Unbelievable Assisi Escape: Belvilla's Rosa Oasis Awaits!
Unbelievable Assisi Escape: Belvilla's Rosa Oasis Awaits! - A Review That's Actually Real
Okay, buckle up buttercups, because this isn't your average, perfectly-manicured travel blurb. This is me, after a week at Belvilla's Rosa Oasis in Assisi, basically bleeding my unfiltered thoughts onto the digital page. Prepare for a rollercoaster.
First Impressions - The Arrival, the Anticipation… and the Slightly-Weird Car Park:
I’d seen the pictures. Lush greens, impossibly blue skies, and that romantic "Rosa Oasis" promised a haven. And, well, it mostly delivered. The view of Assisi from the property? Unbelievable. Seriously, I spent a good ten minutes just gawking, feeling my jaw clench in that "I'm-so-grateful-to-be-here" kind of way. Pure magic, you know?
Then there's the car park… it's free, which is always a win. But let's just say navigating the cobblestone streets to get to the car park felt like a levels-of-hell purgatory. It's on-site, but it's also… Italian. Sloped. Tight. Let’s just say my little Fiat experienced a few… intimate moments with the ancient walls. But hey, after the sheer panic of parking, I was ready to relax.
Accessibility: A Mixed Bag, Like My Espresso
Okay, let’s be real. This place is nestled in the hills of Assisi. Think charming, but not always practical. The Belvilla website claims "facilities for disabled guests," but honestly, navigating the property with a wheelchair would be a serious challenge. The lovely, old-world charm comes with more steps than a StairMaster convention.
Rooms: Cozy, Clean… and My Quest for the Perfect Blackout Curtain Moment
My room was… well, it was mine. Comfortable isn't a strong enough word. The bed? Seriously, I sank into that thing every night, just melting into a blissful sleep. The sheets? Crisp, clean, and smelling faintly of Italian sunshine (maybe I imagined that bit). They had free Wi-Fi in all rooms! which was a lifesaver since I'm basically an internet addict. And they also had internet access - LAN. As for other features: Air conditioning was a godsend during the Tuscan heat, there was also a hair dryer, safe, TV/satellite, a coffee maker – all the basics. They even had slippers which really won me over. Wake up service, and a complimentary tea, and free bottled water were all super handy. The scale in the bathroom was a bit scary, to be honest…but I'm not going to complain about that, right?
The blackout curtains? That's where the magic really happened. The Roman in me needs my beauty sleep and these were perfect. The kind of dimming you can only find in the old world.
Eating and Drinking: A Food Coma-Inducing Adventure
Prepare to loosen your belt. Prepare to embrace the carbs. Because the Rosa Oasis? It's a foodie paradise.
- Restaurants: There's a restaurant and a poolside bar. A la carte meals in the restaurant. I indulged BIG TIME. The pasta alone was worth the trip, fresh and with a taste of the countryside. Asian cuisine in restaurant? Sorry, didn't see it, but could have missed it.
- Breakfast: Breakfast [buffet] was epic. Seriously, picture overflowing platters of pastries, fresh fruit, eggs cooked every way imaginable, and a coffee machine that practically calls to you from across the room. I may or may not have grazed for several hours, fueled solely by cappuccino and the sheer joy of holiday mornings. Breakfast in room and breakfast takeaway service were also available.
- Drinks: They give you a bottle of water in your room – little touches like that just make me happy. The Poolside bar was pretty fab. The Happy hour was a welcome addition.
- Coffee Shop: I visited the coffee shop, and I might just have drank my weight in coffee/tea in restaurant.
Activities and Relaxation: My Own Personal Paradise
Okay, so the real test. Did Rosa Oasis live up to its name? Did it allow for both relaxing and keeping me busy? Answer: YES.
- Swimming Pool and Views: The pool, oh, the pool! Situated amongst the olive trees of the gardens, it offers views for days. Pool with view, baby!
- Spa: Massage time (or the lack of it!) They had Massage and a Spa, and I am devastated that I did not partake. Next time, I will have a spa day!
- Fitness Center: They do have a Fitness center. I spent the entire trip eating pasta. I may or may not have glanced at its doors once.
- Sauna & Steamroom: Yes! They had a Sauna, Spa/sauna and Steamroom. Could have done the detox… but did not!
