I'd give it ten if I could. Our 2nd trip to quiet Il Fontanaro, near historic Paciano, Italy. A…read morefamily business which has honey, olive oil, wine and an amazing guest houses. Clean, classy, well appointed. You immediately feel both at home and on vacation. I can't stay long enough, wine tours, cooking classes, ancient towns, hand made Italian leather shoes! You know what - Don't go....leave it all for me MamaK and Glammom totally approve!

If I could give Fontanaro 10 or 10,000 stars, I would. It is a slice of paradise operated by two of…read morethe most wonderful women I've ever met and who have become friends for life. Located in Paciano, a small village in Umbria with a population of 1000, Fontanaro is an agriturismo which produces wine, olive oil (Silver medal winner in the world olive oil competition), honey and saffron. They also operate an organic cooking school and rent beautiful villas. We stayed in Frantoio, one of the two villas for rent on the Fontanaro farm property. The other villas are in very close proximity to Fontanaro and Paciano. Upon arriving, one is greeted with a gorgeous stone villa where the owners Lucia & Alina live, and the air is sweet with the many varieties of roses that blanket the property. Lucia and Alina go above and beyond in showing wonderful hospitality to their guests, and we left feeling like we were leaving family. They are so very kind, always keen to any needs their guests might have, and we spent hours talking with them and enjoying their perfect wine, along with the most delectable prosciutto and pecorino cheese with truffles I have ever had. All the food we ate while there was perfect, including homemade gnocchi and ravioli we made during our cooking class. It was also nice meeting other guests from different parts of the US and other countries. It is a very comfortable, homey setting. Our villa was rustic and beautifully decorated and stocked with all the basic food items we needed such as pasta, garlic, butter, olive oil, honey, wine, bread and eggs. We were welcome to pick food from their organic garden, so we enjoyed sauteed spinach, salads and the most sweetly satisfying strawberries I have ever had. The property includes a saltwater infinity pool and jacuzzi with beautiful views of Paciano and the valley, in addition to many hammocks and seating areas in which to enjoy the views of the countryside. I also highly recommend taking a tour of their olive mill and honey lab. They produce their olive oil on site in order to ensure their high standards of quality and taste. Very important to us, they use solar panels for power and collect rainwater in which to water their gardens and crops. A two hour drive from Rome, Fontanaro is very conveniently located for day trips to other cities in Umbria and Tuscany. We visited Montepulciano and Cortona while there - both medieval towns located on top of hills within a 40 minute drive (Cortona is where Under the Tuscan Sun was filmed). Alina is a master map drawer and had a plethora of shopping and dining suggestions for us wherever we went. She knows people everywhere, and upon entering any shop or restaurant, all we had to say was we were staying at Fontanaro or mention Lucia or Alina's name and receive a big smile and hugs of welcome in return. I could write for days about our experience here. It was the best vacation we've ever been on, and there is not one thing we did not enjoy. It was so perfect, we do not wish to go anywhere else... ever!

We spent time in this intimate, romantic, gorgeous, and meticulously furnished converted monastery…read morefor a memorable wedding. The 18-room inn is located in the Umbria / Tuscany region, close to lovely Renaissance villages such as Cortona. Corte del Sole's grounds, including a vineyard, rose gardens and an outdoor swimming pool, are stunning, with the backdrop of rolling Tuscan hills and Lake Trasimeno. The restaurant and wine cellar (and wine collection) are phenomenal. Expect to gain about a pound a day - and have fun with it. As the inn is nestled away in the countryside, eating something other than the restaurant's heavy gourmet Italian fare requires venturing to nearby towns. Definitely on the list for a return visit.

The 5 star reviews of this place are correct. The owner was friendly, welcoming and made sure were…read morecomfortable and secure. He offered us a ride up the hill (but we drove--big mistake in the rain & not use to stick shift). Anyways, the room was pretty, nice accents and paintings. We got a balcony with a nice view. The room was clean, comfy, lots of windows and big bathroom. We got lots of towels, slippers and bath supplies. He also put dry chairs out for us since it rained for our breakfast on the patio. His partner brought us cappuccinos to our room. Well worth the stay and the best customer service we've experienced so far. Plus he was nice to our puppy!

I had been traveling in Tuscany and Umbria for about 3 weeks before I landed here for 3 nights. It…read morecould not have been a better choice for us! Located just outside one of the entry ways into Orvieto with stunning views over the valley, this newer B&B is an incredible value for what you get. We we had a room that would have been perfect for a family but there were only two of us. There was one room with two double beds connected to another room with a huge king bed. Simple decor but elegant at the same time. Nice big bathroom, refrigerator in the room and a really nice balcony off one of the bedrooms. The outside area is where this place really shines! The view from the very large patio with tables and some nice wicker furnishings called to us at the end of a long day exploring. We would open up a bottle of wine and just gaze at the view. A very nice breakfast including eggs, cake, sereal, cake, fruit, cake, juice, cake and coffee and an assortment of teas. And did I mention cake? Seriously, they had about 6 different cakes/pies/pastries each morning! The proprietors live here as well and they aim to please. We didn't want to leave this place and would stay here again in a heartbeat!

