Agriturismo Poggio Duca

Our 3-year-old was thrilled to see the chickens, donkeys, horses, and sheep. It’s a peaceful, family-friendly place surrounded by greenery, and the food was amazing. Kudos to the two gentlemen running the agriturismo while we were there. The room could’ve been cleaner, but everything was comfortable overall. The outdoor areas are worth visiting in warmer weather, with a tennis court, bocce ball, outdoor oven, and dining area.

The rooms were small, cold, damp, badly kept, and poorly managed. Dinner was genuinely poor and overpriced, not what I’d expect from an agriturismo. Breakfast was meager too, with hardly any choice, no savory food, just a few bits of dessert. Then the ATM was out of order with no warning. We had to find a random machine in a nearby village and come back to pay, and all they offered for the hassle was a coffee. A terrible place. If half a star were possible, I’d give it right away.

The place has plenty of potential, but the overall impression this time was of decline and mediocrity. I came back for lunch after years, remembering the atmosphere and food fondly, and found the experience sad and disappointing. The food wasn’t bad and the ingredients were good quality, but nothing stayed with me. There was just one person handling both the tables and the till, and you could see the customers waiting with resigned faces. They could do better.

Three stars feels like a fair middle ground between five-star food and one-star rooms. The room was a disaster, with old furniture and general dirt, and the tiny bathroom practically puts the toilet in the shower. Such a shame, especially given the excellent location in a beautiful area. Dinner, on the other hand, was exceptional: excellent meat, clearly good quality, tasty homemade pasta, generous portions, and a great price.