mrubio0806

Recommendations needed for a family of 4. Traveling from Venice and staying 7 nights in Tuscany we need a good central town to base from (arriving on 12/28) (car rental or train?) and 4 nights in a central part of Rome (arriving 1/4/12). Much wanted and appreciated!

Henry

mrubio,
This may help http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/tuscany/hs_planning.htm

J62

Based on the official Italian star rating system it's virtually impossible for an agriturismo or B&B to get a 3 or 4 star rating, as the system is based on certain categories of amenities. Things many travelers would not normally factor into a rating system such as multi-lingual front desk open 24hrs, on-premises restaurant, concierge, etc.

To me the most important thing is a clean room and a very comfortable bed. Take the bed as an example I've stayed in upscale 4 star hotels in Europe that have Euro-standard, hard as a rock mattress and a small 2 star hotel that had a modern pillow top mattress. My night in the 2 star was much more comfortable than the nights in the 4 star, and I rarely use any upscale hotel amenities period.

What are the important things to you when you state you want a 3 or 4 star accommodation.

bobthenavigator

In Dec. I would consider basing in Siena---the countryside will be bleak. Look at http://www.villascacciapensieri.it/

mrubio0806

Thank you J62. Language will never be an issue with our family when traveling as we embrace cultural differences ("WHEN IN ROME"). I agree with you on the importance of room cleanliness and a comfy bed. The accommodation does not need to be luxurious but not necessarily shabby either. So then the question still stands sans the star rating.

mrubio0806

Thank you Bob! Checking out their website as I write you.

Meredith_Shindler

We are a couple in late 30's, with mother and a 5 yr old and 1 yr old. We stayed in villa il castellaccio, which is situated right between Greve and Lucalena...it was perfect. We stayed 7 nights, had a car and did day trips to Siena, San Gimigiano, Verona, Greve, Castellanci, etc etc. It was very convenient, family friendly, comfortable, clean, nice, not luxurious Ritz Carlton, but who wants that when in the hills of Tuscany. Very well maintained grounds and all units have outdoor covered dining areas looking at the hills and vineyards, etc. There is even a major train station in Figlione (15 minuted from villa) that took us to Florence in less than an hour. Very convenient, relaxing, away from it all, yet convenient to it all. www.villailcastellaccio.com

annhig

Language will never be an issue with our family when traveling as we embrace cultural differences ("WHEN IN ROME").>>

I'm intrigued. does this mean that you all/some of you speak italian? or that you have some other means of achieving understanding of your surroundings?

qwovadis

www.italyby.com

good info...

www.lucca.info very pretty my fav...

www.orvieto.info super nice Etruscan hill town

on your way to Rome...

Happy Travels!

qwovadis

seat61.com/italy trains best cheapest for me.

CaliNurse

Note that some agriturismi are closed in winter.

mrubio0806

Thank you Meredith, it sounds lovely. What time of the year were you there? I ask because a fellow fodorite advised that we stay near Siena because of the weather. I visited Italy in July but never during the winter.

zeppole

The "fellow Fodorite" who advised you on your winter Tuscan trip has never been to Tuscany in winter. He has also been told over and over by people who have actually been there that his descriptions of December weather in Tuscany as "bleak" are absolutely wrong. (If he comes back and now tells you he has been there, ask to see the pictures he took of the bleakness.)

The New York Times wrote an article about winter travel to Tuscany in which is was reported that Tuscany is one of the few places where colors are actually more beautiful and intense in winter.

http://www.boston.com/travel/article...ut_the_crowds/


If you would like to stay south of Siena, it is a lovely place, as are many others area of central Italy. There are many 4* agriturismi in Tuscany. You might want to look up Locanda dell'Amorosa. It is open in December. Check TripAdvisor for user up-to-date user reviews.

http://www.amorosa.it/en/index

zeppole

And just more evidence you will not be facing "bleak"

http://www.flickr.com/photos/giusepp...no/2142476766/

http://tuscany-toscana.blogspot.com/...in-winter.html

http://www.borghiditoscana.net/eng/t...ia/winter.html

http://www.flickr.com/photos/enzo_re...n/photostream/

charnees

For Rome, two good sources for apartments are VRBO.com and sleepinitaly.com We have had good luck with both. Apartments are useful because you have more room, including a living room and a kitchenette where two couples can sit together and relax.

charnees

I just realized you are a family of four, not two couples. That means an apartment is also good for you.

mrubio0806

Thankful but all over the place. My oh my! I just have to focus on deciding on the Tuscany portion of our trip; whether to rent an apartment(thank you Charnees), an agriturismo (zeppole, your information is, as Will Ferrell said, "mind-bottling")or a bed and breakfast.

annhig

mrubio - how old are your kids?

if not too large, the apartment we rented in Rome might be suitable - www.lacasadiclelia.webs.com.

it's right in the centro storico, [near piazza navona] ground floor and basement [where the 2 bedrooms are], and very reasonable. If the children are both teenagers it might be a blit cramped - we found it ideal for 3 adults - but if both or either of them are under 12 or so, it could work very well.

there are loads of cafes, bars, restaurants in the area but the kitchen is also vey well equipped if you wanted to cook.

zoecat

Check out La Foce, located near Montepulciano and the beautiful Val d'Orcia area-

http://www.lafoce.com/

mrubio0806

Thank you Annhig. My children are 18 and 21 and get along very well.I was just looking at the apartment in Rome you recommended and it looks very nice. And according to the website it sleeps 6 (a double bed, 2 single beds and a double sleeper sofa). They mention it's been renovated. Question: Was the bedding comfortable?