I know that it’s been a hard winter for many of you, and that the weather has been grim – so perhaps now is the best time to remind you that summer is not far away! Certainly here in Italy we will be expecting to be eating lunch outdoors within a couple of months – not every day perhaps, but we normally expect March to be sunny and warm - though not swimming pool warm. The weather here has been a little strange – with temperatures of -4 degrees on the 21st December, and a high of +22 degrees on Christmas Eve – just 4 days later!

But one thing you can be sure of is that there are many lovely hot, sunny days to come.

2010 is set to be an exciting year at Santo Stefano. August has been fully booked since the second week in October, which is a record for us. Without a doubt, we could have filled that month twice over, and we can only apologise to some of our previous clients who thought that rebooking in September was early enough.

The good news is that for those of you with children of school age, there are still a couple of weeks in July available. Contact us for current availability.

It’s hard to believe that in just a few months the oleanders will be in full flower, and the rose arches will be covered. For those of you who dream solely of lazing by the pool, the weather here in central Italy can be hot from May to September – perfect for those without the restrictions of school holidays. Santo Stefano is becoming increasingly popular as a wonderful location for groups of friends whose children have already flown the nest.

Not everybody wants to just lie by the pool, though. For some, a holiday in Le Marche is an opportunity to explore the local area and discover some of the lovely little tavernas, wonderful food shops, and delightful hill top towns. We will happily organise wine tours, gourmet treats, cookery classes or visits to some of the unique and beautiful sites of Le Marche. Just let us know what your interests are, and we will get back to you with ideas.

Discover more about what Le Marche has to offer.

For several years, we have provided our guests with Jo Malone toiletries. We love Jo Malone, but it's not very Italian! Also, much as the Lime, Basil and Mandarin fragrance is gorgeous, it’s not a big hit with the men, and it does rather tend to dominate any other perfume you may have. So we’ve had a fun few months trying to identify which is the brand to take forward into 2010. We’ve had so many samples, and have narrowed it down to just three very high quality brands – all for both men and women - to ensure that the standard is maintained.

Salvatore Ferragamo – Tuscan Soul : a brand that needs no introduction, the description of their toiletries reads - “Exclusively Italian ingredients seduce the senses with luminous zesty notes and vibrant touches of Magnolia and Orange Blossom, with a rich woody depth”.

Acqua di Parma : A pure perfume and toiletries high end product, the perfume is described as having “citrus top notes, floral heart notes blended with spicy aromatic accents and rounded off with woody base notes”.

Etro – Relent : another fashion brand. If you don’t know of them, next time you’re in London check out their Bond Street store (or you could always go to Rodeo Drive!). “Relent is a talc and amber-scented fragrance, with highlights of dreamy frangipani and Polynesian tiare.” (Tiare is a Tahitian Gardenia.)

So if you have an opinion on any of these products, we would love to hear from you. Contact us, and let us know what you think!

Find out more about our guest services.