Category Archives: 1. Early Planning Stage

6 Reasons to Rent a Villa in 2017

26 Thursday Jan 2017

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dsc_0206Planning a trip to Europe, but not sure about renting a villa vs. staying in a hotel?

Here are 6 reasons you should rent a villa in 2017:

  1. When it comes to accommodations, a villa rental offers the greatest return on your travel dollar.

2. Spend less per person, per night than what you’d spend in a hotel…

and you get a fully-equipped, self-catering private home plus outdoor areas for dining and lounging.

Did we mention a kitchen? Your villa offers everything you need to prepare memorable, affordable meals at home.

But that’s not all…

img_18613. We’re talking views, Old World charm, scenic settings, and swimming pools, to boot.

OK, now let’s face it:

4. The true value of a villa vacation lies in the unique experience of living in Europe like a local.img_2336

5. Renting a home-away-from-home affords the opportunity to shop at weekly open air markets, rub elbows with neighbors over morning coffee at the village café, and savor life at a slower pace. tot_2980

6. Combine this with the priceless opportunity to unplug and reconnect with loved ones in a beautiful European setting…

and you have the trip of a lifetime.3_tot_783

Renting a Villa – The Costs

10 Sunday Feb 2013

Posted by in 1. Early Planning Stage, 4. While at your villa, Picking a Villa, The Costs, Villa or Hotel?

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LaCappelladell'Alfina

Even if you have rented a villa in the past, you probably have questions about costs and how they might compare to a hotel stay. Here are some points to consider:

Price Ranges

One of the many things that sets villa rentals apart from hotels stays is the savings for groups. The more people staying in a property, the greater the savings per person. Average mid-level price ranges for small rentals (2 people/1 bedroom) are $1,000-$2500 per week. A medium-size rental (4-6 people/2-3 bedrooms) is $2500-$4000 per week. A large rental (8+ people/4+ bedrooms) is $4,000-$8000 per week, depending on the quality of the property and the season.

Seasons

The weekly rental price of a countryside villa varies according to season.  However, the rental prices of city apartments may not fluctuate as much.  Although the price/season breakdowns vary according to property, here is a general guide:

  • High season is generally July and August (although, June and September are sometimes included), the three Christmas weeks, and the two Easter weeks. During these periods, prices are highest and crowds are largest.
  • Mid-season, or shoulder season, is generally June and September. This is a good time to travel because the weather is warm, but not yet hot.
  • Low-mid-season, or low-shoulder season, is generally late April through May, and again in late September to late October. This is a good time to travel, thanks to milder weather, fewer tourists, and lower prices.
  • Low season is generally January to the end of April (except during Easter), and late October to Christmas. Prices are at their lowest during this period, though conversely, due to cold weather, heating costs (which are usually extra) must be factored in. See below for more details on heating.

What’s Included

With very few exceptions, all linens and bath towels are included in the rental price. In some cases, utilities (such as gas and electricity, but excluding air-conditioning and heating) are included in the price.

What’s NOT Included

With some exceptions, air-conditioning, heating, gas, and electricity are metered according to consumption and are not included in the rental price. This is because energy costs in Europe are much higher than in the United States. In particular, the laws governing the use of heating are restrictive in the interest of energy conservation. For example, in Italy heating is generally only allowed from the 1st of November until the 1st of April, although this can vary. If your property has a working fireplace, it will be stated in the description whether you need to request and pay for firewood.

Most of our properties are privately owned, so the provisions in the house will vary according to owner. Some villas are well-stocked with basics such as salt & pepper, dish soap, bath soap, paper towels, and toilet paper, while others provide the bare minimum. It’s always a good idea to pack a few small spices, and then plan to stop at a grocery store en route to your villa on Saturday (since smaller stores are usually closed on Sunday).

A Final Cleaning fee applies to most of our villas. This amount covers the cost of cleaning following your departure. Usually, this amount, in addition to any stated extra charges not included in the rental rate, is deducted from the security deposit (paid in Euros upon arrival), which is returned to you upon departure. The total amount of both the security deposit and the final cleaning fee will be specified at the time of booking.

What Savings Can I Expect?

