Looking for a Unique Tuscan Villa for 6
Jan 19th, 2005, 11:42 AM
#21
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 88
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Rex, I am one who has chosen the same agriturismo as JanetM. There are many reviews of it on tripadvisor.com, some of them not positive (probably winter visitors), but many more giving rave reviews. They make it clear that you are pretty much on your own here (you have to supply your own toilet paper, even). The cost savings, to me, far outweigh any inconvenience I will have to make a short stop for supplies. So far, communication with the villa has been excellent. It does look like you can arrange to have dinner in the housekeepers cottage.
My husband and I took a driving trip through France last year, and what we particularly enjoyed was having a car and staying out in the countryside in a B&B. We ate dinners out at farmhouses in the area, sometimes places that offered only one meal choice. This was the very best food we have ever had! The accommodations were lovely, but not full service hotels, which we do not find time to use all the services offered anyway since we seem to be always on the go sightseeing.
I will be looking for some detailed reviews of Catignano on this forum. I am very interested in everyone's experience!
So that is why I have chosen an agriturismo. Also, this particular villa is only 8 km from Siena, so a large town is very close.
My husband and I took a driving trip through France last year, and what we particularly enjoyed was having a car and staying out in the countryside in a B&B. We ate dinners out at farmhouses in the area, sometimes places that offered only one meal choice. This was the very best food we have ever had! The accommodations were lovely, but not full service hotels, which we do not find time to use all the services offered anyway since we seem to be always on the go sightseeing.
I will be looking for some detailed reviews of Catignano on this forum. I am very interested in everyone's experience!
So that is why I have chosen an agriturismo. Also, this particular villa is only 8 km from Siena, so a large town is very close.
Jan 19th, 2005, 01:46 PM
#22
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 13,194
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Let me reiterate - - I have nothing critical to say about this place - - I have only the pictures to go by, and it's good to hear that you have been pleased with the communication you have had with them. My point was that I would have never figured out to make a recommendation of ap lace like this, which doesn't even fit my idea of what a "villa stay" should offer (and not mentioned on slowtrav.com for reasons I have suggested).
I don't know much about the "fringes" of Siena; seems safe to say that you wouldn't drive "into" (the old inner city of) Siena, up "on the hill" to buy groceries, but undoubtedly it WILL mean a lot of restuarants to choose from, both in, and near Siena.
In any case, I wholeheartedly agree with you about staying in the countless wonderful places in Europe that are really only accessible by car. And we, too have had great experiences staying in locations where the dining far exceeded the modest lodging (in fact, the rooms were frequently at lower cost than a dinner - - as if it was very much just a convenience, or "side dish" to the diners!)
Hope this isn't hijacking this thread too much!
I don't know much about the "fringes" of Siena; seems safe to say that you wouldn't drive "into" (the old inner city of) Siena, up "on the hill" to buy groceries, but undoubtedly it WILL mean a lot of restuarants to choose from, both in, and near Siena.
In any case, I wholeheartedly agree with you about staying in the countless wonderful places in Europe that are really only accessible by car. And we, too have had great experiences staying in locations where the dining far exceeded the modest lodging (in fact, the rooms were frequently at lower cost than a dinner - - as if it was very much just a convenience, or "side dish" to the diners!)
Hope this isn't hijacking this thread too much!
Jan 19th, 2005, 10:13 PM
#23
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 88
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Rex, I did not take your comments as negative; I just wanted to add my mine as an explanation of what I consider the "villa" experience, i.e. something other than a full-service hotel.
I think it's too bad that Fodor's doesn't have recommendations & a place for reviews for more B&B and agriturismo accommodations as they would offer more of a choice to users of this site.
Of course, by commenting on these threads, I guess we are doing just that, in a less organized way! We will all just have to be good reporters when we come back.
I had to laugh at the idea of grocery shopping in Siena itself; I hope everyone realizes that you must park outside the walls and you would have to shlep all your packages back down to the car. I believe there is a co-op store nearby but outside Siena, or of course there is always the usual small shops in neighboring towns, which I think is more fun, myself.
I think it's too bad that Fodor's doesn't have recommendations & a place for reviews for more B&B and agriturismo accommodations as they would offer more of a choice to users of this site.
Of course, by commenting on these threads, I guess we are doing just that, in a less organized way! We will all just have to be good reporters when we come back.
I had to laugh at the idea of grocery shopping in Siena itself; I hope everyone realizes that you must park outside the walls and you would have to shlep all your packages back down to the car. I believe there is a co-op store nearby but outside Siena, or of course there is always the usual small shops in neighboring towns, which I think is more fun, myself.