We had a wonderful stay at this villa in the Umbria/Tuscany region. We booked it because it met…read morealmost all of our requirements: size, cost, flexibility, niceness, and special organized events. The property has the main house and a guest house. We had the guest house for a week which had 3 bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms (a good ratio so that couples did not have to share bathrooms). The property is very pretty and quiet. Close to the small town of Citta della Pieve for quick groceries and close enough for day trips to Rome, Florenze, wine tasting, etc....There is free wi-fi, 2 pools, a pool table, and a private drive. We did the "welcome dinner", Italian cooking class/dinner, and a wine tasting trip through the owner (Jacopo). All of them were great and reasonably priced. The welcome dinner was a prepared dinner for all the people on the night we arrived. A couple of ladies did all the cooking and cleaning! The food was delicious and it was great to not worry about all of that stuff when just showing up. He has his own line of wine and olive oil from his property which great. He leaves wine there and operates on the "honor system". Nice when you need an extra bottle or two. One note: there is no way to play music from phone or computer. So if you want music, bring a speaker or something. It would be pretty quiet without one. The main house is huge and I think has 9 bedrooms. I also had my luggage lost flying to Italy and Jacopo was also very helpful making phone calls to the Italian company and trying to get the bag back to me. I'd definitely recommend this villa to anyone.

I recently had the pleasure of spending a few days at the Relais Villa Petrischio in Cortona, Italy…read morewith my wife and another couple. What a wonderful place with it's beautiful view of the bucolic Tuscan countryside. The owner Diletta, took the time to make us all feel welcome and part of the family. Our rooms were spacious, nicely decorated and comfortable. We stayed in a villa about 150-meters from Reception while our friends stayed in the main building. Their room was equally as nice. The pool is outstanding as is the restaurant and bar which is located next to the pool for convenience The hotel is located near the city of Cortona so it was an easy 25-min drive into town. I would highly recommend putting this little gem of a place on your itinerary should you be staying in Tuscany. Thank you Diletta for the experience and hopefully, we'll be returning for another stay.

Our stay at the Siena House in Tuscany was so perfect, it's almost difficult to describe. But I'll…read moredo my best... The Grounds The house itself is amazing. It's airy, extremely well decorated, peaceful, and a mix of modern and rustic. The surrounding yard, summer kitchen, garden, terrace, pool, and outdoor furniture is all so tasteful and inviting. The pictures on the website tell a good story, but it's obviously even better in person. The Owners From the very moment we showed up, Malvin & Amanda were so unbelievably welcoming and personable. We felt comfortable right away. All the 5 star reviews and great ratings on TripAdvisor are not a coincidence as we felt like we mattered so much every moment of our 3 night stay. From restaurant recommendations, to being greeted with a bottle of prosecco and even allowed to borrow their GPS for our entire stay, this was hand-holding at it's best. But they also made sure to give us a ton of space so we felt a sense of privacy the entire time. The Breakfasts! Each morning offered a new take on a delicious (and luxurious) breakfast with a very generous amount of food. The fresh, local and seasonal ingredients combined with Malvin's exceptional skills in the kitchen made these breakfasts a huge highlight of the stay. Quite possibly the 3 best breakfast's I've ever eaten in my life. And he took beverage requests and would whip up an espresso, cappuccino or tea to pair in a jiffy (often offering seconds) The Location The location was ideal. The house itself felt very tucked away in the country and was very peaceful. It was also just 5-10 minutes from the A1 freeway so that traveling by car on day trips to further away towns was convenient. Or you could take the country roads to some of the closer Tuscan villages. All in all, we went to around 7 towns in just 3 days and still felt like we spent a good amount of time at the house itself. The X Factor(s) Quite simply, the generous balance of feeling pampered in Tuscan luxury but also having very approachable hosts who made you feel like their home was yours. Plus, having only 4 guest suites in the property keeps things very quiet and allows them to keep offering the personal touches that make the stay so rewarding. Based on the way we were treated, the wonderful food and how beautiful the house and surroundings were, we would never choose any other place, should we go back to Tuscany in the future. 5 stars all the way!

We stayed one night at this gorgeous property after there was a problem with our booked hotel…read more Though our stay was short I really need to share that if you want time where all dreams of romantic Italy come true, this is your place. Magnificent.

Montepulciano is one of my husbands and my favorite places on earth. We have been traveling here…read moreover the years and have never had a disappointing stay. We have made friends and lasting memories. This stay was just spectacular and the exact kind of pampering and luxurious experience we were hoping for. We decided, this time, to stay at the Palazzo Carletti. The Palazzo Carletti is a gorgeous piece of historical elegance. We knew a little bit about the history of this building. For example, it was the communist headquarters during World War II. Interesting right? During that time many of the magnificent ceiling frescoes had been enclosed to conserve energy/heat. When the new owner broke through the ceiling barrier to expose these great frescoes, I can only imagine his excitement. The Palazzo Carletti is a boutique hotel nestled right up from the wonderful Cafe Polizziano, right in the heart of the highest mountain town in Tuscany, Montepulciano . This special hotel has only 5 rooms that are accessed off of the grand room that drips in history and beautiful frescos. The family that owns this gem are exemplary hosts and we felt like the most special people on earth during our stay. The concierge was just lovely. She was so elegant and composed in her position and ensured our stay here was a perfect 10. The breakfasts that are served in the grand room each morning were fantastic. We had the great fortune of staying in the Albany Suite and it was amazing. Ceiling frescoes, luxurious bedding, super modern bathroom, to die for, and a perfect Tuscan view from our balcony where we drank our cappuccino each morning...... The Dolce Vita!!

I know this amazing place by the name "Agriturismo Nibbiano"…read more Denise, along with her Mother and brother, run this charming B&B in the foot hills of Montepulciano. We used this as our base for exploring Tuscany, as the location was perfect. The accommodations are somewhat rustic and simple, but spacious and clean. We chose to have Denise prepare dinner for us in the evenings, where we ate the most delicious meals served under grape vines in the garden. Well worth the 25 euro per person, and Denise was kind enough not to charge my son. The meals were prepared with much love and care and it was the perfect way to end a busy day of touring the medeival hillside towns. Pure perfection, and we highly recommend this hidden gem to anyone looking for a true Tuscan experience.