Very Good 4 /5A charming villa, a stone's throw away from the small tourist town of San Gimignano. Wonderful large pool with a plastic slide for the kids to enjoy, and we had most of our meals in the outside pavilion which was the perfect spot to enjoy the sunset (but be well prepared for mosquitoes!).
The two ground floor attached rooms (separated by glass doors), with bathroom and kitchen has a more spacious and updated feel compared to the upper floor rooms and main kitchen. One bedroom even has a shower cubicle directly in the room, which some found a bit strange. The upper floor rooms and kitchen get quite warm in the summer, but ventilator fans are provided.
If you plan to cook, cutlery, toaster, microwave, pots and pans are available. Expect to purchase everything from BBQ coal, mineral water, herbs, dishwashing tabs, trash bags, and washing maschine detergent. As an unexpected surprise during our two week stay, the cleaners arrived after one week to change the sheets, towels, sweep the floors, and clean the bathrooms; which was much needed.
There is a private pool house next to the pool that is sometimes occupied by the owner if he is in the area, but he is very discreet. We were able to have a tour of his winery as a result.
Giovanna the house caretaker, is able to speak some basic English, or you can speak to Enza, her mother, if you speak Italian. They can arrange a Tuscan dinner for you, prepared in one of the kitchens. It was lovely but way too much food for us (I would suggest to ask them to prepare for half the amount of people than necessary, and don't forget to pack any leftovers if you like, or they will be taken home by the cooks). Expect to pay in cash, directly after.
Our only negative experience of staying here besides the summer mosquitoes, was that the clear pool water turned milky a few days before our departure. The owner tested the water and assured us that it was still safe to swim in, but it felt a little unhygenic as even our swimsuits were stained green. Perhaps this can be better controlled in the future.
Overall it was very relaxing to be able to escape the summer crowds in our little oasis. Some parts of the house my seem a little outdated, but that's just part of the whole experience of staying in an old villa in Tuscany.Would you recommend this property to a friend? Yes
