Via del Cesto, 50063 Figline Valdarno FI, Italy
Romantic Tuscan villa with magnificent views of the valley and pool in an olive garden. You shouldn't expect luxury and impeccable cleanliness, but there is enough of a romantic mood. Everything is quite worn and many places could use some repair and updating, but overall it's still in tolerable condition. The pool is surrounded by olive trees. The pool is not very big, but big enough to swim a little. There aren't many sunbeds right by the pool, but there are plenty of sunbeds further out in the olive trees. From time to time, the horsefly attacked quite actively, especially when you got out of the pool while wet, but this problem is everywhere in rural areas. There is also a small SPA on site, with an indoor pool and saunas, but this indoor pool is not big enough to swim in. For breakfast, both salty and sweet food is offered, but the selection is quite small and the better pastries are only enough for the first ones, they are not brought any more later. Ready-made pot coffee is poor, but you can also order freshly made machine coffee, but it wasn't the best either. The dinner was good, but based on the previous very positive reviews, I expected more. The staff was pleasantly friendly. We didn't really like the first room, it was a good size and had a spacious bathroom, but compared to the advertised pictures it was rather modest in finish and I didn't like the handicap sink. The next day the room was changed and we really liked the new room, although the bathroom was extremely small. Parking is in the garden below, and it is very inconvenient to go up the narrow stairs on the hillside with suitcases, but for this, drive up to the reception door at the beginning and park the car downstairs after unloading your luggage. About 15 minutes drive from the highway. The famous The Mall outlet is also about 15 minutes drive away. As a compliment, drinking water in the room would have been very welcome. There was no possibility to make tea and coffee in the room.
Read More ReviewsHigh-end hotel offering genteel rooms, an intimate spa & a formal restaurant, plus an outdoor pool.
Romantic Tuscan villa with magnificent views of the valley and pool in an olive garden. You shouldn't expect luxury and impeccable cleanliness, but there is enough of a romantic mood. Everything is quite worn and many places could use some repair and updating, but overall it's still in tolerable condition. The pool is surrounded by olive trees. The pool is not very big, but big enough to swim a little. There aren't many sunbeds right by the pool, but there are plenty of sunbeds further out in the olive trees. From time to time, the horsefly attacked quite actively, especially when you got out of the pool while wet, but this problem is everywhere in rural areas. There is also a small SPA on site, with an indoor pool and saunas, but this indoor pool is not big enough to swim in. For breakfast, both salty and sweet food is offered, but the selection is quite small and the better pastries are only enough for the first ones, they are not brought any more later. Ready-made pot coffee is poor, but you can also order freshly made machine coffee, but it wasn't the best either. The dinner was good, but based on the previous very positive reviews, I expected more. The staff was pleasantly friendly. We didn't really like the first room, it was a good size and had a spacious bathroom, but compared to the advertised pictures it was rather modest in finish and I didn't like the handicap sink. The next day the room was changed and we really liked the new room, although the bathroom was extremely small. Parking is in the garden below, and it is very inconvenient to go up the narrow stairs on the hillside with suitcases, but for this, drive up to the reception door at the beginning and park the car downstairs after unloading your luggage. About 15 minutes drive from the highway. The famous The Mall outlet is also about 15 minutes drive away. As a compliment, drinking water in the room would have been very welcome. There was no possibility to make tea and coffee in the room.
As long-time Italophiles - we travel to Italy 3-4 times a year - we still like to shift locations for a while. Tuscany is our family's most chosen region. The people there are warm and friendly. So as a cold shower we experienced this wellness hotel. The receptionists and the maitre d'hotel of the restaurant were therefore as unfriendly as could be. The cleaning staff, the maintenance man and the lady at breakfast, were the only people who could crack a smile. At breakfast, there were not enough staff to handle everything. One staff member to serve drinks to a continuous 25-40 people was too few, resulting in long waiting times. In the evening, the food was nice but again there was a lack of warmth by the staff. By the way, I have never experienced having to pay coperto in the restaurant you already booked in the hotel as half board. It had an attractive wine list but a lot of wines were not available, so other more expensive wines were offered (sometimes from an older, i.e. more expensive year). These were then also charged more expensively but conversely younger wines were charged to the original year ordered. People eat from both sides in this hotel. A blot on Italian hospitality culture as far as I am concerned.
The views from this Getaway Hotel/Spa/Resort are magnificent. The packages vary, but offer "day stay" for spa and include 3 course lunch or dinner. It is impeccably clean, and service is top-notch. A must visit when in Tuscany.
I have been there with my friend for a morning at the spa after purchasing a daily entrance online. Unfortunately at our arrival we haven’t been welcomed so friendly as we could expect. The service at the reception was quite dismissive and incredibly slow to let us in. The service at the spa instead was great. We had a nice full body scrub made by one of the masseuse. She is a great person and made us feel really comfortable. The facilities could use some cleaning though. The sauna ceiling was full of spiderwebs for example. Best thing in my opinion is the jacuzzi room with view over the hills.
If you are thinking about booking this place I have one advice for you: don’t! As soon as you enter the hotel you feel that it’s best days have long been in the past. The place looks decrepit and the staff shabby besides being inattentive. No help is offered with your luggage and nobody shows you your room. In the room you will find no directions, no coffee or thea amenities, no glasses for drinks and there’s a good chance the toilet’s seat is broken. When you proceed to the so called “welness” area a feeling of great disappointment overcomes you: the sauna is actually nothing more than a place where you would want to store your brooms let alone sitting in it and the garden looks like the gardener himself is on holiday. The restaurant offers no solace either. With “Love Radio” (including advertisements) on speaker, it has the vibe of an assembly hall. It was a pitty that our wonderful holiday in Tuscany where we stayed at many lovely paces enjoying real Italian hospitality ended in thus loveless affair. If the management of this hotel is reading my review I hope they make the necessary changes, as with the right approach something nice can still be made out of this place.
