Our vacation rental reviews
We enjoyed the area very much.
Originally published on Slow Travel
###Location
This rental was a small self-contained house in a small village. You can walk through the village in a short time. We enjoyed the area very much. I think we were the only English speakers staying there. The locals were quite warm and inviting. They seemed to appreciate our less than adequate Italian. We toured all the nearby towns during the week we were in Civitella. We went to Siena, Montepulciano, and all the other areas within a couple of hours of the village. The only drawback to this location was the time it took to drive to the different hilltowns. We used the small highways instead of the busy highways which took longer. It really was not that far!
###Nearby Amenities
We walked to a restaurant in the village for supper a couple of nights. We also ate in Roccastrada a couple of times. Other times we ate a late lunch in one of the village we were visiting. We stopped in to the bar at the restaurant in Civitella for a nightcap several times. They were very friendly and helpful.
###The House/Apartment
The house was very old, but well maintained. It had every convenience that you could possibly think to need. We did not cook while there, but did enjoy having coffee with breakfast treats from the local bakery. The house is heated with a bottled gas heater. It heats up very quickly. A fireplace was also located in the kitchen that we did not use. It was quite cool when we arrived, but warmed up nicely before the week was up.
We even had a washer. We were not really sure how to operate this but with a little effort we figured it out. I had to guess on the correct amount of detergent. I probably was a little conservative with the soap, but they washed all right. The kitchen window opened and a clothesline was located outside this window. Clothspins were provided and we washed and hung out the laundry several times during the week. It was really nice leaving with fresh clothes for our second week!!
###Garden
We did not sit outside. A couple of chairs were provided on the front porch area. We stayed so busy that we really did not have much time to do this. The owners had several beautiful potted plants on the steps and had asked us to water them. We gladly did this to help keep them beautiful. I thought I was back home!!
###Furnishings/Cleanliness/Living Areas
The furniture was very well maintained. The house was extremely clean and comfortable.
###Bedrooms/Bathrooms
The bedroom was nicely furnished with plenty of extra warm blankets and pillows in the closet. Either the bed was extra comfortable or we were extra tired after long days of exploring, because we slept like babies. The village is extremely quiet at night.
###Kitchen
You could have cooked a gourmet dinner in the kitchen. Everything was provided. Basic condiments, such as salt, pepper, coffee, tea, oils, spices, etc. were provided for our convenience. We really did not take advantage of all of this.
###Problems or Bonuses
The owners were a delight. They were so friendly and helpful. They left numbers for us to call in case we needed anything. They even left a cell phone for us to rent if we wished. They met us and showed us the house and then came back the next Saturday with our deposit and farewell wishes for our continued journey. They left detailed lists of restaurants, bank machines, places to visit. Gloria promised a laminated instruction sheet for the washer for the next renters! No bad surprises, everything was more than expected.
###Agency and Representatives (and price)
Gloria and Marcel, owners of this house were wonderful. They emailed us a couple of times before we left and then when we arrived home we found an email waiting on us inquiring about the rest of our vacation. The price was very fair. I think we paid about $350 for the week if I am not mistaken.
###Do you recommend this vacation rental to others?
I would absolutely recommend this place to anyone. I have even suggested it to a couple of friends as a perfect way to spend the week.
