Villa Imperatore

Inside, antique furnishings sit alongside a fully equipped kitchen, Wi-Fi and a flat-screen TV. Every bedroom has air conditioning, a small fridge and a kettle. The ground floor holds two living rooms, a dining room, a breakfast room and a guest bathroom. Upstairs across the first and second floors, you will find a mix of king-size doubles, twin rooms and family configurations, most with en-suite bathrooms featuring bathtubs, showers or both.

The first floor includes two master bedrooms with king-size beds and en-suite bathrooms, a double with its own sitting room and large television, a family room combining a double and separate twin that share a bathroom, plus two further doubles each with en-suite. The second floor adds another family room with double and twin bedrooms sharing a bathroom, and two more en-suite doubles. Plenty of space to spread out, in other words.

Step outside and the terraced garden opens up to panoramic views across the Lucca countryside, with a restored orangery that makes for a lovely spot to sit with a glass of something local. The private pool, a 12 by 6 metre affair just metres from the house, overlooks the rolling hills. There is a tennis court on the estate, a barbecue for evening use, and staff on site who can arrange a private chef to cook traditional Tuscan meals whenever the mood strikes.