Unlike hotel rooms, all properties are equipped with a furnished kitchen and amenities such as a stove and/or oven and refrigerator. This makes it possible to store groceries and prepare meals both simple and elaborate, therefore eliminating the added expense and hassle of eating out for three meals a day! Calculate that this also includes incidentals, like snacks and drinks. Imagine the pleasure of enjoying a good bottle of wine and local meats and cheeses on your private terrace at the end of a long day of sightseeing! While of course a similar experience could be had at a local bar or café, you’d pay twice the amount (even three times in a touristy locale), and there would be no gorgeous vista or sunset to admire—let alone privacy and space.

If you’re traveling with children, the convenience factor of a villa is extremely appealing. Not only do you have the ease of a kitchen for quick, inexpensive meal preparation and snack storage, but you have the added bonus of ample room for young ones to run around and expend some of that boundless kid energy. Villa rentals provide a degree of flexibility that hotel rooms do not! In this case you may not save a calculable amount, but you certainly gain peace of mind and sanity–which, as only a parent knows, are priceless.

Italy’s Blue Flag Beaches

08 Tuesday Mar 2011

Posted by in Top Picks

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The Blue Flag is an eco-label awarded to the cleanest, safest beaches with good environmental track records. Owned and run by the non-profit organization Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), the Blue Flag campaign supports sustainable development at beaches and marinas, monitoring standards in water quality, education, environmental management, and public safety in 41 countries across Europe.

Here are some of our favorite Italian award-winning beaches and marinas in Tuscany (Forte dei Marmi, Pietrasanta, and Viareggio) and Campania (Positano)…plus villa picks nearby:

Tuscany – Blue Flag Beaches in Forte dei Marmi, Pietrasanta, and Viareggio

About the area: If you avoid the August crowds, Forte dei Marmi (or simply “Forte”) is a fashionable, low-profile beach town with a beautiful Blue Flag beach and enticing shops located approximately 1.5 hours NW of Florence. It’s chic, but understated. The beach is accessible via bathing clubs; Alaide and Capri are family-run. Bike rentals are available at Cicli Maggi, a bike shop founded in 1916. It’s a pleasurable spin to nearby Pietrasanta (the medieval town; 3 km inland) and Marina di Pietrasanta (the port), where you can sample renowned biscotti at Fortini and visit marble sculptors’ studios. Viareggio, also a Blue Flag award-winner in 2010, is the main center on the northern Italian riviera. Although very crowded in August (like all beaches in Italy!), it has a beautiful port and historic center, as well as convenient train service to all of Italy’s major cities. Here, sample one of our favorite Versilian specialities: cecina, a chickpea pancake.

Villa picks in Tuscany:

Casa Pietrasanta offers a lush countryside setting with easy access to Pietrasanta (3 km), Forte dei Marmi (10 km), and Viareggio (12 km). It sleeps 6-7, has a swimming pool, and is furnished in an elegant, rustic style.

Tuscany villa with views of Versilian coastline.

Villa Maria is a spacious villa for 6-8 people with pool 3 km from the beach in Viareggio, 13 km to Forte Marmi, and 9 km to Pietrasanta. It’s also 1 km from the village of Piano di Mommio, which offers a good selection of services, and is only 20 km from the beautiful walled city of Lucca.

Campania – Blue Flag Beaches in Positano

About the area: Positano is one of the jewels of the Amalfi Coast. It’s an unbelievably picturesque fishing village and has a Blue Flag beach (Spiaggia Grande; pebbled) and port. There are many charming outdoor cafés and narrow, cobbled alleys and endless staircases to meander. Typical fare highlights all types of seafood and local produce such as lemons, peppers, and tomatoes. Don’t miss the anchovies with mint and garlic! Other popular beaches include Fornilla, La Porta, and Arienzo. There’s also an incredible trail that starts in the mountains above Positano called Il Sentiero degli Dei (Trail of the Gods). It follows a high ridge and ends in Vietri sul Mare, east of Positano.

Villa Picks in Campania:

Brezza di Mare is a charming one-bedroom villa in the village of Montepertuso—a 10-minute shuttle bus ride to Positano. It has a large, private terrace with views of the sea.

Positano villa with views of the sea.

Casa Luna is a 2-bedroom apartment within walking distance of Positano. It has a garden terrace, fragrant with jasmine, that overlooks the sea and village.

