Charming Apartment Inside Ancient Walls!

We had a lovely time in Lucca. Massimo and his mother Rina made life very easy for us with a warm welcome and wine, biscuits coffee etc to start our stay smoothly.The apartment had everything that you might need, was very comfortable and had excellent wifi. The location was fantastic with easy access to everything inside and outside the wall. This is a lovely apartment in a beautiful and interesting town. We are very happy to recommend this apartment.

We (2 adults and 1 toddler) stayed in this lovely apartment for 10 days. - It is located inside the walls. - Restaurants, markets, playground (great for the little ones), bike rentals, are just steps away. There's a coin laundry 3 blocks from the apartment. (about 15 euros total for washing and drying). - The train station is about a 15 minute walk (walking with a 3 year old). - 1 bedroom apmt, good-size living/dinning area. Small, but convenient kitchen, which allow for pretty much any type of meal to be cooked. - The owner and his mother are extremely accomodating. My phone was not working, so we had to exchange several emails before renting the apartment. The owner was extremely patient. The owner's mother, Rina, is a lovely lady and a great hostess. They left us wine, drinks, bread, jam and other things...which was very thoughtful of them. - We had an issue with a broken key stock in the front door's lock. When I contacted the owner, he responded immediately and the issue was taken care of right away. - The apartment is best suited for a max of 4 people, otherwise it may feel crowded. - 1 Flight of stairs.

Apartment was very clean and neat. Suitable for a couple and 3 at a pinch. We had a guest for 3 days who slept on the pull out divan in the kitchen/living area and the owners were most helpful in providing extra bedding etc at a small fee. The position was good being close to Porta ELISA for walking along the wall and a wonderful restaurant with the best food in town "Da Nonna Clara". We had a car so parked (free) outside the wall in a suburban street about a ten minute walk away. We drove in close to the apartment and dropped our luggage off on arrival. There is only one flight of stairs to the first floor apartment so no hardship getting up and down to the apartment. There is little natural light in the kitchen living area due to only having one small window and there are no views from any window - so if you want to look out to a view or like sitting in the fresh air you'll have to do this in a park or on the wall. The bathroom is also cramped. The price was very reasonable and I think it was good value for the money. Massimo's mother was very helpful and charming when we needed assistance.

This apartment is charming, comfortable, well-equipped, and in a fantastic location for exploring Lucca. It was perfect for our needs, and exactly as described. Massimo couldn’t have been a more gracious host. We had a few issues with our trip (completely unrelated to the apartment) and he was extremely responsive and helpful as we sorted things out. Simone (Massimo’s brother) met us when we arrived in Lucca and showed us to the apartment, gave us some basic instructions, and provided us with his recommendations for restaurants and coffee shops that aren’t standard tourist venues (which we very much prefer). The map provided in the apartment became an essential tool as we explored the city. While we didn’t cook in the apartment on this trip, it would have been easy to do because the kitchen is very well equipped, and there are plenty of shops nearby where you can buy food and local products. We especially appreciated that all the basics were there – dish soap, hand soap, coffee, sugar, oil & vinegar, etc. We have stayed in apartments before that didn’t provide even these basic supplies – when people travel from outside of the area (and especially from outside the country), they don’t want to immediately have to go shopping; not to mention that having to shop for all these basics can become expensive – and then what do you do with whatever is left over? It’s a thoughtful gesture and greatly appreciated. The WiFi worked perfectly, and we did not use the television (why would you want to when you have such a beautiful city to explore!), but I expect it also works just fine. Bottom line, we loved this apartment with all its old-world charm, it was immaculately clean and comfortable, and very well located. When we return to Lucca we really hope to stay again! I highly recommend staying here. A big thanks to Massimo and Simone!