Cleanliness and Safety: Reassuring, But Not Completely Over-the-Top
They took the whole COVID thing pretty seriously. Daily disinfection in common areas, hand sanitizer everywhere, and staff were clearly trained in protocols. Room sanitization opt-out - I appreciated not having to worry about it.
Services and Conveniences: More Than Just Accommodation
Honestly, the staff felt like family by the end of the week. They were friendly, helpful, and went above and beyond.
- Concierge: The concierge was a life-saver, booking tours, arranging transport, and just generally sorting out my chaotic life.
- Daily housekeeping: The housekeeping was impeccable. My room was cleaned, spotless, and re-stocked with goodies every day.
- Services: Currency exchange and Cash withdrawal were handy. I also appreciated the luggage storage - good for getting around easily!
For the Kids: Family-Friendly Vibes (But Maybe Not a Rave)
They have "kids facilities" and a Babysitting service, but I'm not traveling with kids, so I can't speak to that.
Getting Around: Embrace the Cobblestones, My Friends
- Car Park [free of charge] - As I said, the parking can make or break your stay, but the fact that they make it free is great.
- Taxi service: I did use the taxi service a couple of times, which was helpful to not have to deal with the parking stress.
The Verdict: Would I Go Back?
Absolutely. Imperfections and all, the Rosa Oasis provided an unforgettable experience. It’s romantic, it's relaxing, and it's a perfect base for exploring the beauty of Assisi and the surrounding region. If you're looking for a taste of la dolce vita, this is the place to find it. Just pack your patience (for the parking), your appetite (for the food), and your camera (for the views!). I'm already dreaming of my return.
Austrian Alps Paradise: Infrared Heated Mittersill Apartment!
Alright, buckle up buttercups, because we're not just planning a trip to Belvilla by OYO Essiccatoio Rosa Assisi, Italy. We're crafting an experience. A glorious, messy, possibly wine-soaked experience. Here we go… (and yes, I'm already caffeinated, apologies in advance).
The "Oh Crap, I Forgot My…!" Itinerary - Assisi, Italy (Rough Draft Ver. 1.0, AKA "The Hopeful One")
Day 1: Arrival & The "Holy Smokes, It's Beautiful!" Moment (And The "Where's My Phone Charger?!")
- Morning (ish): Fly into Rome Fiumicino (FCO). Pray to the travel gods that the baggage handlers are feeling generous. Note to self: pack an emergency charger in hand luggage. Did I? Doubt it.
- Anecdote: Remember that time I arrived in Paris, jet-lagged to hell, and realized I’d packed only one pair of shoes? It involved a lot of blistered feet and a frantic search for comfortable footwear. Learned my lesson… mostly.
- Lunch: Pre-booked a car service. (Smart, I'm patting myself on the back already.) Fuel stop! This is where the Italian coffee REALLY kicks in. Gotta prepare for the winding roads and the inevitable… (ahem) …sightseeing.
- Afternoon: Arrive at Belvilla by OYO Essiccatoio Rosa Assisi! (Fingers crossed it's as charming IRL as the photos. Praying it's NOT a total disappointment). Check in. Let the (probable) unpacking chaos begin. First impressions: "Oooooh, the light! The air! Is this… heaven?"
- Quirky Observation: Okay, so the place is gorgeous. But is it haunted? I swear I just heard a giggle echoing from the ancient stone walls. Charming or creepy? Jury’s out.
- Evening: Walk a circuit of the town. It is all about that light. Find a Trattoria, somewhere with checkered tablecloths and the promise of pasta. Order everything. Drink local wine (or several bottles). Try not to make a complete fool of myself with my limited Italian.
- Emotional Reaction: Euphoric! I'm in Italy! Finally! The smells, the sounds, the sheer prettiness of it all… pure bliss. (Okay, maybe the wine is helping a little.)
Day 2: Saints, Sunsets & (Possibly) Getting Lost
- Morning: Basilica di San Francesco d'Assisi. Go early, before the hordes. Marvel. Contemplate the simple life (while secretly plotting where to buy the best gelato later).
- Messier Structure: Okay, so the Basilica is HUGE. And beautiful. But all those frescoes… too much to take in. I felt a little bit overwhelmed. Trying not to look like a total tourist while I'm gawking.
- Lunch: Picnic with supplies from the local markets. Cold cuts, cheese, crusty bread… the works! Find a scenic spot with killer views. (Or, you know, a bench. Whatever works.)
