Il Gufo del Chianti

We still talk about this holiday apartment and rave about it 🫶🏼. The furnishings were a little sparse, but the peaceful setting, pool, and easy reach of Florence, Siena, and Pisa more than made up for it. The hostess was lovely and cleaned the pool every day. Montespertolli is nearby, with shops for groceries and places to eat. If you need to get away from everyday stress and recharge, this is a great spot.

The beautiful setting and well-kept pool couldn’t make up for the rest of our stay. It was awful. The dishes were all dirty, so we had to scrub them before using them. The dishwasher was unusable too, with rotten food stuck at the bottom and in the filter. Worst of all, the sofa bed was soaked in urine, apparently for days. Opening it released a nauseating smell. For three days, we had to sleep three to a bed, wash everything by hand, and put up with that sofa stinking up the kitchen. The owners were absent and, when the problem came up, acted arrogant, as if we had caused it. This wasn’t just careless cleaning. It felt like a risk of infection. For the exorbitant price we paid, we weren’t treated fairly at all. Tuscany is beautiful in so many places, and there must be somewhere else to stay.

Set aside the things you feel you have to do and let yourself unwind in the bucolic countryside. The people welcoming you are kind and courteous.

After a bad experience at another property, we booked this place just minutes before arriving, without any advance notice. The owners were kind and welcomed us like family even though it was late and we’d given them so little warning. They got the apartment ready and gave us a bottle of their own wine. The apartment is spacious and has an outdoor table in the garden for eating outside, plus barbecue facilities. It’s surrounded by greenery and wonderfully quiet, with a breathtaking view of the Tuscan hills. We were pleasantly surprised by how beautiful the property was.