We stayed here for 4 nights and were very pleased. The location is excellent for a visit to the ancient city center within the walls and an easy walk from the train station which is nearby outside the walls. The apartment is as described; clean, well equipped, private, and relatively quiet. WiFi worked fine, cell service is spotty but workable. Didn't use the TV. The appliances and fixtures we used were all functional. The building itself is quite old so of course it has some funky aspects to the plumbing, electrical, etc. but if you are not expecting that with an apartment rental in an old city like Lucca, stay at a Holiday Inn or book a cruise. Massimo, the owner, responded promptly to our inquiries. He was pleasant and helpful. His brother Simone met us at the apartment to check us in, helped with our luggage, and showed us how to work the locks, appliances, etc. as well as providing info on laundromats, groceries, and restaurants. He also responded promptly when we contacted him for some shopping advice, and took the time to send us info on interesting local events. We would recommend this property to our friends. While we often ate at the apartment, there are a multitude of places to dine out. We liked Nonna Clara's, right up the street to the West. As far as things to see, you could stay here for weeks if you appreciate the exquisite artistry and craftsmanship of Italy's historic churches, streets, and buildings. There are many cultural events in Lucca and of course lots of shopping and tourism oriented activities. Easy access to the train station makes this a good location for side trips.

We rented this apartment during the off season. We stayed there from November, 2011 through March, 2012. In fact, we moved out just two days before the person who posted the 2 star review entitled Cute Apartment, Shame about the Owner. Since that person knew this family for a few days, and we had the pleasure of knowing them for 6 months, we felt we had to respond. First of all, we stayed for six months in this apartment and never saw so much as a spider. It is meticulously maintained by the owners, who are very caring and empathetic individuals. If there was a bug in the bed, we would have to agree with Massimo that the bug flew in when the balcony doors were open. Or perhaps they were hitch-hikers with the couple that arrived and complained about the bugs. In any event, please be assured that you will find comfortable, clean accommodations when you stay here. Also, during our six-month stay, we had a guest for a few days who slept in the pull-out couch and found it to be quite comfortable. She got a good night's sleep every night, so we can't imagine why there would be any complaints about sleeping on the pull-out couch. Finally, you can tell that this family cared enough to bend over backwards to try to accommodate this tenant's complaints. In our experience, most landlords would give you a refund and leave you to make your own arrangements in a strange city. This family personally escorted them to a more expensive lodging and paid the difference in the rate for the complaining tenants. What more could they possibly have done? We love Lucca, we love this apartment and its wonderful location, and most of all,we love this family who treated us like their own family. We could not give any higher recommendation. If you want to see Lucca, this is the place to stay!

This is such a charming flat. As you can see from the photos (which are accurate) the decor has a lovely old-world Italian feel to it and we found it scrupulously clean and tidy. There's a TV, DVD player, air-conditioning & wifi. The kitchen is fitted out very well - you will find everything you need to cook proper meals, as we did. The bathroom was small but very clean with a good shower. The location is right in the old town of Lucca, with easy access to the sights within the walls. Also easily accessible by bus from the train station (bus stop just round the corner). Also very walkable (without heavy bags) in around 15-20 mins. We were on a strict budget and we found this apartment to be good value for money for Tuscany. The owner was very helpful and prompt to reply by email. We would recommend to friends and family who are visiting Tuscany. Lucca is a great place to stay too. You can easily get to Florence & Pisa by train and it a beautiful old town with v impressive town walls. I would recommend riding around the walls on a bike - renting bikes for an hour or two is ridiculously cheap and there's a place nearby. If you want to escape the tourists you can also take the train up into the hills to quiet picturesque villages like Borgo a Mozzano & Castelnuovo di Garfagnana.

I enjoyed my stay at Il Giardino, you can easily arrive there by foot from the train station, it's near the wall and the two main squares, in a quiet neighborhood. Nearby is a water fountain, San Gervasio gate, the Fossi (canal), the Botanical Garden. Every morning the sun streams into the rooms and you can hear an Italian family laughing their way through breakfast. Downstairs is a lovely bar/café/restaurant (Vispa Teresa) the couple are so charming and they will make you feel right at home. The owner, Massimo, prefers to be paid the balance of the apartment in cash. I'm not sure how well the AC or TV really worked, it seemed like there were only 3 channels on the TV which was fine for me, but if you want more TV be sure to ask Massimo if there are more than 3 channels. The Wifi stopped working briefly but I was able to get it working again after a simple reboot. As far as the AC, make sure to have Massimo show you how it works- I was not able to figure this out. The apartment is spotless and well equipped. Apartment kitchen is ok to cook in but I recommend eating out, there are several great options nearby -Nonna Clara's in Piazza Parigi and L'Antica Drogheria for pizza were great.

