Villa Il Paradisino

The gardens feel magical, and the historic buildings have been restored immaculately. It’s a green oasis, with a friendly host and easy train access to Firenze. Fantastic place, highly recommend!

The woman working there was extremely slow, unprofessional, and rude. They came up with a bunch of excuses to avoid issuing an invoice. That’s not something you want to deal with on holiday. We wouldn’t return or recommend it. Around Florence, there are much better agriturismo places at the same price that provide far better service.

The accommodation was clean and functional, but Maddalena’s unpleasant, almost hostile manner ruined the stay for us. We wouldn’t come back. There are plenty of better places nearby where the staff seem to genuinely care about their guests. We travel regularly and have usually found Italy welcoming, so this was by far the most uncomfortable arrival we’ve had. We told Maddalena we were in a rush and would arrive in an hour, as instructed, and had already completed the online check-in. Still, when we got there, she opened the door looking irritated and didn’t even say hello. Although she knew we were pressed for time, she checked in another group first, then gave us a slow, drawn-out tour. She explained basic things like the air conditioning in a way that felt more like a lecture than help. We were fine with the extra €60 per dog, but she said it had to be paid in cash and didn’t initially offer a receipt. We had to insist on a proper invoice and mention tax laws before she said she would “check with the owner.” After that, an invoice was suddenly possible. It felt like we had to pressure her just to get a legal receipt. That evening we found there was no hot water. Guests are also expected to take out their own garbage before leaving. That felt like a chore being handed to paying guests, not hospitality. We’ve had wonderful stays across Italy and been welcomed kindly, so this was a rare and unfortunate exception.

Constanza and Maddalena made us feel at home, and their breakfasts were wonderful, with herbs, eggs, and fruit from the garden. They also recommended good local shops and restaurants and made sure we had what we needed. We feel extremely lucky to have spent our trip in Tuscany at Villa il Paradisino. The family-owned villa is beautiful and peaceful, with a large vineyard just outside Florence. It’s easy to get into the city by train or visit other Tuscan towns by car. Our two-bedroom apartment was spacious and distinctly Tuscan, with beautiful marble, terracotta floors, and high ceilings. It had all the amenities we needed. We stayed five nights and would gladly have stayed longer. I highly recommend it to anyone visiting Florence who’s looking for true Italian hospitality.