Finding the right flight: Part 2

21 Monday Feb 2011

Posted by in Airfare

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When it comes to searching online for airfare to Europe, it’s tough to know where to begin in an ever-expanding sea of travel sites. Here, in part 2 of our 2-part guide to finding the right flight online, we cover the best resources:

First stop: Matrix. This is ITA Software’s public airfare search engine, and it also happens to power many popular travel sites and airlines’ reservation systems. What you can’t do with Matrix: Purchase tickets directly. What you can do: Download a mobile airfare shopping app for iPhone or Android called OnTheFly. Use an interactive calendar to explore date ranges. Refer to color-coded time bars to compare flights at a glance.

Like Matrix, Fly.com, Kayak.com, and Bing.com are so-called metasearch engines. This means you can enter your search criteria in one place and simultaneously get results indexed from multiple engines. These sites are highly efficient, but again, you can’t book tickets directly. Here’s how the three sites are different:

—Fly.com indexes just flights: its data comes from airlines and major travel sites (including discount and international flights, online travel agencies, and airfare consolidators).
—Kayak.com also indexes flights—plus hotels, car rentals, and vacation packages.
—Bing.com is slightly different in that it’s an actual search engine, or “decision engine”, in Microsoft’s words. Its travel search tool, Bing Travel, includes the cool bonus of offering price predictions for each fare (Is the fare likely to go up or down?)

Cheapoair.com functions similarly to the other metasearch travel engines in that results are culled from multiple data resources and reservation systems, but it’s a one-stop shop: Tickets can be booked directly though Cheapoair.com, either online or by phone, 24/7. Its also a full-service travel agency, with deals on hotels, vacation packages, car rentals, and airport parking.

Momondo.com is a great bet for finding cheap airfare to and within Europe. This Denmark-based aggregator indexes more than 450 travel sites—including major booking engines, airlines, and discount European airlines (an inexpensive choice if you don’t mind making a connection and possibly paying additional baggage fees). It also features city guides and a traveler blog.

Yapta.com will actually help you to pinpoint the best time to book by tracking fluctuating prices, and even better, enable you to take advantage of many U.S. airlines’ “guaranteed airfare policies”. According to this policy, if the price of flight you’ve already booked goes down, you may be eligible for a refund. Yapta will track the price of a flight you’ve booked, and alert you if it drops below the purchase price. Word to the wise: Refunds apply only if you book directly through the airline!

Along similar lines there’s Airfarewatchdog.com. What makes this site unique is its staff of dedicated “Dealhounds” (yes, real people!) who are literally sniffing out the fare sales for you. You pick your home airport, and then Airfarewatchdog.com will email you when prices go up or down.

Also worth a mention is InsideTrip.com. It’s an airfare search engine, but it’s unique because each itinerary is awarded a TripQuality score based on 12 criteria: security wait time; legroom; aircraft type; aircraft age; historical load factor; connect time; routing quality; lost bags rank; and gate location. In addition, it provide a FinalAirfare calculation—an estimate of bag and drink fees prior to departure.

Finally, if all of this just sounds like way too much work, consider Tripology.com. This is a free service that puts you in touch with certified Travel Specialists: By submitting a Trip Request online you’ll receive up to 3 Customized Trip Itineraries; you then select the one you want and book your trip.

Photo courtesy AMagill @ Flickr

Finding the right flight: Part 1

08 Tuesday Feb 2011

Posted by in Airfare

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Find the right flight!

Securing the perfect villa for your desired dates is just one piece of the travel puzzle: Now you need to find a flight. Here’s part one of a two-part guide to help you book the right flight online:

Let’s start with basics. Is your priority cost or convenience? Here’s a scenario to consider: I’m renting a villa in the Chianti in June for two weeks with two small children. To minimize parental headaches, I’m flying direct. I’ve booked a Delta flight serviced by AlItalia from LAX to Rome’s Fiumicino. From there, I’ll rent a car and drive to Tuscany (3.5 hours).

Now let’s say the kids are staying home with grandma. In that case I might find a more competitive rate by flying a carrier such as Lufthansa into Munich, a large, user friendly international airport with complete services, and then booking a connecting flight to Rome on a local discount airline such as Meridiana, Air Italy, EasyJet, or Blu-Express. One note of caution here: Baggage restrictions on smaller airlines are often tighter than those on major carriers; be sure to check weight limits and/or baggage charges on individual carriers’ sites before you purchase! You may even want to think about traveling with just a carry on, if possible. For alternative transportation there’s the train—a convenient, relaxing, and certainly less expensive option. According to RailEurope I could take the City Night Line, for example: The train leaves Munich at 9:00 PM…and arrives in Rome at 9:00 AM the next morning. Not too shabby!

