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> SlowTrav > Italy > Vacation Rentals > Reviews > Tuscany South Review 2437: Villa Luisa, Apartment
apartment and B&B on an estate near Siena, Tuscany South 
WhenSept. 20th through 28th, 2006, 8 days LocationVilla Luisa is located on outskirts of Siena, the first villa to the right when driving on SP 46 into Villa di Corsano. It was easy to find. One suggestion though: follow Luisa's directions from her website and carefully watch the signs on the road and you'll get there in no time. We used a GPS and it kept directing us onto SS223 towards Grosetto which goes OVER SP46 which you are looking, so after the software told us a few times to take a left turn off the highway and through the guardrails :), we figured, we needed to follow Luisa's original directions. We got there at night, so we could not fully appreciate the beautiful Tuscan countryside views that the Villa offers almost from any angle. But, oh boy, when the morning came and we looked through the windows we could not believe our eyes. Imagine, feeling as though you are in a magical story land and the feeling doesn't leave even after you've been there awhile. The villa is located in such a way that you can see Siena right in front of you. Other quick facts about the villa: gated, monitored access, carport for two cars, beautiful stone walkway up to the front lawn with a carefully thought out path to the right of the steps for rolling your luggage, hammock with stunning views of Siena, outside eating area. Nearby AmenitiesYou could definitely walk to the local grocery store which is right up the street, but we drove there most of the time, there's a small local restaurant. The grocery store carries all sorts of tasty local produce: freshly baked bread, cheeses, cold cuts, vegetables, personal hygiene products and everything else you would expect. This area is famous for its Vino and Olio production, so look for small signs 'Vino/Olio' that direct you to peoples homes to sample and buy the tastiest wine and olive oil in the whole world. The House/ApartmentWe rented what is called 'Mansarda' the biggest 60 sq. m. apartment in the villa. It is basically a studio type place directly under the roof. The room has three windows: one overlooking the nearby multicolored fields, another two are on the front overlooking the fields and the city of Siena in a distance. The building itself is very old, but is very nicely restored and is in excellent shape. There's no 'old' smell anywhere in the house, for the picky ones. Luisa told me, she rents two other rooms somewhere in the house, but I did not see them. The 'Mansarda' has it's own private access, you get your own set of keys, so you may come and go whenever you please. GardenThe outside landscape is extremely beautiful with trimmed bushes, olive trees and nicely cut grass. There is a table with chairs outside, so you may enjoy a quiet atmosphere while eating all those tasty local products. There is a hammock, to enjoy the stunning views of Siena during the day and an incredibly black and beautiful skies dotted with a million stars at night. There is also a place to hang your clothes to dry should you decide to wash something. Furnishings/Cleanliness/Living AreasThe 'Mansarda' has a lot of nice, comfortable furniture in excellent shape, a kitchen island that has everything from teaspoons to a bottle opener - everything you would have at your own home. There is a small refrigerator underneath. Kitchen has a gas stove, and cabinets full of stuff: like plates, wine glasses, etc. If there was an award for the cleanest rental place - it would go to Luisa. Everything was squeaky clean! Something you would rarely find in this price range. We are both 'clean freaks' and we loved the way the place looked, smelt and felt. Bedrooms/BathroomsThe place has one comfortable king size bed with two nightstands with lights for reading and one other bed, you could potentially have three or four people stay there. The bathroom was very clean with a sink in front of you as you walk in and a bathtub/shower/toilet/laundry/bidet room also extremely clean and new. KitchenSee above. Problems or BonusesA 110% of surprises were extremely good! Agency and Representatives (and price)Luisa very open, nice and highly educated person that you'll bond with right away. Luisa speaks perfect English, so you have absolutely no problems in this department. Everything I described here is pretty much on Luisa's website, so yes, everything was as advertised and more. Do you recommend this vacation rental to others?ABSOLUTELY!!! It happened so we traveled without our 16-month-old son this time around. But we would without any hesitation come back within a year or two to Villa Luisa with our child. With Luisa's help I rented a racing bicycle in Siena. She actually personally went to the store to find out out all the information for me. For those who are interested, go to www.dfbike.it for more information. Contact Francesco by email and they will have the bike in your size by the time you arrive. Things to do in this areaAlmost too many...
HAVE FUN!!!! This review is the opinion of a Slow Travel member and not of slowtrav.com. |
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