- Rambles: Ah, picnics. Reminds me of that time I tried to have a romantic picnic in Central Park with that guy… It ended with a swarm of pigeons and a spilled bottle of wine. This time, I'm prepared. Or at least, I hope I am.
- Afternoon: Explore, get lost, and find some tiny churches. Stroll through the cobblestone streets, soak up the history. Buy (or attempt to buy) some local pottery. Bargaining is key. Probably.
- Opinionated Language: The best way to see a place is to get lost. Don’t be a slave to the map – wander! Embrace the chaos! (Just make sure you download a translation app, unless you want to end up ordering a plate of… well, I don’t know what.)
- Evening: Sunset from Rocca Maggiore! (Check the opening hours!). More wine. More food. Possibly some questionable karaoke in a local bar.
- Stronger Emotional Reactions: The sunset. Wow. Just… wow. I could actually feel my soul expanding. Pure, unadulterated joy. Never felt so at peace.
Day 3: The Olive Oil Obsession & The Holy Chocolate Experience
- Morning: Cooking class! Because I can't just eat Italian food, I need to learn to make it. Maybe I'll learn something truly amazing (probably).
- Anecdote: Remember that time I thought I could bake a cake from scratch? It resembled something between a hockey puck and a volcanic eruption. Let's hope this goes better.
- Lunch: The fruits of our (potential) labour from the cooking class. Cross fingers and hope to have a successful dish!
- Doubling Down on an Experience: The afternoon - Olive Oil Tasting Time! I'm going to be a total olive oil snob after this. Learn everything about the golden nectar. Sample the different varieties, and find out where they grow. Then, stock up and buy olive oil like a crazy person!
- Afternoon: Chocolate tasting! Visiting the Perugina Chocolate Factory. Seriously!
- Quirky Observation: Will I have to take a test in chocolate appreciation after? Or is it just straight up consumption? Either way, I'm prepared to be a professional chocolate eater.
- Evening: Dinner in the villa or in town. Quiet drinks, reminiscing about the day. Make plans for tomorrow.
Day 4: Day Trip & Saying "Arrivederci!" (Or Maybe Not…)
- Morning: Day trip to… (TBD - Suggestions welcome!). Maybe Perugia? Spello? Depends on how adventurous I feel (and how much wine I imbibed the night before).
- Messy and Imperfect: Real talk: I haven't actually planned the day trip yet. Still considering options. Procrastination is an art form, right?
- Lunch: Wherever we end up. Find some delicious food (but this time, make sure I remember to bring my wallet!).
- Afternoon: Sightseeing, shopping, soaking up the last of the Italian sunshine. Maybe revisit a favourite spot.
- Evening: Pack. Sigh. The dreaded packing. One last delicious meal. One last glass of wine. Saying goodbye (for now).
- Stronger Emotional Reactions: Leaving. Honestly, I don't want to leave. This place has gotten under my skin. Already plotting my return. This has been perfect!
Day 5: Departure. (Hopefully, with All My Belongings)
- Morning: Last breakfast. One last espresso. Head to the airport. Pray the charger is with me.
- Opinionated Language: Okay, so returning to reality is going to be tough. But I'll bring a bit of Italy back with me – hopefully, the memories, the flavors, and maybe even a souvenir or two.
- Departure! Farewell!
This, my friends, is just a sketch. The beauty of travel is that it's dynamic. Things will change. Plans will fall apart. And that's the joy of it! Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to hunt down some Italian phrasebooks and a plug adapter. Ciao!
Winterberg Ski Getaway: Chic Apartment Awaits!
Unbelievable Assisi Escape: Belvilla's Rosa Oasis Awaits! (But REALLY, what's it *actually* like?)
Okay, so "Rosa Oasis"... sounds idyllic. Is it ACTUALLY a rose garden of paradise, or more like a slightly overgrown patio with a rusty table?
Right, the *name*. "Rosa Oasis." Picture it: me, booking this thing after way too much Chianti and scrolling through dreamy photos. The anticipation! My inner romantic was *so* ready for a fairytale.
The reality? Well, the roses were *there*. A valiant effort, bless their thorns. There was a sort of patio thing, yes. The rusty table? Sadly, yes. Not exactly *Versailles*, you know? More like Grandma's back porch, but in Umbria. Still pretty charming though, in its own imperfect way. You'd sit there, sip your morning coffee, and listen to the cicadas. Pure bliss, minus the perfectly curated Instagram filter. And let's be honest, you go to Italy partly *because* of the imperfections. They give it character!