Before you get down to searching, here’s a few more helpful tips:

—Should you pounce on tickets in February if, say, you’re not traveling until September? Depends. It might sound like a no-brainer, but it’s important to consider that the cheapest seats sell out first. Waiting until the last minute isn’t necessarily going to save money, especially in those last 2 weeks prior to your departure (when prices tend to be inflated). On the other hand, by buying far in advance you may miss eventual price drops. A good rule of thumb is to book 1-5 months in advance of your departure date for best price and selection. You’ll also find the best fares during business hours—when most people are online.

—Is there a cheaper day of the week to fly? Yes. According to Rick Seaney, CEO of farecompare.com, traveling on weekdays to Europe is cheaper than weekends (FYI: Wednesday is your day to save if you’re flying domestic).

—Consider the high and low European tourist seasons. Peak periods, such as summer (late May – late August) are generally more expensive. Late October to mid-March is considered the winter season and is typically more affordable; same goes for late March to mid-May (though Easter week may see some spikes). Fall (mid-September to late October) is also low season.

—Flexibility is key! If you’ve got wiggle room on your dates or arrival/departure airport, you can find the best deals.

Photo courtesy of xlibber @ Flickr

So you want a villa… now what?

09 Monday Feb 2009

Posted by in 1. Early Planning Stage, First Steps

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Organizing a villa vacation is a challenge — and a lot of fun! Thorough pre-trip research can make the difference between a good trip and a truly great adventure. As you begin to think about villas, here are some points to consider.  

Step 1: Budget
Do you want luxurious amenities, or are you looking for something simple? Consider how much time you’ll spend in your property each day. If you intend to make regular day trips, then basic accommodations may be sufficient. If, on the other hand, you plan to spend your days relaxing by the pool, selecting a property with additional amenities and comforts is important. Narrowing down your price range will also help.

Step 2: Season
July and August are high season in Europe, and they are the warmest months. In August, most of Europe is also on vacation! This means beaches and lakes are crowded and cities are full of tourists. Transportation, accommodations, and food are the most expensive. May, June, September and October are better months to enjoy the European countryside. The weather is generally good (not too hot), the locals are in town, and the crowds have thinned. Late fall, winter and early spring are great times to visit cities, as prices are at their lowest.

Step 3: Location
What type of location most perks your interest? Think about what activities you want to do on your vacation. Read by the pool? Visit museums and historical sites? Wander through local markets? Swim in the sea or a lake? Once you’ve targeted a location that offers opportunities for your desired activities, make sure the weather is going to cooperate. For example, you probably don’t want to golf in southern Spain during August (too hot!), just as you probably don’t want to sunbathe in April or early May (too cool!). If you need some help in this area, consider giving one of our travel advisors a call.

Step 4: Size
Do you need one bedroom or ten? If your group is large, would you like a freestanding house or independent apartments? Knowing the needs of your group will help you to select the best venue for your adventure together.

Step 5: Prioritize
Make a list of the attributes most important to you with regard to a property rental — window screens, beautiful views, privacy, proximity to local attractions, etc. Now go back and mark five items that are most important to you. This is what you want to focus on! Also put together a few questions you want to ask about each property. Is it accessible to main sightseeing locations? Is it close enough to a small town to allow me to get groceries without having to drive for 30 minutes?

Step 6: Get Help from Professionals!
Once you have an idea what you’re looking for, give us a ring at  1-800-726-6702. We’ll go to work doing what we do best — coming up with a list of properties that will “tickle your fancy!”

Choosing the Right Villa Rental Agency

09 Monday Feb 2009

Posted by in 1. Early Planning Stage, Which Villa Rental Agency?

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Have you decided to rent a villa? Congratulations!

Now comes the next step: choosing a villa rental agency. You have your choice of companies, as well the option to rent directly from a villa owner. Here are some points to keep in mind when embarking on the search for a villa.

