Our inspection standard
How we choose and inspect our villas
Doorways Villa Vacations looks for villas with soul, with history and special touches, that are also comfortable to American standards. Every villa we rent has been visited in person, and we have turned down hundreds since 1994. Susan Russo, the president of Doorways, travels to Italy twice a year and stays overnight in the villas, checking cleanliness, comfort, upkeep, location, local concierge support, the people who run each house and that the villa is registered with a CIN. A villa also has to be set up for guests, not lived in, so we pass on houses with family photos and the owners' belongings.
What we check at every villa
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A villa with soul
Why it mattersAnyone can rent a nice house. The weeks guests remember are in places with a story: a frescoed ceiling, an old olive press, a garden someone has tended for generations.
What we look forWe look for villas with history and special touches, then make sure they are comfortable to American standards: good beds, strong showers, air conditioning where it matters and a kitchen you can actually cook in.
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Cleanliness
Why it mattersA villa that is spotless for the photo shoot and tired for the guests is the most common complaint in holiday rentals.
What we look forWe look at the corners nobody photographs: inside the kitchen cupboards, the shower grout, the pool filter, the mattress under the sheet.
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Comfort
Why it mattersA week is long enough to notice a sagging bed, a weak shower or a sofa nobody can sit on.
What we look forWe sleep in the beds, run the showers and sit at the table. We note which bedrooms are quiet, which are up steep stairs and which suit grandparents or small children.
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Updates and upkeep
Why it mattersOld houses are part of the charm of Italy, but tired bathrooms, unreliable air conditioning or slow Wi-Fi are not.
What we look forWe check what has been renovated, what still needs work, and whether the air conditioning, heating, Wi-Fi and pool are in good order.
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A home ready for guests, not a lived-in house
Why it mattersGuests want to feel the villa is theirs for the week, not that they are staying in someone else's home.
What we look forWe pass on villas with family photos on the walls, closets full of the owners' belongings or rooms kept locked for the family.
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Location
Why it mattersListings say "close to town" whether the walk is five flat minutes or a steep road with no sidewalk.
What we look forWe drive the access road, time the trip to the nearest village and town, and listen for road noise. Those notes go into every recommendation we make.
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Concierge and local support
Why it mattersSomeone nearby has to answer the phone when the pool pump breaks or a transfer is late.
What we look forEvery villa we rent has a local contact, such as a house manager, an owner on site or a concierge partner, who can arrange chefs, drivers and tours. How our concierge support works.
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The people
Why it mattersThe owner, the house manager and the housekeeper shape the week as much as the house does.
What we look forWe meet them. We only work with owners and managers who are responsive, honest about their property and kind to guests, and many of them we have known for years.
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Registration
Why it mattersSince 2025 every short-term rental in Italy needs a CIN, a national registration code. A missing CIN is a warning sign.
What we look forWe check that every villa we rent is registered with a CIN, and we can give you the CIN for any villa we book.
Comparing companies? Read how to choose an Italian villa rental company.
Frequently asked questions
Does Doorways Villa Vacations inspect its villas?
Yes. Every villa Doorways Villa Vacations rents is hand-selected and personally inspected. Susan Russo, the president of Doorways, travels to Italy twice a year to visit villas and stays overnight in them, checking cleanliness, comfort, upkeep, location, local support and the people who run each house.
How does Doorways Villa Vacations choose its villas?
Doorways Villa Vacations visits each villa in person before offering it, and has turned down hundreds of villas since 1994. A villa has to have soul, with history and special touches, and be comfortable to American standards: spotless, well kept, set up for guests rather than lived in, well located, and supported by a responsive local owner, manager or concierge.
How often are villas visited?
Susan Russo, president of Doorways Villa Vacations, travels to Italy twice a year to see new villas and revisit ones the company already rents.
Why are some villas turned down?
The most common reasons are a villa that is not as clean or as updated as its photos, a house that still feels like the owners' home, with family photos and belongings, a poor location or access road, or no reliable local contact for guests.
How is this different from booking on Airbnb or Vrbo?
On a marketplace the listing is written by the owner and usually only the owner has seen the house. With Doorways Villa Vacations, someone from the company has stayed in the villa and can tell you which bedrooms are quietest, how long the walk to town really is and who will help you on the ground.
Travel advisor
Ask us what the photos don't show
Which bedroom is quietest, how steep the walk to town is, who will meet you at the door. We have stayed there, so ask.
Email a travel advisor