Villa Porta all'Arco

We had a great view across the Tuscan landscape from the town bar where breakfast was served. The hotel is well placed for visiting Volterra, we had a parking spot there, and the host was friendly at check-in. The room looked a little dated, but it was fine. What concerned me was the electricity: switching on the AC or plugging in our phones made the lights flicker off and on for a second. I didn’t feel comfortable charging my phone or batteries, or leaving the AC running while we slept.

Volterra itself is fantastic, and I’ll return to the town, just not to this hotel. Getting there on foot is a tough climb, followed by a stretch on a busy road with no pedestrian pavement, so be prepared if you’re not very fit. Our room was tiny and poorly serviced. There was just one plastic beaker in the bathroom for the two of us, and I couldn’t tell whether it was unused. The bedside drawer held two old, crushed water bottles left by a previous guest, as shown in the photo. The door was warped and cracked, letting light through and around it. It took repeated slamming to get the key in and lock it without the door springing back open, and light still came in. There weren’t really any staff except the person serving breakfast. We spent a morning dealing with very complicated messages about how to get access. Parking was also tight, with only about four spaces that didn’t block someone in. We knew the breakfast was vegan beforehand. There were many cake-like items made without eggs or milk, but they all tasted like sawdust to me, except the ones with mold spots on the bottom.

The staff were really friendly, and our room was clean and in good condition. There’s free parking, though the car park is small. A lovely little place to stay, highly recommend.

The owners, a father and daughter, were very kind and helpful. Our room was cozy and had crisp white sheets, and breakfast came with plenty of sweet and savory choices. The location was excellent, just a few minutes on foot from Volterra’s historic center. We stayed 15 days ago and were the first guests under the new management.