6/10 Okay
Rosemary B., Mangawhai Heads, New Zealand
4 Nov, 2018
Tuscan experience for 6 Kiwis
A very challenging drive up to the property with many narrow switchbacks not easily negotiated by a 9 seater van. The view from the top is worth the effort. The lands and gardens are very well maintained with great outside lighting for nighttime arrivals. The house is 1923 standard Italian with steep stairs and has its quirks. For instance the fridge is in an alcove off the living room and has a pile of things, including shoes, on top of it. The freezer is in the shed outside with the dishwasher and washing machine and the remains of a few broken loungers. There are two bathrooms but only the downstairs one has a shower - which 6 of us had to share.
The kitchen is full of “ stuff” but not 6 cups or 6 tumblers for drinks. However there were wine glasses! Plates and crockery needed a good wash before use. The tables also needed cleaning before use and there were many insects in the dining room which we had to spray for many days.
The bedrooms varied in size but were adequate and bed linen was clean, and changed halfway through our stay. As were our towels. Beds were very comfortable. A few of the cupboards were locked and could not be used which made for cluttered rooms.
The pool was used a lot and we enjoyed it even though there were not 6 usable loungers.
In summary, we got used to the quirks and made it all work for us.
We enjoyed visiting local villages such as Petrognano and San Gennaro and going further afield to Florence, Cinque Terre, San Gimignano, Lucca, Collodi, Montecarlo and so on. (Parking a large van in some of these places was a challenge also!)
So if you’re up for an adventure and like driving, go for it. But hire a smaller car.