The pictures show a pool... is it the sparkling, beckoning oasis of my dreams, or a green, algae-ridden nightmare?
Okay, the pool. This is where things get…complicated. Look, the pictures are *always* flattering. That's a given. My initial thought? "Oh god, please let it be clean."
The good news: it was *open*. The better news? It was actually pretty darn lovely. Sparkling? Maybe not. Clear enough to see the bottom? Absolutely. The water was cool, which was essential because, let me tell you, Umbria gets *hot*.
The bad news? Little bugs. Like, a LOT of little bugs. And occasional leaves. And I swear, one time I saw a tiny frog. It was like swimming in a wildlife documentary. I mean, it's nature, you know? But still... I spent a lot of time with my eyes closed in a futile attempt to block the world out, except the sun. Also, the pool was surprisingly deep; made for great dives. So, yeah, pool: a mixed bag. A *very Italian* mixed bag, in the best way possible.
Tell me about Assisi itself. Is it as magical and spiritual as everyone says? I’m expecting angels and rainbows, or is it just… a lot of hills?
Oh, Assisi. *Breathtaking*. And yes, a lot of hills. Seriously, my calves felt like they'd run the marathon. I actually saw a tiny elderly nonna in a floral dress and clogs *effortlessly* scaling a hill that nearly took me out. Humbling.
Magical? Definitely. Spiritual? Absolutely. There's a *vibe* in Assisi, a sense of peace that washes over you once you get past the tourist crowds (and trust me, there are crowds). The Basilica of St. Francis… wow. I'm not even particularly religious, but the art, the history… it's impossible not to be moved. I spent hours there, just staring, letting the quiet soak in.
Rainbows? I didn't see any, but I did see the most incredible sunset one night, over the valley. It was so amazing, I almost cried. Plus, the gelaterias are *angelic*. So yeah; angels of gelato.
What’s the house *actually* like? Is it charmingly rustic, or just… old? And is the air conditioning an actual thing?
Alright, the house. "Charmingly rustic" is the *official* term. Let's be truthful: it's old. But in a good way! Thick stone walls, exposed beams… I mean, it's very Umbrian. It definitely has character. You can feel the history, the generations of families who've lived there. And the air conditioning? ... Well, that's a good question.
There WAS air conditioning. Sort of. It was, how shall we say, an *adventure*. Think a unit that worked sometimes, and sometimes did not. Mostly, it was a fan that blew slightly cooler air, and I'm pretty sure the owner's entire business was the maintenance of AC units around the province. It's just one of those things that adds to the experience. It's part of the *authenticity*. You learn to adapt, and you start appreciating things like the *perfect* breeze coming through the window at 3 am, when the air finally starts moving. Also, mosquito nets. Don't forget the mosquito nets. Essential.
Food. Gotta ask. Where do I get the BEST pasta, and what's the wine situation like? Are we talking cardboard box vino, or something more… respectable?
Food. Oh, the food. Umbria is a *foodie* heaven. Forget trying to diet; it's a lost cause. The pasta? Forget about it. Just forget. You'll have to try and restrain from eating three bowls of it every night.
Walk around the tiny cobbled streets and try something at a different cafe. Each has its own little twist on the classic Italian meals. The wine? Forget the cardboard box. We are talking about the good stuff. I asked a local and they led me to a tiny enoteca, hidden down an alley, where a grumpy but lovable old man poured me the most exquisite Sagrantino. Heaven. It's one of those moments—a sun-drenched patio, a glass overflowing with ruby-red wine, and the feeling that you’ve stumbled upon a secret. Honestly, the wine alone is worth the trip. And don't even get me *started* on the truffles...
Any *major* downsides? Anything to watch out for? Be honest!
Okay, honesty time. Downsides. There *were* a couple of things. First, the internet situation was… spotty. Prepare to occasionally disconnect. Embrace it! It's part of the charm, really. You are there to disconnect; not constantly scroll.
Second, I had a bit of a run-in with a wasp. Or maybe it was a bee. Either way, it was unpleasant. It stung me right on the shoulder. Luckily, the locals are experts at dealing with this. They brought out some sort of home remedy and calmed me down with some wine. The biggest downside? Leaving. I didn’t want to go. I was completely captivated by the place. I'd wake up and go somewhere else during the day. And I'd get back, and just feel at home. It's a special place; you feel it the minute you get there. Seriously, I'm already planning my return. Take me back to that rusty table!
