Borgo Lucignanello Bandini

The houses are tastefully furnished, with great care given to the details. This is our third year in a row at Borgo Lucignanello Bandini, and it gives us an authentic Tuscan experience while still feeling like a home away from home.

The setting is beautiful, and the service was attentive and wonderful, but there were some maintenance problems. The shower floor had a wooden drain cover that encouraged mildew, and the horsehair sofa needed vacuuming. If you have allergies, this may not work for you. Maybe I got the worst villa. With a little more attention, the place could be heavenly.

The villa has a fascinating history, and Frederica gave us a warm welcome and showed us around. She also booked a table at a great restaurant, and Nicola was a big help too. We had an absolutely amazing stay and will definitely visit again as soon as we can.

I chose Casa Maria because it was exactly what I wanted in the countryside after a week in Florence, and it had easy access, which mattered because I have a bad knee. We arrived around 3:30, lay down to rest, and were shocked by the noise overhead. It sounded like a cheap hotel. When I called, I was told the owner, Angelica Piccolomini Bandini, was staying there with her grand daughter, and they would be told there were guests downstairs. The banging and stomping continued, so we called again after dark. They offered us other accommodations, but they weren't satisfactory, and we were too exhausted to move, so we declined. Eventually the grand daughter was moved to another suite and the noise stopped. The next day Mrs. Bandini walked past Casa Maria, loudly telling her guests I was very "loco". She is rather rough around the edges, so I'd suggest checking whether she's there if you want to stay at Casa Maria.