Hotel Porta Valdera

We stayed two nights and had dinner at the hotel both evenings. The service was outstanding, and the food was much better than we expected. One of the waiters’ family had made the limoncello, which was great. After the concert we got back at 1:30 am, and they kept the bar open until 2, so we could have more limoncello and some sandwiches. It was a pleasure staying here, and I’d gladly return. We chose the hotel for its proximity to the Teatro del Silenzio and the Bocelli concert. It’s just off the main road, with plenty of parking, and a Coop store about 150 meters away. The staff were friendly and accommodating; they even called a few days before we arrived to confirm our arrival time. The rooms were clean and the air conditioning worked well. Breakfast was comparable to what we’d had at other hotels.

YLENIA made our stay especially memorable with her warmth, attention, and personal touch. From the moment we arrived, the whole team made us feel welcome and went out of their way to make guests feel special. The food was full of flavor and showed off local cuisine, whether we ate breakfast or dinner. You could tell each dish was prepared with care. This cozy little hotel in Peccioli has a peaceful, authentic feel, like a home away from home. It’s not a luxury resort, and its simple character and genuinely caring people are exactly what made it special. The location is ideal for a visit to the Andrea Bocelli concert in nearby Lajatico, as well as for relaxing and cultural outings. Grazie mille to Ylenia and the whole team for such a personal, heartfelt stay. I’d love to return.

We used this modern hotel as a base for a four-week summer camp with UK university students, and it was ideally located for exploring Tuscany. The building features lots of modern art by local artists. There aren’t leisure or fitness facilities on site, but the public pool is a five-minute walk away and open seven days a week. A large Coop supermarket right next door meant students and staff were never far from food, drinks, and snacks. The staff spoke Italian and English, and were consistently caring and helpful. They understood what we needed and bent over backwards to assist. Virginia, Federica, Alberto, and Ylenia were particularly kind and generous, along with the rest of their colleagues. I can’t praise the team enough.

The hotel may claim it was built in 2000, but it feels like a throwback to the late 70s or early 80s. Everything is old and worn out. The restaurant doesn’t cater to vegetarians, and breakfast is very poor. Even getting simple lemon juice was impossible. The bread came straight out of a mass-produced bag. Fortunately, there’s a supermarket within walking distance. I asked at check-in about vegetarian options, and the woman at reception, the one with glasses, told me there weren’t any. My colleague can confirm I asked specifically. On our second and last night, I ate there with my colleague, and the waitress, who was very nice, admitted vegetarian food was available “on demand.” The hotel owners need to check up on their staff. I was accused of not paying the bill. I didn’t pay because when I arrived at reception at 05:30, rang the bell, and called several times until 05:50, nobody came to the desk or answered. I had no more time to wait because of work. The bar was still completely unlocked, and if I’d wanted to, I could have taken bottles of wine and other alcoholic drinks without any problem. I told the production team about the payment issue, and they said they’d take care of it. I hope, and assume, they did. I wish I could remove that one star, especially after the reaction to my review. Look at your own incompetence before accusing someone of not paying. I hope you take this criticism as a chance to improve things.