Owner-Direct vs. Agency

Many property owners choose to work directly with the customer and you’ll find many personal web sites devoted to showcasing their homes. The upside to renting from the owner is that you, the customer, avoids agency fees and can communicate directly. The downside to owner-direct rentals is that often, a home’s shortcomings get overlooked since the owner has so much invested in his/her property. Agencies can be more objective and implement quality control measures. In addition, owner-direct transactions most likely occur via email only; due to language barriers and time zone differences, picking up the phone to speak to an owner about small details related to your rental is not a simple proposition.

Not all Agencies are Created Equal

When you select a rental company, consider the following points:

  • How long has the company been in business?
  • Do they have firsthand, personal knowledge of their properties?
  • Are they readily accessible via phone and email?
  • Do property descriptions include detailed info?
  • Can you view property availability with an online calendar?
  • Are there comments or reviews from previous renters?

What Makes RentVillas Different

  1. Rentvillas.com was one of the first villa rental companies in the US. We’ve been in business since 1984.
  2. Rentvillas.com offers a free Travel Advisor service. Call 1-800-726-6702 or 1-805-880-1228 during business hours (8:30 AM t0 5:30 PM PST) and you’ll be assigned a personal Travel Advisor who will assist you with all aspects of the trip planning process. Our world-traveled, multilingual staff members are an excellent resource for ideas about where to stay and what to do when you’re there.
  3. Our villas an apartments are all high quality, company-inspected properties. We write the descriptions and add the photos for each and every villa or apartment on our site. Many vacation rental sites allow owners (or anyone else) to post their properties online and then leave it up to you to find out the real truth. RentVillas.com is different. We want you to know the truth before you go!
  4. We publish our previous renters’ candid reviews so that you know what they liked most and least about their stays. We accept reviews only from our clients. You don’t have to worry about property owners posting their own “reviews.”
  5. Rentvillas.com offer a Best Price Guarantee: If you find one of our properties listed on another site for less, let us know and we’ll match the price and credit your 90 USD for your effort.

How Does it Work?

RentVillas.com features convenient real-time availability and booking for many properties. You can browse by country and instantly organize properties based on your dates and desired price with the Quick Filter. Once you’ve selected properties that meet your criteria, store your choices in your personal Suitcase. Via your Suitcase you can request a hold, confirm your booking, and make payments.

Don’t want to browse? One of our complimentary Travel Advisors would love to chat. She’ll ask a few questions and recommend properties based on your specific needs. Just give us a ring: 1-800-726-6702.

We’re Human!

01 Thursday Jan 2009

Posted by in Which Villa Rental Agency?

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…At least, according to Josh Bernoff of Forrester Research! Just before Christmas, he posted an article on his blog entitled “Rentvillas.com shows how to be a human.” He writes:

josh-bernoff“I am a Rentvillas customer. Traveling to another country where everything is different — the power outlets, the language, the time they eat lunch — is scary and intimidating, especially if you vacation with your children. In this frame of mind, I found Rentvillas four years ago, when planning a trip to France. I used them again for my trip to Italy this September. And I have to say, this is a company that acts like a human, and treats me like a human, in ways that surprised and pleased me.”

If you’d like a bit of an inside peek at how RentVillas.com operates “behind the scenes,” check out the article here.

Which villa is right for me?

07 Friday Nov 2008

Posted by in 1. Early Planning Stage, Picking a Villa

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If you don’t know what you’re looking for, picking “THE” villa can be a nerve-wracking experience. In essence, it will be the foundation of your trip, so picking a property you’ll be happy with is important! But how do you know, when you’ve never been there? 

Answering the following questions will help order your thoughts and give focus to your search. 

1. Setting

What do you see when you imagine yourself stepping out the front door of your villa? Are you surrounded by rolling vineyards, a verdant forest, or craggy sea cliffs? If more than one setting would make you happy, that’s fine! It will give your travel advisor some flexibility when he or she is recommending villas you might like. 

2. Surrounding area 

What do you want to find in the area nearby your villa? Some visitors want easy access to a grocery store; others want to be miles from nowhere. Perhaps you’d like a leisurely walk into town or down to the beach. Or maybe you want to be in the center of all the action? 

3. Transportation

How do you expect to get around the area? Are you comfortable driving a car, or will you be using public transportation?

4. Activities

Beyond sightseeing, what activities would you like to arrange? Do you want to go hiking, biking, or horseback riding? Or maybe you prefer to eat at a different fine restaurant every night and visit local wineries. 

