BB La Pecora Nera

We were welcomed warmly by Elisa when we arrived, and she showed us to our room. We had booked room Eve, but it didn’t quite match the website photos, so we asked about switching. Elisa was accommodating and offered us room Eleanora, which had a wonderful view. There was no water or snack in the room, but we were happy with it. La Pecora Nera is in Mazzolla, a beautiful little town about 15 minutes from Volterra. The B&B has lovely views over the Tuscan hills and Volterra, and we ate very well twice at the wonderful Trattoria Albana. Breakfast was delicious and served in the garden, where we could enjoy the view, though it wasn’t included in the price. We’d originally planned to stay six nights, but changed our plans after family surprised us in Firenze. We also felt the B&B lacked some things needed for a comfortable longer stay: there wasn’t enough room for clothes and belongings, so we had to use our luggage every day. Cleaning and maintenance were okay, but we expected a higher standard given the price and rating. The pool is at another accommodation 30 minutes away and costs €10 per person. Apart from the breakfast table and chairs, there’s nowhere comfortable to sit in the garden. Those issues would have meant a four-star review. But when we told Elisa we wanted to shorten our stay, the communication became curt and incomplete. At checkout, we were billed for six nights instead of four. There were no terms or conditions about changing a booking on the website, in email, or on WhatsApp. We reached a compromise, but Elisa then became angry and inhospitable. Guests should feel welcome when staying somewhere, and unfortunately we didn’t. Elisa’s assistant, Anna, tried to make things better, and we’re grateful for her effort.

We felt right at home, and the welcome was lovely. Our room was beautiful, with incredible countryside views. In the evening we had a tasting menu prepared by Elisa, and both the food and wine were exceptional. We had a wonderful stay and would highly recommend a visit.

Mazzolla is a lovely little Tuscan town with fewer than 50 residents, and that’s where this B&B is. Be aware that there are two types of rooms: one can be dark, have no view, and sit next to the street, while another is upstairs on the first floor with a view. Despite calling itself a Bed and Breakfast, breakfast costs €40 per couple. The room was clean and had a jacuzzi, but it was extremely small. There’s parking at the town entrance, and the Wi-Fi was intermittent at best.

We spent a few days here during our honeymoon and really enjoyed having a place to unwind. The view was amazing, and the hot tub was great. Elisa was attentive to what we needed. We ate at the restaurant in town each evening, and the food there was great too.