Please help me choose between these two agriturismos...
 

Thank you to all of you who have helped me in my quest to find the right agriturismo at our budget price. I'm pleased to say that it can be done! We have narrowed it down to two and I was wondering if anyone would be so kind as to weigh in.

www.casalprato.com, located in Val d'Orcia 1-2km from Pienza on main road. 420 Euros/week for Red or Blue apartment (not sure but these seem to be a bedroom plus either a fold-out couch or rollaway beds for our kids), animals and play stuff for our kids to do, meals at a charge.

www.agriturismodiacceroni.com, located 15 km out of Volterra in the Pisa direction. 350 euros/week for a 4+2 apartment (two separate bedrooms plus living), animals and playground for the kids, one dinner weekly at a charge, plus they also have two other nights where they serve a free dinner.

I have scoured the internet for reviews and translated them from all languages and I am really satisfied that either is a nice place to stay. I am really, really torn. we will save quite a bit of money at Diacceroni, but I don't want that to be my only deciding factor. I have heard so much about val d'orcia and how amazing it is, but then I also think that it will probably be amazingly beautiful wherever we are.

As far as the two locations (Pienza v Volterra) I don't have anything to sway me to one over another besides maybe the fact that at the Pienza one it would be easier to walk to town or drive to get groceries.

So...if you have any input or suggestions, please, please, throw them my way!

thank you,
Karen

PS-traveling the week after Easter 2010, with children 5, 3, and 1.

PS, if you really think one location (Pienza over Volterra) is way superior, let me know...that would make my decision easier! :)

To me, Pienza is the choice. Convenient to visit a multitude of hill towns.

((H))

I agree that the area around Pienza is more appealing than the area around Volterra.

The Pienza location offers more to see/do and is, in my opinion, more beautiful.

Pienza it is! You guys made it very easy by voting unanimously...thank you. :)

Enjoy the Pecorino!!!!!

((H))

Karen,
My husband and I stayed at Casleprato last May for a week. We stayed in The Blue Apt. Which I thought was more desirable than tha Red Apt. Our trips around that area were wonderful. Pienza is a very easy town to get into and out of. The couple that own the property are super nice. They let us use their wi-fi and they invited us to a dinner in their unit w/ no charge. ( I think that was because we were there for 7 days.) There is a wonderful restaurant in Monticcheillo the Taverna di Moranda. Don't know your childre's ages, so maybe lunch would be better. Enjoy your trip.
Mary

Mary, thank you so much for weighing in here! I am glad that you commented on the blue vs. red apartments, because while Tiziano and I have had lovely and cordial emails, we have a big communication gap. I have finally settled into using translate.google to write him in Italian and he returns in Italian, but it doesn't always transate clearly. As he has given me the choice of red or blue, can you tell me why you felt Blue was superior? I don't mean to split hairs but since I have a choice I want to make an informed one!

Thanks again for your positive review of Casalprato--it makes me feel confident in our choice. I was so pleased to find such a great location at a very low price. :)

best,
karen

The Blue apt. has a small covered area just outside the apt. and it is on the same level as the parking area so rolling luggage would be easier. The red apt. has no covered area and their are a couple of steps down to reach the apt.

Thanks Mary--I almost forgot to come back and check this thread, but I'm glad I did! We took your word and reserved the blue flat.

The only problem I have now is that I sent a deposit for 125 euros, but the innkeeper acknowledged receipt of a wire transfer for 119 euros. Does this somehow happen in transit due to rate changes? Did you have a similar experience by chance?

Since it's only $9 US I'm not terribly worried about it, but it does make me wonder what happened to it.
thanks!
karen :)

Likely a wire transfer charge charged by one bank or the other.

No problem with our wire transfer. I had B of A, our bank transfer the amount in Euros. That is how it showed up in Italy. I would think if you asked for 125 euros, that is what would be sent and rec'd. A transfer fee should be stated.