Agriturismo Bagnacci

Set in the countryside, it’s still a handy base for visiting the nearby towns. The Val d'Orcia scenery is beautiful, and the food was good, though I understand the portions are quite small. Cell phone reception was limited except around reception. The thermal pool could use better upkeep: the water was murky and the bottom extremely slippery, which children didn’t appreciate.

We had a great time wandering around Siena for two days, and the place itself is beautiful. But the welcome felt pretty indifferent. The employee who greeted us seemed uninterested in making us comfortable. He told us the pool was out of order and that lunch had to be booked by 4 pm, then the restaurant was closed the next day. When we arrived, he asked how many of us there were. I said two. Then he asked if we’d booked a room. I said no, and added, “Breakfast too...” His “Too!!” made it seem like he was almost sorry. Maybe he treated us superficially because we were two girls, though appearances can sometimes be misleading.

The approach is several kilometers of dirt road, though it’s kept in good condition. Once there, the park is peaceful and green, the rooms are clean, and the Tuscan countryside is lovely. The restaurant served exquisite food with a wide range of wines. It’s dog-friendly apart from the restaurant, where our companion wasn’t allowed.

The place is lovely to look at, but it feels lost out in the countryside. We paid 100 euros a day for an apartment, plus 10 euros per day for our dog, which felt like a rip-off. Even though they knew we had a dog, he couldn’t leave the house without a leash. There was a mousetrap inside as soon as we walked in. Towels were changed weekly, with no daily cleaning, and there were no potholders or tablecloth. No sugar, nothing at all, just a 4 euro charge for 30 minutes of laundry. Never again.