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Testimonials

What people say about us…

Chris and Deb Everard – Owners

“A simple, friendly email exchange set up our 1st visit (‘The Inspection Trip’) to Le Marche, Montefiore dell’Aso and Estate Giacomo Leopardi in June 2011.

After quite a long drive we met with the engaging and relaxed India. We had a restorative drink in the beautiful village of Montefiore dell’Aso sitting over a scenic valley with patchwork hills and the Adriatic in the background. It felt like a scene from an arty sub-titled Italian film circa 1955, peaceful but with a sense of hidden purpose and a thousand untold stories.

A short three minute drive took us to Estate Giacomo Leopardi and Casa Giacomo. The quality of design, workmanship, thought and attention to simple, yet essential detail was everywhere to see. It felt instantly homely, cool and embracing. The rooms linked, the living areas beckoned and the ambiance cried out ‘you’re going to have happy times here’.

The grounds, pool, recessed outdoor fire area, the tennis court, vineyard and olive grove all just worked so well. Space and privacy – room for friends and family to relax and enjoy.

Later that week the nitty gritty discussions took place with Michael over contract terms, articles of association and payment details. The work done around these areas was of very high quality, well worded and logically set out. It was impressive.

The commitment to purchase was made about 3 weeks later. The delay was to allow time for research and comparison to alternatives, return on investment and reflection on the whole ethos of fractional ownership. Looking back now, there was very little uncertainty. Just a lot of excitement!

When we arrived for our first stay the house was warm, the fires had full log baskets, the beds were made, and there were towels in every bathroom. Dawn had so kindly shopped for bread, cheese, butter and milk – (I’m sure there was more but I’m a bloke). The welcome we received from Dawn and Michael was genuine, kind and very helpful. Full of excitement for our first real visit they spent true time with us both immediately and throughout the week making our experience so much more than it could have been. Our stay was a mixture of finding our way around, sighting seeing, visiting markets, and drives in the incredible Sibillini Mountains. Some friends came over mid-week and fell in love with the house, the area and the way of life – true converts. Meals in restaurants, meeting new friends, watching the stars and sampling the local cheese, bread and of course wine. We relaxed so quickly that time seemed to stand still then, BANG the week had gone.

We have already booked for January and we are now counting the sleeps until we return.

So far, one of the best decisions of our lives!“

Peter & Anita – Owners

“Our first week at Casa Giacomo was all that we hoped for, and more!

This is a lovely and genuinely friendly part of Italy and Casa Giacomo and its surroundings give a feeling of spaciousness and freedom ………………. and at the end of a perfect stay we just locked the door and drove away, confident that Casa Giacomo will be well looked after until we next return. We can’t wait to return.”

Paul Holmes and Nina Kapur – Owners

“As lovers of everything Italian, we spent a month’s travelling the length of the country from Tuscany down to Puglia looking for a place to buy. But no region ticked all the boxes. We had bypassed Le Marche on that trip but went out last year, having read an article on the area and fell in love with both the house and the region. It has the beauty of the rolling hills of Tuscany without the tourists, beautiful beaches within 10 minutes and fantastic food at a fraction of the price of other areas of Italy.

Fractional Ownership made sense to us because we have been able to buy a share in a luxury 4 bedroom property with pool and tennis court for the price of a 1 bedroom flat. We didn’t want to buy a wreck that we would have had to spend all our time doing up as we will realistically only go out 4 or 5 times a year. We know that everything will be taken care of in our absence – it is also good to know that we can rent the house out if we don’t use all our weeks and that ultimately, we have bought into an appreciating asset.

Initially, it was crucial for us to meet and get on with Michael and Dawn, to understand their vision for the property and to be able to ask as many questions as possible. We also needed to come away from that first meeting confident that we could trust Michael and Dawn and that we weren’t dealing with a faceless corporation but amicable and like-minded individuals who are passionate about the concept. We did not just buy a property, we bought a lifestyle.”

Chris and Deb Everard – Owners

“Heaven on earth, one of the best decisions we ever made.”

Evan and Patti Julber – Owners of fractionalexchange.com

“A warm thank you for the wonderful hospitality and great memories during our recent stay.

Our week spent at Casa Giacomo was the absolute highlight of our first trip to Italy.

Casa Giacomo is a warm and inviting home, perfectly situated for experiencing the region. We loved awaking each morning to the incredible ocean and mountain views. We enjoyed our breakfasts and lunches on the patio or besides the pool.

The home is perfectly furnished with great mix of local Italian antiques and comfortable furnishings. We very much appreciated the extra touches, especially the luxurious bed linens and comfortable towels.

Thank you for including us in the olive harvest. Travel is all about experiencing something new and for us, helping pick olives and witnessing the pressing and production of the resulting olive oil was an amazing experience. We would have never experienced this had we stayed at a resort.

From walks on the beach to our hike in the nearby Sibillini Mountains, Le Marche was a joy to experience. The seaside restaurants were excellent, and we loved the fresh seafood, excellent local wines and superb flavours of gelato. Each and every meal was perfect – not an easy thing for most travellers to say.

Our days were spent exploring nearby cities and towns, walking the cobblestone streets and visiting cosy cafes for cappuccino breaks. We felt immersed during our stay, as opposed to just passing through. And for our family, that makes for a great experience.
It was exciting to see the careful renovation of the original Italian farmhouse on the property, Casa Leopardi. The combination of traditional, coupled with modern fixtures and furnishings promises to be as inviting a property as Casa Giacomo.”

Lorenzo and Sarah - Owners

“Recently my husband said he would organise our holiday; the children and I were under the impression we were off to a beach apartment in Le Marche. When we arrived at a gorgeous Italian estate in the hills and were met by the friendly Michael Hobbs, I was extremely confused! The boys ran out to the tennis courts and the swimming pool whilst Michael offered to show us around the house, handing over the keys to my husband and offering his congratulations. As Michael left he met the boys who asked: “is this your house?” to be told “no, it’s yours!”

My husband confirmed that Casa Giacomo was ours and I was in complete shock. I still cannot fully believe it now; it is like a dream, one I never thought would come true. The property is everything I could ask for and decorated in such a homely way – it actually mirrors that of my home in London. The property, and this incredible gift from my husband, has completely taken my breath away.”

James Mason - Owner

“I thought my wife would love the property and that I didn’t have a Christmas present for her I ended up securing the property before she’d seen it. An extra part of the present was paying for her and three friends to go over a spend a week end out there

As predicted she really loved the week end.”

Renate, September 2010

“I came, I saw, I fell in love with the beautiful house and its serene gardens.”

David, Natalie, Hollie and Harry - Owners

“Thank you for making our stay so wonderful. Everyone had a great time. Hollie has loved the pool; Harry enjoys playing in the sand at Cupra Marittima and eating pasta. Natalie has enjoyed the weather and I have finally got Hollie onto a tennis court. Can’t wait till our next visit.”

Jan and Norman, October 2010

“Our introduction to Italy has been truly wonderful! The hilltop towns are quite amazing and full of hidden gems’!! The house, pool, beaches and views are all stunning and you could not fail to ‘recharge’ your batteries here!!”

Bobby, Linda, Jacob and Alexander, July 2010

“We have had a wonderful time in our new favourite part of Italy. Thanks for the kind recommendations and the stunning winery visit.”

Dy, Tom, Amber, Holly and Ross August 2010

“We had a wonderful stay in the house, breath-taking views and great dining out. You have done a great job, the interior is amazing, lots of lovely beaches and very homely.”