Homestays w: Tuscany, Italy

It's in a great location, 7 minutes from the station and 10 minutes from the Ufutzii Museum, but it was hard to find because there was no hotel sign! I was standing 10 meters away, but I couldn't find it even after walking back and forth, so I asked a nearby hotel staff member, who pointed to a small door and said, ”It's right there.” I pressed the intercom, had it opened, went up to the third floor, and finally checked in. The room was cute, and when I told them I was leaving early in the morning, they were flexible and said, ”I can make breakfast at the breakfast shop and have it delivered the day before.” There was a shower, a refrigerator, and bottled water for the bed. If you leave the room and go up one level, there is a shared terrace with a view of the roofs of the ancient city. If the check-in goes smoothly, it's a great place to stay.

We stayed at Agriturismo Podere l’Aione during our Tuscany road trip, and overall it was a pleasant stay with warm hospitality, but there is one important point future guests should know. First, the positives. The property itself is very charming and peaceful, surrounded by beautiful Tuscan countryside. The compound is spacious and relaxing, and the small cottage-style rooms feel cosy and private. The rooms appear fairly new (the property is only about four years old) and have modern amenities with a proper heating system, which made the stay comfortable. Parking inside the compound is also very convenient and safe. The hospitality was excellent. The owner’s daughter who welcomed us was very friendly, helpful and lovely. The lady attending breakfast was also incredibly warm and attentive, making the morning experience very pleasant. The people running the place truly make guests feel welcome. However, the main reason for our feedback is that the first photo shown in the listing does not appear to be this property. The image appears twice in the listing and shows a much larger estate with a very big swimming pool and a different compound layout. We booked the stay thinking it was that beautiful estate shown in the photos and were excited to experience that setting. When we arrived, we realised the accommodation is actually a smaller white cottage-style agriturismo, which is still beautiful, but quite different from the property shown in the first images. The one I uploaded the first two picture does not belong to this property. We were quite disappointed. Some more, it is the first image listed in this property, so we thought it is but if not. Because of this, it felt a little misleading at first as we kept wondering where that particular property in the photos was. In terms of pricing, similar agriturismo stays in this region with comparable cottage-style rooms can often be found for around SGD150 per night. However, we paid over SGD250+ which is roughly about 40% higher, because we believed we were booking the property shown in the main photo with the large swimming pool and grand compound. To be clear, the place itself is lovely, cosy, peaceful and well maintained, and the hospitality is wonderful. Our only suggestion would be for the management to update the listing photos so they accurately represent the actual property, which will help future guests have the right expectations. A small note for guests with mobility concerns: since the compound is quite spread out, you may need to walk a short distance and take a few steps to reach some of the cottages. Overall, it is still a charming countryside stay with very kind hosts, but the listing photos should better reflect the actual property

The most beautiful, quiet peaceful place, breakfast buffet was great, the views are breathtaking, staff goes over and beyond, thank you Andrea, other guest friendly, everyone happy. Loved it want to return for a longer stay. Pool nice also

I had a very pleasant stay at this hotel and overall it was a great experience. One of the best things about it was the location. It was very convenient and made it easy to get around, whether for sightseeing, shopping, or finding places to eat. Everything I needed was close by, and the area felt lively and accessible, which made the trip much more enjoyable. Another thing that stood out was the cleanliness of the hotel. The room was very clean when I arrived, and it was clear that the hotel takes good care of its facilities. The bed was comfortable, the bathroom was spotless, and the common areas were also well maintained. A clean and tidy environment always makes a big difference, and it definitely helped me feel comfortable and relaxed during my stay. The staff were also one of the highlights. Everyone I spoke to was polite, friendly, and very helpful. They were happy to answer questions, offer assistance, and make sure guests felt welcome. Their positive attitude created a warm atmosphere and added a personal touch to the whole experience. It is always nice to stay somewhere that values good service, and the staff here really helped make the visit smooth and enjoyable. I also appreciated the local recommendations provided by the staff. They suggested nearby restaurants, cafés, and places to visit, which helped me experience more of the area beyond the usual tourist spots. Their advice was useful and showed that they genuinely wanted guests to have a good time, not just at the hotel but in the surrounding neighborhood as well. Overall, I would recommend this hotel to anyone looking for a comfortable and convenient place to stay. With its excellent location, high standards of cleanliness, and kind, helpful staff, it offers a very positive experience. I would definitely consider staying here again in the future.

