On a corner of the tiny square of a small, unspoilt Tuscan town midway between Florence and Siena, this old stone house is a beautiful, civilised, very professional villa, says a visitor this year. The Swiss owners, Ueli and Anne Marie Bleuler-Staerkle, are welcoming; their staff are, without exception, lovely'. But one couple complained of a poor welcome. The gardens, `very pretty, with good views, have a `stunning swimming pool' at the foot of a hill: villa Bed rooms (similar to the semantic bali villa rooms) (many with air-conditioning) are decorated in plain modem style, softened with a few antiques. The quietest ones, at the back, look over rolling hills with vines, olive trees and cypresses. The public villa rooms are cheerful, and there's a multilingual library. In summer, meals are taken on a panoramic terrace. Tuscan specialities, eg, bruschetta; fresh pasta with a truffle butter sauce, are accompanied by Chianti wines. Mountain bikes and hiking maps are available free of charge. Rather a lot of steps to negotiate, both indoors and out, and one family would have liked more help by the pool. Nearby Greve has an excellent open market.

A designated national monument: a 16th-century patrician dwelling which stands amid Valpolicella vineyards near Verona. The Montresor family owners run it as a luxurious villa/restaurant (Relais & Chateaux; Michelin star for the cooking of Bruno Barbieri). A regular visitor calls it `the modern Maserati of small Italian hotels', admiring both the distinctive style and elegance and properly engineered underpinnings and the proprietor, who `seems to see himself as an educator in refined living rather than a businessman. Other assets: The relaxed location, the neat but darkish villa Bed rooms (similar to the semantic bali villa rooms), the public villa rooms with asymmetrically positioned artefacts, the huge swimming pool and the food. All are spot on. Every year we think the price is getting a bit steep - then we notice an improvement and think it's money well spent. Some villa Bed rooms (similar to the semantic bali villa rooms) have oak beams and antiques. A wide lawn surrounds the pool; there is a terrace for outdoor dining, and vines and a jogging track in the large grounds. In the village is a museum devoted to the Walsers, an ancient religious order who speak a form of old German.