5. Accessability

Does anyone in your party have physical limitations? This is a very important point – not just with regard to obvious physical disabilities, but also general fitness. The Amalfi Coast, for example, is nearly verticle, and visitors must be prepared to climb many steps every day. 

5. Room Assignments

Consider your companions. Would some people be willing to share a bathroom, or does each couple need their own en suite? Are there any teenagers who might be content on a sofa bed? 

6. Amenities

Are there certain items you just can’t live with out? For example, a dishwasher or a washing machine? Also think about which areas of the house are most important. Will your group want to have a big kitchen where they can all have cooking lessons together? Or maybe you want to spend your afternoons around a nice big pool. 

Having at least a few of these questions answered before you talk to a travel advisor will speed up the process considerably. Finally, remember to ask the other members of your group for input! You want a villa rental everyone can enjoy.

Is Renting a Villa Right for Me?

07 Friday Nov 2008

Posted by in 1. Early Planning Stage, Villa or Hotel?

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Renting a villa allows you to experience a culture from the inside out, but it’s not for everyone. As you weigh the villa vs. hotel option, here are some things to keep in mind:

1. Busy vs. Relaxed

When you travel, do you try to visit as many places as possible and see everything you can? Or do you prefer to travel at a more leisurely pace, taking in the countryside, absorbing the culture, and reserving time for R&R?

Villas are a good fit for people who subscribe to the “slow travel” philosophy– where the objective is to “live” versus “stay” in a location. Most properties rent on a weekly basis, which means your villa will act as the base for your explorations– a familiar place to return to each afternoon. Many villas have pools and gardens where you can relax and wind down. You’ll be able to shop locally and prepare meals at home. This doesn’t necessarily mean you won’t see all the major attractions, too, but it does likely mean that they will be a little lower on your priority list. Instead of spending a week in a central Florence hotel, you may, for example, take the train in for just one or two days.

2. Group vs. Couple

Villa renting is a fantastic option for a group of any size. Rather than being boxed into individual hotel rooms, a villa gives a group room to congregate as well as find personal space for downtime. In a hotel you might have to gather in one room, or meet in the lobby– whereas in a villa you’ll have a furnished living room. The kids can run around outside, and if you want a sit-down family meal you can do that, too. Another plus: The bigger the group, the lower the cost per person!

A villa or apartment can also be a good choice for a couple. If you’re traveling alone or with one other person, the price for a one-bedroom rental is probably going to be comparable to a hotel. However, unless it’s a studio, rental apartments will still have a living room and a kitchen, giving you more space and flexibility.

3. Cultural Experience vs. Convenience

Part of the attraction of renting a villa (or an apartment) is the cultural experience it offers. If your villa is located, for example, in the Tuscan countryside, you’ll find yourself happening upon wineries and hill towns that you may not find in any guidebook. You’ll also be able to shop local markets for fresh fruit and vegetables; not only is this fun to do, it saves you money! It’s definitely not an experience you can get while staying in a hotel. Do remember, however, that you’ll be interacting with locals rather than businesses that cater to tourists, so be prepared to pull out your English-Italian dictionary or put your pantomime skills to the test!

Villa renting requires an independent spirit. While sometimes you’ll find a book of restaurant and activity suggestions provided by the owner, it’s really up to you to plan your itinerary and orient yourself. If you’re the type of traveler who prefers a tour guide, or wants someone else to worry about the details, then a hotel might likely be a better fit.

Hotels do have one major convenience that villas don’t: a front desk. At RentVillas.com, you’ll be paired with an expert Travel Advisor, and you’ll be met by a keyholder or owner at the property– but in most cases nobody will be on call 24/7. If the washing machine stops working at 10 PM, you’ll have to wait until morning to call someone. And if it’s broken, it might be a day or so before it’s fixed. Most of the time these things don’t happen, but occasionally, they do!

But think about this: How many hotel rooms have a washing machine? Or a kitchen? Or a garden? And how many amazing cultural experiences happen because you got lost or because you had to ask the neighbor for help? Yes, having a concierge to answer every question and fix every problem is convenient, but it also eliminates an element of surprise and exploration!

As you can see, making the villa vs. hotel choice depends a lot on your personality and what kind of travel you prefer. In general, villa renters tend to be open-minded, adventurous people with an appreciation for good food, good wine, and good company. Are you among them?