The stunning views over the mountains and villages are breath taking and Casa Barile has been restored and equipped so beautifully in traditional Italian style and you will not miss out on any of life's creature comforts. This is so much more than a regular holiday house - you will be beautifully set up for a life-long love affair with Italy! The house and barn are cleverly joined together at first floor level where there is a terrace accessible via the kitchen from the main Casa and from the sitting room of the Barn. This means that 2 or 3 families, or groups of friends, have plenty of room to themselves yet can enjoy al fresco living together. It also means that a family can also holiday with other guests whilst everyone retains some privacy and space.
The main Casa is on 3 levels with two of the three bedrooms (a master double and a twin) at the top and third double (or twin) bedroom and shower room in the converted cantina. The master double bedroom on the top floor is a fantastic room with a large double bed, en-suite shower room with under-floor heating, and fabulous views over the countryside. There is a door out onto a balcony which overlooks the terrace below. Opposite the master bedroom is a spacious bathroom, also with under-floor heating, with bath (shower over), loo, bidet and basin. The twin bedroom has views from the side and overlooks the swimming pool and the mountains beyond.The middle floor consists of a large kitchen/dining room and a cosy sitting room. The kitchen is fabulously equipped with almost everything that you would have at home including a dishwasher, large fridge/freezer, fan oven, 5 ring gas hob, microwave and a table that seats 12. There is also a TV in the kitchen. Double doors lead out onto a terracotta tiled terrace which is the link with the Barn. This terrace is a fantastic place to eat, chat and play! The sitting room on this level is cosy and has a wood burning stove, comfy sofa and chairs and TV/DVD. Down a further flight of stairs from the hallway is the third bedroom. This is an ideal hideaway for either a set of grandparents or for another couple or for older children. The bedroom itself is quite small but perfectly comfortable and has a large wardrobe. The location of this room means that it is probably the coolest place in the house in summer! The shower room is just inside the games room next door. There is even a small study area and internet connection on this level, if work cannot be left behind at home. The Wi-Fi allows for a more pleasant working environment. The games room on this ground floor level is a large room and has both a table tennis table and table football - an ideal venue for inter-house football and ping-pong tournaments! There are a couple of sofas here for supporting fans. A 'secret' corridor leads from the games room, past a utility room with a washing machine and a basin into the bedroom level of the connected barn. It is in the Barn that you will see how cleverly and sensitively this has been restored. The vernacular for agricultural buildings in this area is to use terracotta tiles (or mandolati) arranged in such a way that they let in enough air to allow the hay to dry. Of course there is no hay in the building today but the mandolati have been conserved. The tiles allow almost an entire wall to be open to the view, the light and the fresh air. Two sets of glass doors allow you to close off the outside world should you want to. The Barn, just across the terracotta terrace of the main house, is as lovely as the main house itself and enjoys the same views. It is on two levels and has two bedrooms below the living room. The main double bedroom has a comfortable bed, plenty of storage and a roomy en-suite shower. In line with building tradition in this area, corner rooms have two windows facing in two different directions so it is light, airy and of course the shutters make for an excellent night's sleep! The en-suite shower room has a good shower, loo, bidet and basin. Next door is the twin bedroom which has two windows overlooking the main view and is very comfortable. Down here there is a large bathroom (again with under-floor heating), a bath (shower over), basin, loo and bidet.At first floor level there is a front door leading in from the terraces and the terraced and garden areas at the back of the house. This leads directly onto the landing which has a loo and a basin as well as stairs down to the bedrooms and the link corridor. The sitting room has the amazing mandolati which give the sitting room a great sense of history. The sitting room is very comfortable and has large sofas and chairs for an adult evening in front of the TV, watching DVDs or playing Scrabble, cards, or other types of games between the house and barn. There is also a comfortable desk and WiFi can be received here. Double doors lead out of the sitting room onto the spectacular terrace between the two houses. This is the most amazing place to relax, eat and drink food and wine from the local area. The open plan kitchen/dining room is well equipped with an oven, gas hob, fridge/freezer, dishwasher, microwave and of course views from the sink over the valley below. A large table seats 8 and is the perfect place for a quiet breakfast. Casa Barile has a lot of outdoor space!
Special mention must be given to the pool, with surrounding fence, which not only has magnificent views but also has many features that make it fab to use (the pool is useable from June to the end of September). The pool also has solar panels for heat and a grey liner which is able to absorb the heat rather than reflect it as a normal blue pool would. Pool towels are also provided. There are grab rails around the whole of the pool, as well as a step that goes the whole way round the pool in order to give early swimmers the security of feeling 'land' underfoot. The seven wide, shallow steps at the pool entrance work well as a paddling area for less confident swimmers. There is also a shower by the pool to wash off before going back into the house. The pool can also be lit at night for anyone wanting to enjoy an evening swim.
