Villa Laura - Fattoria di Larniano

The pool and the views at Villa Caggio were lovely, but our stay was overshadowed by a break-in. Thieves got inside in about 15 seconds through doors and windows with no reinforcement, and took all our valuables. They entered rooms where our little kids were sleeping, and we later faced them in the bathroom with the children beside us. Some of the kids saw them. There were no cameras or other security measures in place. We reported it to the authorities, but the management never called, came to see us, or even checked how we were doing. Instead, people working for the owner came later to add security measures to the windows. We never asked for 10K back. With eight kids involved, we expected some empathy and an apology. Saying sorry costs nothing. This was the worst customer experience I've ever had, and we were told it wasn't the first time this had happened. The kitchen also needs updating: the fridge is too small for 14 people, and the grill is old and small. Some more outdoor furniture would help too.

We had a wonderful time celebrating our wedding at Larniano with our families, all of us staying at Villa Laura. The staff were helpful whenever we had questions or needed a hand with decorations. We also really enjoyed the wine tasting with everyone.

The setting is a beautiful, romantic corner of Toscana, with vineyards, olive trees, and countless shades of green all around. It was once a farm and is now a boutique hotel. The rooms are pleasant, though some have shared bathrooms and toilets, and there’s no air conditioning or TV. The internet was also very weak. Even with those drawbacks, I gave the whole experience four stars.

Villa il Caggio ended up being one of the best parts of our Italy trip. Our original villa was too small for the 30 guests who planned to come, and it couldn't host a wedding that size either. Our planner suggested a few alternatives, and this one worked out beautifully. The three separate buildings gave everyone room to spread out. We stayed in the dependence, most of our guests used the villa, and one guest had the pool house to themselves. The pool sits between the buildings and was a welcome break from the summer heat. The bedrooms were spacious and comfortable, and the kitchen worked well for both our evening parties and meals from the catering staff. We loved having breakfast and dinner under the pergola, looking out across the countryside. This newly renovated place still has that rustic Tuscan feel. Our days included wine tastings, cooking classes, and trips to Florence, and the villa was a great place to come back to and relax. The hosts and catering team made everyone feel looked after, including our American guests with their sometimes unreasonable requests. We know our group can be a handful, but everyone was grateful for the week and would come back in a heartbeat. I'll be looking for a chance to return as soon as I can.