About Italy Perfect
We search out and personally visit all the vacation rental properties we offer, accepting only the ones that meet our quality standards, so guests are assured of a nice place to stay and an overall great vacation.
We search out and personally visit all the vacation rental properties we offer, accepting only the ones that meet our quality standards, so guests are assured of a nice place to stay and an overall great vacation.
Vacation Perfect offers a portfolio of beautiful vacation rental properties for dream vacations in Italy, France and London. For more than 20 years, we have been recognized as leaders in guest hospitality. And for those who want to own a slice of their dream destination, we offer a selection of beautiful properties for sale for both fractional co-ownership and whole home ownership.
Our exacting standards and years of experience means memorable vacations for our guests and worry-free property management for owners who entrust the care of their second homes to us, while enjoying the upside of their investment with income on the rentals.
Our goal isn’t to be the biggest, but to be the best. We carefully choose every property that we offer, personally visiting each one to ensure that it meets our standards for quality, location, cleanliness, comfort and features.
Paris Perfect and London Perfect were founded in the late 1990s by Madelyn Byrne and Philippe Willems, starting with a single apartment they owned in Paris. Within a few years Madelyn’s sister Lisa started Italy Perfect, and then recruited sister Pat to join the Italy management team. The company was born out the Byrne sisters’ love of travel, having traveled extensively while growing up as part of a large Air Force family with frequent overseas assignments.
Along with an excellent team, many of which have nearly 10 years with the company, Vacation Perfect provides superior experience and expertise.
General Manager, Yin to Madelyn’s Yang, Brings Order to Chaos
Born in Naples, Italy
As General Manager of Vacation Perfect, Lisa oversees Marketing, Reservations, Finance and Technology. Before launching Italy Perfect in 2003, Lisa was a Director at Apple Computer, leading Apple Corporate Public Relations and Worldwide Employee Communications. That intense experience prepped her for the fast pace of the ever-evolving vacation rental industry. Lisa is the youngest of the six (yes, six) Byrne sisters so learned at an early age how to cajole her big sisters into doing stuff for her, which comes in handy when harnessing the energy of the management team. She is hopeless when navigating the backroads of Tuscany, but remembers precise locations of almost any retail store where she has shopped and restaurant where she has dined.
Favorite restaurant: La Reggia degli Etruschi in Fiesole, Italy.
Obsession: Trying to get Madelyn to color within the lines.
Loves Guest's Unique Stories, Finds Strange & Wonderful Historical Fascinations
Born on Luzon, Philippines
With a technology marketing executive background (but history geek at heart), Pat is the brains behind organizing systems and processes to automate tasks and organize information. Pat was persuaded by Lisa to leave high tech behind in 2006 and join Italy Perfect. Vacation Perfect gives Pat much satisfaction. She enjoys learning about the travels and interests of guests; ensuring that things work out for her clients; helping Italian owners understand seemingly odd guest requests; chattering in her second language; and Italian property inspection adventures. Pat pursues fascinating back alleys of history, with interests in topics like Etruscans and Mithras. In Rome, she has uncovered every Caravaggio painting and obelisk.
Newest hobby: Paleoanthropology.
Chief Visionary, Serial Entrepreneur, Trailblazer
Born in Antigo, Wisconsin
A former investment banker and a Stanford MBA, for Madelyn no challenge is insurmountable, whether remodeling La Place Dauphine, a centuries-old hotel on Île de la Cite, or cramming a 50-pound carry-on bag into the overhead compartment. Madelyn is the indomitable creative force of Vacation Perfect and leads the charge on our real estate development, having remodeled more than 80 Paris apartments. Madelyn's guilty pleasure is browsing French auction house websites for quirky or whimsical antiques.
Travel tip: "In case of emergency, always pack a bar of chocolate."
Valiant Leader, Wine Connoisseur, Opera Fanatic
Born in Normandy, France
Philippe grew up in the small town of Mers-les-Bains. He made his parents proud by being accepted to the prestigious medical school in Paris and becoming Chief Resident of the most famous cardiovascular team in France. At age 39, Philippe left heart surgery behind having been attracted by the excitement and remuneration of business startups in Madelyn's career. Soon, Philippe began helping Madelyn on the side with the vacation rental business. As the rental business grew, Philippe became chief accountant, chief legal expert and chief of taming Madelyn's unbridled ambitions to achievable goals. Philippe's obsession is Wagner, having seen The Ring more than 30 times. In true French fashion, the weighty question daily is: "Qu'est ce qu'on va manger?" (What's for lunch?)