Agriturismo Il Macchione

The barbecue was fantastic, and the hospitality was so warm. It’s very close to town, too. Francesco, I really appreciated your kindness and hope I can come back for another stay!

The rooms were clean and roomy, the beds comfortable, and the pool large, deep, and well looked after. Agriturismo Il Macchione also has beautiful views and makes a handy base for visiting Pienza and the surrounding area. I’m posting here because booking.com moderated my original review, which I considered entirely objective. What stopped this from being a stay I’d recommend or repeat was the proprietor’s attitude. A few hours after we arrived, Francesco called in a curt manner because his wife had shown us the wrong room. The mistake only came to light when other guests arrived. We had to repack, wake our two-year-old, and move. I understand mistakes happen and can be stressful to sort out, but Francesco was on site and could have spoken to us in person. The call focused on how we’d paid for a particular room and had to move, rather than apologizing and politely asking us to switch. Later I saw him welcome the new guests in the adjacent room, but he didn’t come by to greet us, apologize, or thank us for moving. The next morning, we were told there was no space for us at breakfast and that we’d need to eat in our room. Breakfast arrangements involved filling in a form beforehand, which was unusual but not a major issue by itself. Coming after the room mix-up the evening before, though, this felt like another blow. The laundry service was also not what I expected from the listing. They use a local laundrette and charge guests 20 EUR per kilo, so we did our own laundry there instead. After checkout, Francesco messaged me on WhatsApp asking for payment for prosecco, beer, and water we’d taken from the fridge. There were no prices on those drinks, unlike the wine bottles in the room, so we assumed they were complimentary. That seemed reasonable to us, especially since a previous host nearby had left us a couple of bottles of wine as a welcome gift without charging us. The drinks also weren’t replenished during our stay, which added to that impression. At checkout nobody asked if we’d had anything, and we didn’t think we owed anything beyond the room charge, so I wasn’t trying to avoid paying. I said I’d pay once I received an itemized invoice, because I’d been told we’d had prosecco and white wine, and we hadn’t had the white wine. The invoice came later, I paid promptly through the payment link, and then pointed out that the inconsistent labeling had caused the confusion. Francesco replied oddly that this had never happened in 25 years of business and said I was “milking it,” even though I’d just paid the extra bill. I don’t know what prompted the rudeness. I’ve never “milked” a hotel, B&B, restaurant, or any other business. It’s a real shame, because the stay could have been enjoyable if things had been handled differently. Maybe meeting in person at the start would have made Francesco less quick to accuse me of dishonesty or of trying to “cheat the structure,” as he did in a later message.

The staff were polite and professional, and the rooms were clean with all the comforts we needed. This is one of the most relaxing places I’ve ever stayed. We usually choose high-standard hotels, but haven’t found that same atmosphere elsewhere. One of Tuscany’s best agriturismos, and a wonderful place to rest after a full year of work. Highly recommended!

We found the room spacious and comfortable for the time we had to relax. The location also worked really well for our planned activities in Pienza and Montalcino. We loved our recent stay.