A Hidden Gem in Tuscany – Truly Special We absolutely loved our stay at I Parigi Corbinelli Residenze. This place is truly something special. The residence itself is a charming historic property that has been passed down through generations since the 1500s, and you can feel that beautiful sense of heritage the moment you arrive. The entire compound is incredibly gorgeous, peaceful, and full of character — it feels like a private Tuscan retreat. We arrived later than the official check-in time, but the owner was extremely kind and welcoming. He even called his son to come and help check us in despite the late hour. That level of hospitality really touched us. Our room was very spacious, comfortable, and well equipped. The hot water was excellent, the heating system worked perfectly, and we had a beautiful terrace to enjoy the surroundings. Everything felt cozy yet elegant. One of the highlights is the garden and breakfast area. Breakfast is simple but perfect — everything you need for a wonderful start to the day, and enjoying it while looking out over the peaceful garden made the morning feel magical. Another big plus is the very safe parking inside the property, which gave us great peace of mind while traveling. Honestly, the value for money here is incredible. The price they charge is almost underrated for such a beautiful place — it truly deserves more recognition. We also loved that there is a resident dog who played with our dog, which made the stay even more special for us. If our itinerary hadn’t been so packed, we would absolutely have stayed another night. This place is the perfect Tuscan getaway, and we will definitely return next time we are in the area. Highly recommended. ❤️

We had a very good stay, the room was spacious and very comfortable. The only thing is that it’s not specify on trip.com that the room in not directly a part of the hotel but a room in a building at 4 minutes. The address for the checking is Via delle Ruote, 52, 50129 Firenze FI, Italy (Hotel royal). We could still enjoy all the services as breakfast, pool and luggage storage. I recommend

The staff were really friendly and helpful! I met the lady with beautiful grey hair who takes care of breakfast and cleaning during my stay. The big problem is she doesn’t understand English, I handed my phone for her to speak via Google translate. She didn’t say anything! A second later she started talking in Italian again. This happened a few times in 3 minutes of facing her. She denied talking on Google translate. So I gave up and walked away…she said “respecta”, I assumed it means “respect”. I kept showing her Google translate in Italian that “whatever you wanna say, you say here since I don’t understand Italian”. The guests should be informed/reminded of “quiet hours”. BUT it gets pretty noisy from the guests… when someone opens the doors, everyone hears it. I could hear my neighbours chatting, sneezing, coughing, and all that. My room is facing the backyard, last night some guests living downstairs were enjoying the backyard at 11 pm. it was loud! Shower was another problem, water didn’t seem to go down the drain properly. The bed was two twins joined together without any proper topper. Thus, the twin beds were moving away from one another at night if you sleep in the middle. This part is common sense, either the hotel puts topper or the guest sleep on one side of the bed. The WiFi was reliable. Breakfast was pretty basic. Make sure to bring good-quality earplugs with you…

The environment is superb and the food is good. Old room

The apartment is clean and equipped with everything you need. The bed is comfortable, the room is spacious. The check-in instructions were clear. The noise from the street was disturbing. Even with the window closed, you can hear the sound of every passing tram. It is no coincidence that earplugs were prepared, although they cannot improve the vibration caused by the passing tram much. And a personal note. In my previous booking, at other accommodations, the host's communication - despite the fact that there is no personal meeting - usually includes some kindness and personal attention. This was not the case here, although it would have been nice.