Summer holiday - family reunion

[EDmummy]

Following on from the other poster about summer holidays - does anyone have suggestions for a great location for a family reunion outside the UK next August. Probably about 10-12 people needing 5 or 6 rooms. One of the party will want to drive there (but they also don't mind driving very long distances & catching ferries etc), the rest will go by plane and hire a car. We'd love somewhere hot with a pool and a preference for coastal (no Atlantic coast!!) but also will be on a tightish budget. Not so keen on France. Am I trying to find some impossible location?!

[new mother]

Sorry no ideas but cannot wait to see the answer. Am vicariously present at the event! have a wonderful time.

[lillyanginger]

EDmummy, Italy all the way!!! Start looking right now for lovely large houses slightly off the beaten track, fly into Rome, drive the rest of the way (very easy as Rome quite central). We love the area around Arezzo. Not terribly touristy we (and several friends) hire a (different) house with pool every summer and it has been lovely every time. We have booked through 'inter chalet.co.uk and tuscanynow.co.uk.

We found the largest choice of affordable property before Christmas.

Italy is a lovely location with (or without) kids.

[EDmummy]

Thanks lillyanginger. I definitely favour Italy but villa prices in August are incredibly high. Will check out the two sites you suggest.

[lillyanginger]

EDmummy, I agree with you. We usually managed to find something affordable early in the season. After Christmas the only places left were too expensive.

I also have a number of someone near Arezzo who rents out 3 large houses and if she rents them out without the agency, you may still get a discount. PM me if you want me to look fro the number.

Also, Umbria is cheaper than Tuscany...and so is Lazio...and some parts in Northern Italy. We went to Liguria in a 'condominio complex' - basically lots of small flats with a shared (MASSIVE!) pool. That was also ok and not too expensive.

You have to look for bedroom numbers though and not 'people', we have been to places where there were sofa(beds) in the kitchen and living room...not acceptable for what we wanted it for but perfectly normal in Italy.

I am sooo jealous!!! Must start thinking about our summer soon...

[rebeccaben]

Also try www.ownersdirect.co.uk. We rented villas in Cyprus and France from here and both were amazing and such good vslue as it is from, erm, the owner's direct...

This doesn't quite fit your brief as you said you weren't keen on France and it's not near the coast but we rented it this past summer with extended family and everyone LOVED it! http://www.ownersdirect.co.uk/france/fr5465.htm