VILLA: Large and beautiful stone villa with 7 apartments of various sizes (details on website). We stayed in the two-bedroom Cantina which has a small backyard with a table, chairs and a lounge chair. Note that none of the apartments have air conditioning so we were very happy that ours was on the ground floor in the back of the building. The sun never hit it directly. It was a little hot after we returned from our day-trips, but opening up the windows sufficed to cool it down. We never even needed the fans to sleep and we were there in the middle of a record-breaking July heatwave.

LOCATION: A car is essential. The villa is about a 7-minute drive from a town called Poggibonsi where you will find a huge grocery/supply store and a few inexpensive restaurants. Note that no GPS seems to know the short and direct way to the Villa, but once you get there the manager will give you simple directions. Poggibonsi is next to the highway which makes day-tripping very easy, especially since it is roughly 20 minutes from Sienna and San Gimignano, 30 minutes from Florence, 1h15 from Lucca, and 2 hours from the Western Tuscan Coast.

APARTMENT: Our Cantina apartment was very spacious, super comfortable, and very clean. The décor was simple, airy, and authentic. Each room had a double-bed and a large wardrobe. The bathroom had a sink, shower, and toilet. The kitchen was equipped with everything you need to prepare meals. The backyard overlooked the breathtaking Tuscan countryside and we could watch gorgeous sunsets every night!

POOL: Shared pool, but guests rarely have the same schedule. We were alone on quite a few occasions. There are numerous seating options in shaded spots.

CHECK-IN: No problems whatsoever. Also, asking questions and making the deposit from home was always quick and easy.

WIFI: The modem is in the manager’s office so you must be close enough to capture the signal. The pool area gives the best access.

MANAGER: Serena is completely devoted to making her guests feel welcome and comfortable. You won’t find a better host! She goes out of her way to make reservations for you, book excursions, give you inside information, and make your stay as easy as possible. She is on-site all day until 6pm. Plus the villa produces its own olive oil and wine so follow her down to the cellar for a tasting!

I would happily go back to this villa. It was very relaxing and a perfect home base for exploring Tuscany. Ciao! Grazie Serena!