B&B Villa Giuseppe

Keep your expectations for breakfast low.

The quiet and easy access to places like Pienza, Montepulciano, Castiglione del Lago, and Città della Pieve made this a good base. Chiusi Scalo station is very close, and the regional train to Siena is handy; despite being nearby, you don't hear the trains. It's a basic B&B at a fair price, and Mr. Giuseppe is helpful and makes you feel at home. If you want luxury, lots of technology, or lavish breakfasts, this won't be for you.

The owner was kind, and the free church parking was a plus, but I can't give this more than one star. The room was unhygienic, with visibly dirty pillows, and anyone with dust allergies should be cautious. We had to share the bathroom. The improvised bed had a spring mattress so soft it nearly reached the floor. At night there was no effective heating: on New Year's Eve we had to sleep in heavy clothes, and the heater was useless because the socket didn't fit. Breakfast also fell far short of B&B standards for hygiene and quality. The food was unpackaged and old, and the homemade drinks and jams had no certification or allergen controls.

We left first thing in the morning and carried on to our vacation, glad to leave this behind. My wife and I had booked it as a break on a long drive, but the state of the place was appalling. We found cups and biscuits apparently left by previous guests, and the sheets were stained and covered in hair, so we asked for them to be changed. The bathroom was worse, with old used soap and fixtures that looked as if they hadn't been cleaned for months. There were cobwebs and dead insects on a dirty floor full of hair. We had already paid before seeing the room, or we would have left. Breakfast was just coffee the owner made in a moka pot. The property seemed completely neglected and had no comforts like a TV, Wi-Fi, or air conditioning.