Casetta Di Ugolino

The owner is very kind, but I wouldn’t return or recommend the place to friends. The farmhouse is beautiful and deserves much better management. Cleaning was patchy, and in some places absent altogether: the window sills were smeared with bird droppings or, worse, mice. The road there is difficult but passable. It’s a shame there are no signs to stop you following the disastrous route suggested by GPS. I didn’t expect to find food, but a bottle of water in the fridge would have been much appreciated.

There’s a chance you’ll spot animals such as foxes or wild boars. To get there, though, you have to drive a long dirt road. The kitchen has only a few pots and pans, with mismatched lids, and you’ll want to bring basics like salt and oil because there’s nothing there. The listing says there’s a washing machine, but it’s under the parking lot, quite a way from the house. If you want to barbecue in the evening, bring your phone flashlight because the area isn’t lit.

The farmhouse is beautiful, but the one-kilometer dirt road to reach it overshadows everything. Our small, NEW hatchback got stranded and suffered permanent problems. The road is impassable unless you’re driving an SUV, Jeep, or a tall or large car, and the booking description says none of this. It isn’t suitable for any type of car!! Road safety is ZERO. If something happens, it’s impossible to get help. We were stuck for five hours, isolated in the woods and far from everything. Our Val d'Orcia weekend was ruined, and we went home that same evening. Tow trucks refused to come because the road was unpaved and too narrow. The owner sent us their numbers, even though they then refused to come, and told us “it's your problem.” I have proof of the conversations if he ever denies it. He was completely useless in finding a solution, so we had to sort it out ourselves, and he refused any compensation beyond free cancellation. Nothing like this has ever happened before. One star because it’s impossible to give less.

It’s an experience that’s hard to find in a holiday resort: isolated from all human presence in a centuries-old forest. Even with that close contact with nature, the place is well appointed and has all the comforts for a pleasant holiday. A remarkable setting.