Al Vecchio Metato

Good food and excellent staff.

We used a Wonderbox for a one-night stay at the end of November. The room was quite adequate, though a bit chilly for that time of year. Breakfast had a broad choice of packaged items, plus hot drinks. The agriturismo sits on a beautiful hillside with an incredible view, and Ms. Gabriella was courteous and professional. Check-in and breakfast are offered during fairly short time windows, but that makes sense for a family-run place. I also feel some Wonderbox guests expect hotel-style service and then judge the place unfairly. The setting is very beautiful, and the service was adequate.

The place is peaceful and relaxing, with a truly breathtaking view, and there's parking inside the property. We stayed just one night using a Wonderbox gift from friends for my husband and me, along with another couple. Gabriella greeted us warmly and kindly. Our room was lovely and clean, and the linens, including the bathroom towels, were clean, disinfected, and smelled fresh. If we're back in Lucca, we'll stay here again. It was a positive experience.

The setting is beautiful and the accommodation itself is lovely, but our welcome from Mrs. Gabriella was awful and, in my view, completely unacceptable. We booked through Smartbox, with check-in scheduled from 3:00 to 5:00 PM, and agreed to arrive at 4:30. At 4:32, as our call log shows, Mrs. Gabriella called in an annoyed tone to ask where we were. We got there at 4:37 because the place wasn't easy to find. She then told us that Smartbox guests couldn't use the pool, saying it was to keep costs down. Gabriella, no ministerial decree forces her to accept Smartbox bookings. If she can't accommodate them, she should leave the program. Breakfast is only from 8:00 to 8:30 AM. Do I really have to get up and rush through breakfast in a half-hour slot while on vacation? There's more I could say. The sagging, creaky bed kept us awake all night. Gabriella, you should be ashamed.