We enjoyed our stay (one week) very much. The apartment was comfortable, and the location was exceptional. Steps away from bike rental, Elise portal, and the Botanical Garden. Owner made himself constantly available by email to answer any questions. No complaints. Would recommend.

We had booked 6 nights in this cute little apartment near Port Elise. It is small, clean and in a great location. The owners lovely mother met us and showed us around. Massimo had failed to be clear about the parking situation. Yes, free parking is available but from 6.30 pm to 8 am. This did not suit us but there was noting to be done. He should have made things much clearer. Anyway, moving along. We spent a nice first night. We awoke the next morning to find a small insect crawling in the bed. I didn't give it too much thought. went to bed on the second night, straight to sleep - was woken 30 mins later with more insects crawling on me. We called Massimo who tried very hard to make out that the insects must have flown in from an open window whilst the place was being cleaned the day before. He wouldn't listen to what we were saying. He said he took his responsibilty seriously but was prepared to do nothing at all until the next day. There was no way we were sleeping in that bed. Finally after some very heated conversation Massimo's brother Simone turned up - it was after midnight by then. He was calm, helpful and very understanding. He went back to his place and brought some fresh linen to make up the couch bed a it was too late to organize another place to stay. He was reassuring and kind. we spent a difficult night on the couch bed. The next day we went to Firenze for a booked trip to the Ufizzi and waited to hear from Massimo about what was going to happen - he didn't contact us until late in the afternoon. We were being moved to another apartment. Massimo's mother and father escorted us once we'd packed all our gear. The new flat was superior to il giardino but on the other side of town. Whilst we were happy that we had someplace to stay over Easter we would have appreciated an apology from Massimo and a refund for at least one night. We understand that these things occur and were patient and grateful with Massimo's family, we felt that Massimo was immature, lacked hospitality and service. A difficult situation was handled less than satisfactorily. It was left to his family to deal with the problem with grace and sense.

A wonderful pretty apartment, exactly as pictured and described, if not better. Very central, VERY clean and cool during a hot summer week in Lucca. Of the 5 aparments we stayed in for our month long trip to Europe, Il GIardino was by far the best value. Best suited for 2 people, or 4 with kids under 12 yrs old.

We had the pleasure of renting this lovely apartment in the beautiful city of Lucca. Massimo and his brother Simone were very helpful and responded to all our inquiries very quickly. Simone met us at the apartment with a bottle of wine, a bottle of water and a bowl of delicious strawberries. It was a real treat after such a long trip. The apartment was spotless, quiet and well maintained. We had no problems with any of the appliances or fixtures during our visit. The listing photos are accurate but we agree that the bedroom and living/kitchen area are bigger than what you would expect from the photos. The bathroom is narrow, but it had everything we needed (and we didn't spend much time in there anyway). The location is excellent. We didn't have a car but didn't need one. The train station is an easy 15 minute walk away, as is the main bus station, and there are two grocery stores within easy walking distance (about 10-15 minutes). There are many shops in the area and the beautiful wall is also nearby. We would recommend this apartment to our friends and family and would certainly stay there again. Thank you again Massimo and Simone.

We spent the last week in October here in our 10 weekly VRBOs tour of Europe and would put this stay as the absolute average.The location description was accurate-you will be inside the walls of Lucca in a perfect location for all needs. The listing description was not accurate--no dishwasher just drying rack. No washing machine-walk to the laundromat. The photos did not reveal the smallness and close positioning of the bathroom fixtures nor the nice size of the bedroom and living room.The apartment was SPOTLESS,furniture okay,mattress okay,linens okay,limited kitchen pots/pans, just salt and pepper provided. Maintenance not good-the heat/hotwater system broke on Sunday am and it was Monday afternoon before we had it fixed.The owner spoke no English but her two adult sons could and were delightful in help and recs. It was not an expensive rental so I would strongly rec. this property to those that I know that are on on a budget.