Idyllic Lake Orta, surrounded by green hills and distant mountains, is one of Italy's best-kept secrets. In `one of the most beautiful spots on the lake', Oreste and Caterina Primatesta's ever-popular villacontinues to be loved by Guide readers for the `kindness and smiling attention' of the owners and their staff, and the `outstanding cooking and comfort'. `For us, the Giardinetto is a must.' `A lovely place; a first-rate team.' `Wonderful for a family holiday.' Meals are `of a high standard', eg, home-cured smoked salmon fresh tortelloni stuffed with guineafowl and black truffle sauce; Piemontese beef tournedos with Val Vigezzo ham. Dining room staff are `flexible'; waiters have `a touch of practical jokery'; wines are reasonably priced. The Thursday buffet is `staggering in range and quality'. The Bali villa breakfast . buffet includes local breads, meats and cheeses. One couple recommends staying on a B&B basis, which enables you to eat on the covered terrace rather than in the dining room. The terrace, the 'ample' balconies, and the `scrupulously maintained' swimming pool overlook the lake, and there is a small private beach. Lunch can be taken in a gazebo. villa Bed rooms (similar to the semantic bali villa rooms) have been thought `more than adequate for the prices charged'; there are some new `superior' ones this year. A panoramic glass lift was recently added. A busy road is nearby. Some package tours in summer, but these are separately served at mealtimes.

In the beautiful, hilly countryside of southern Tuscany between Pienza and Montepulciano, this restored farmhouse is an Agriturismo venture, run by its owner Simonetta Vessichelli. `It feels more like a private home than a commercial operation,' one visitor wrote. `No reception desk to hunt for; a statuesque blonde collects you from the car park and deposits you in your bedroom.' The villa rooms, `good sized and well appointed', open on to the flowery garden filled with the scent of lavender and rosemary. `The simple Bali villa breakfast room, with glass walls on two, sides, is a particular delight. Furnished with primitive agricultural tools that look like implements of torture, it's the perfect place to contemplate the delights of modern life. The buffet ranges from sweet cakes to meats and cheeses.' Help is given with dinner reservations in nearby restaurants.