ will await you.

	Our difference				Your benefit
	We fuse American and Italian backgrounds. (Read About Us).				Your expectations are understood, and they will be met by the best possible Italian experience.
	We are a small company.				We know who you are when you call us. You are not just another customer.
	We dedicate more time to each customer.				You can count on personal attention and prompt service.
	We personally select and inspect our villas.				Your villa will be unique, authentic, and exactly as described.
	We work with a limited number of properties.				You can rest assured that our properties are the best and we know them really well.
	We have very close relationships with our villa owners.				All your special needs and requests will be accommodated as best as possible.
	We work with warm, welcoming owners.				You will be a guest more than a customer.
	We are native Italian speakers, or speak it fluently.				Your stay will be arranged for you clearly and directly. (If you need any other reservation made for you, you can take advantage of our premium reservation services.)
	We know Italy and Italian culture inside and out.				You get the best tourist information, transportation info, and insider’s tips. Ask us about museums, activities, cultural differences, and typical foods.
	We love to talk to travelers about Italy.				All your questions will be answered. No detail is too trivial if it matters to you. Even if you want to know whether Diet Caffeine Free Coke is sold in Italy. (It isn’t).
	We put a lot of thought and effort into designing and developing our website.				You can easily browse our villas and find the information you need.
	We have lots of pictures of our villas on the website.				You can browse large photo galleries. You can enlarge pictures to have a better look and see all the details.
	Our website clearly shows all costs and prices.				No guesswork or surprises.
	We don’t have a storefront or a printed catalogue. Our overhead costs are minimal.				You get better villas at lower prices.
	We don’t work through travel agencies or realtors. We don’t pay commissions.				You get the best rental prices.

What our customers say about us This is what our customers say about us:
	“Immediate email feedback to any and all questions, no matter how "trivial" the question! Great follow through.”   Vicki Z. Berghoff, CA “Vesta service is better than excellent!!! Emanuela has done so much more for us than would be "normal responsibility". I can't praise her enough.”   Alyse Laemmle, CA “You were extremely helpful and knowledgeable.”   Gannon, PA “All aspects of our relationship were positive. Very accommodating.”   F. Mancini, NY “Emanuela has been very prompt in responding to our requests for information. She is quite pleasant and very helpful.”   John A. Anderson, UT “We appreciated your personal opinions and assistance in helping us chose a location best suited for our family.”   Phil & Debbie, NC “We enjoyed sightseeing on the coast but, what I tell people the most is how relaxing our apartment was and that we were so glad to have booked it in the middle of the itinerary.”   Brenda Pascucci, PA “Thank you, Emanuela, for your extraordinary service and endless patience with my Grandmother's ridiculous volume of questions!!!”   Lela, CA “Since our initial inquiry regarding villas in Tuscany we've also received exceptional, personalized service from Emanuela. Her level of responsiveness and client service has been great from start to finish. We especially appreciated her recommendations and suggestions around travel logistics and meeting places for our party.”   Guy & Sarah Taylor, NJ “Thank you for all your help in making our trip so wonderful.”   J. Downing, CA

Contact Us by    1-800-786-5760 or    e-mail