La Locanda del Minatore

I appreciated the owner's kindness. Iuri was always courteous and ready with advice and information, and dogs are welcome. The meals were good, with generous portions at dinner, and breakfast was decent, though the products weren't homemade. The apartment itself was a different story: the kitchen lacked basics like a tablecloth and dishcloth, the tiny TV's decoder didn't work, and water leaked above the electrical panel. The large bedroom has retrofitted windows, leaving part of the room without blinds, so daylight wakes you early. The bathroom was small but decent, the dining area was just okay, and the exterior wasn't well maintained. The free dryer in the laundry room was a nice extra.

I checked out the day after arriving. The pool outside is plastic, has no filtration, and the water was cloudy. There were mosquitoes everywhere and no window screens, while the furniture was old. I also had no phone signal or Wi-Fi. I can't recommend it at all. Some local guides rate it positively, but that doesn't match the many negative reviews from earlier guests.

The food was the highlight. My girlfriend had pici cacio e pepe, and I ordered the boneless beef rib-eye steak. Both were delicious, and the servings were huge. I struggled to finish the steak, which I think was around 400g. The waitress, who was of Neapolitan origins, was very friendly, and we chatted a bit while the place was half empty. She offered us a babà that had just arrived. I'd never had a real Neapolitan one before, and it was exceptional, and much bigger than the ones I've had in pastry shops. We only ate at the restaurant. It's in a tiny hamlet about 3 km from Massa Marittima, along a road through the woods and seemingly nowhere. Rustic, but well kept. We started with a platter of local cured meats.

We still have very fond memories of our stay, and I recommend the landlord. She's lovely and easy to communicate with in English. The apartment is high up in the forest, but access to everything is very good. Restaurants are close, the sea is 15-20 minutes away, and large cities are no more than two hours away. The one drawback was the lack of good internet.