Frascati holiday villa: Monte Porzio Catone

I don't think I can express how wonderful our stay at Casale Sonnino was but I will do my best.

I will say that going in we had pretty high expectations based on the information that the owner provided. We were blown away by how much better it was than advertised. From the moment we arrived we were treated to first class service by a staff that truly seems to love what they do. The staff prepared coffee for us each morning along with setting out the breakfast items we had purchased. They even prepared a hot breakfast for us on a couple of mornings. Another huge plus was the fact that they did our laundry for us on a daily basis.

The property was beautifully maintained, the surrounding vineyards and olive groves were wonderful and it truly gave the feeling that we were italians for the week. We had a large group of ten and the accomodations were well suited for that size group. We enjoyed all of our morning and evening meals outside under a vine covered pergola that sat between the house and the vineyards. The owner had cautioned us in advance that the proximity of the property to the highway might pose some traffic noise issues. I know that all of us slept with the windows open and the traffic noise was never a concern.

The general format for our stay consisted of day trips to Rome, Positano, Pompeii, etc. The location of the property was ideally suited for this. We rented 2 cars and found that we had no problem getting around. Also, the property is in close proximity to 2 train stations that make getting to Rome an easy 25 minute ride.

I can't say enough good things about Casale Sonnino and would highly recommend a stay there.

It is hardly possible to put in words all the wonderful things about Casale Sonnino. Your stay will certainly be beyond your expectations and I can only recommend that any traveler to the Rome area leap at the opportunity to bring this beautiful home, its loving family and caretakers and the many inevitable memories and exciting experiences into their lives.

We stayed at the Casale for 1 week in May 2008 with a group of close friends and family (7) and a 6 month old baby. For all my research to find the best lodging which could accommodate our group the casale seemed a beautiful and practical choice: plenty of beds/baths, close to transportation to Rome for sightseeing, quiet and pristine for relaxation, english speaking hosts, close to grocery and other shopping, etc...many practical reasons that the casale provides travelers a comfortable and convenient accommodation for both a quite getaway as well as exciting Rome experiences.

But the casale quickly exceeded any of our expectations. The photos do little justice to just how beautiful the farmhouse is and the breathtaking beauty of the surrounding area. We rented cars and Geppe met us at the airport and lead us safely thru Rome and to Monte Porzio Catone where the casle is located. He gave us a personal tour of Frascati on our first day of arrival and he and George prepared a delicious welcome dinner for our first night. We could not have felt more safe and welcome to Italy. The casale and its grape & rose covered arbor were so relaxing we found ourselves struggling to pull away to travel into Rome. Although we had planned to tour historic Rome daily we often chose instead to sip wine in the arbor or spend long days in Frascati and the Castelli Romani hill towns. Can you believe we only ate out a few times the entire week? We loved the local food so much that we cooked at the casale and then spent the cool nights in front of the large fireplace together. Every member of our group still longingly reminisces about our time together at Casale Sonnino and keeps the carved words from the mantle in heart - "We shall return".

Our advice to future guests: take the tour of the casale's caves, spend a day in Frascati, Monte Porzio & Tivoli, get to know the hosts, walk to the end of the rose arbor and down the stairs to the sitting garden, rent a car, buy the pesto at Frascati's grocery store, let Elvira wash your cloths and make morning coffee (wow!), don't forget Rome, ENJOY EVERYTHING!

We decided to stay here because it was close to Rome and yet out in the countryside. (We actually went into Rome twice with the local train. There is also a highway nearby which takes you right to Rome.)
Another reason we chose it was it seemed to have plenty of space for our 3 kids. The house was spacious with various nooks and crannies ideal for children. Additionally, the property was as large as advertised - our kids could roam about outside without us having to get worried - with there beinga few extra buildings in the proerty for them to explore.
The description is accurate of the property and the house was clean and well maintained. Its a very traditional house with thick walls keeping the house cool in the sumemr and cozy in the winter. The living room area was huge and they even had a MAC connected to a synthsizer so we could play music.
We took the owner up on finding us someone to cook for the one night, and that worked out well. Anything extra or special we would have wanted, we felt like they would have accomodated us.
The town nearby was a little too quiet but cute.

Highly recommend this place especially for those with children. Beats living in a hotel!