We're staying here for 3 nights in october and was wondering if anyone has first hand experience about the place and the area. Is the place nice? Is Radda walking distance? Does Radda have much in its town? Is it easy to come and go from? Thanks for the info.

We passed by this place last spring, as we had also considered staying there. The location leaves something to be desired as it is located right on the main road. It has a good rating so I'm sure the rooms are nice but we were happy that we opted for Palazzo Squarcialupi in Castellina as it right in town with interesting sites and shops to walk to.

I stayed there a few years ago, & would happily return at any time of the year. The accommodation is very stylish & comfortable, the service very good, & the attention to small details all that you would want. Only some of the rooms face the main road, but I'm sure you could request one with a view of the swimming pool ( not the road side!) <BR>Radda is an attractive village, whilst Castellina is more of a town, with more to do & greater restaurant choice. However, if you have a car - & it really is a necessity in Chianti - the distances are not great.<BR>October should be a lovely time to visit, whatever you choice.

The Relais Vignale is a beautiful 4 star hotel. It is inside Radda in Chianti. Its true that it face a road, but really the traffic is very limited.<BR>Radda is in the centre of the Sienese Chianti so the best location if you want to visit the Chianti area.Last year me and my husband rented a room for a few days in Chianti . We had a car and drove easily around the area. We were though highly reccomended by some friends to contact Dario a local who takes people on day tours. We realized how many things you miss by driving on your own, Dario took us to the most incredible places, he knew every single side road and his knowledge and love of the area was remarkable. He is quite a caracter has been on some talk shows and has had many articles written about him. We had the most incredible time, he simply bombarded us with all kinds of info, history, legends,local gossip and we decided to have him take us around for 4 full days. The most incredible thing is that he knows everyone and seems to have the capacity of entering all kinds of places that are not normaly open to tourists. <BR>I think that Dario can be contacted at [email protected]

We'd just stayed there in May and loved it. The rooms were excellent but the gardens and sitting areas overlooking the countryside are the real winners. When you stay there, don't forget to dine at the nearby Ristorante Vignale (about 300 yards from the hotel). It's fantastic. The town is small but worth a morning's stroll. Although the villa is on the main road, noise is a non-issue as the traffic is very limited.<BR><BR>Have a nice time!