Relaxing family getaway

Guest: Deb (Montreal, QC)
Date of Stay: 10/08/11 Review Submitted: 10/17/11

We just returned from a one week's oasis at La Selva where we celebrated my parents' 55th wedding anniversary and my father's birthday. We were a group of 8 people ranging from 14 - 84 years old. La Selva is located in an idyllic setting complete with stone villa, amphitheatre, pool and lush gardens. It has a lovely homey atmosphere that makes it easy to relax and unwind. We were greeted when we arrived by Paolo and his wife, Anna, their son Francesco and his girlfriend, Elizabethe, and the wonderful, amazing chef Maria. Francesco speaks fluent English. The first night's meal was incredible - home made pasta, salads, wild boar (a local specialty that is delicious), dessert and of course, lots and lots of Chianti wine. We also had Maria prepare a meal for us for my father's birthday. She arrived at 4 p.m. and spent the first half hour walking around the grounds collecting fresh herbs and vegetables! There was a rosemary bush that was huge and put my small herb garden at home to shame. After collecting all her fresh ingredients, Maria cooked for the next four hours to prepare a feast that we will dream about for some time! We rented an 8 seater van while we were there and drove to Montevarchi, Siena, Pisa, Lucca, Assisi and Rada. We also dropped by the Prada outlet that is quite close by! On Francesco's recommendation, we took the train from Montevarchi to Florence which was the perfect way to get to the city. We found a restaurant that we loved in Montegonzi (5 minutes away) that we visited several times for it's incredible pasta and pizza. All in all, it was a great location and we hope to return someday soon.

Recommended for:Sightseeing, romantic getaway, pet owners, families with young children, girls getaway, families with teenagers, age 55+.

A True Tuscan Retreat

Guest: Kelly (Washington D.C.)
Date of Stay: 09/03/11 Review Submitted: 09/19/11

We have just returned from a two week 50th Birthday celebration at La Selva...and we already miss it! We booked the Villa in order to accomodate several groups of friends who each arrived for one week, a total of 23. We chose La Selva for it's privacy and bucolic setting...and we were not disappointed. This Tuscan farm house is like stepping back in time: the stone, brick and beam construction creating a cool and welcoming place to come home to after a day of sightseeing, the large table set for another relaxing dinner with spirited conversation. We chose to have Maria prepare her specialties much of the time. What a jewel she is! Everyone loved her energy and attentiveness, and especially her homemade pastas. There are several local restaurants which are good, especially for lunch, but we had our most treasured memories back at La Selva around the refreshing pool or lingering over a fine dinner with a local Chianti. The Ciocolini Family made our experience like a cultural exchange, something you rarely find in a vacation rental. The welcome dinners are magical, and they are always available to help if needed. Francesco, son and manager, speaks wonderful english and is the ambassador that makes everything run smoothly. The botanical gardens and wonderful aesthetic delights are mostly the work of Paulo, the partiarch and wizard of continuous surprises you will find throughout the property. For our group it was perfect, but if you are looking for a resort/hotel atmosphere with bells and whistles, travertine baths and hermetically sealed soaps, this probably isn't the place for you. La Selva is much more than a rental house, it is a travel destination for those who not only want to see Tuscany, but to actually taste it, touch it, smell it and feel it.

Recommended for:Sightseeing, romantic getaway, pet owners, families with young children, girls getaway, adventure seekers, families with teenagers, age 55+.

Amazing La Selva........simply stunning !!!

Guest: Janice (Kirkcaldy Fife Scotland)
Date of Stay: 07/23/11 Review Submitted: 08/03/11

Grazie to the Cionccolini family for allowing us to stay in this beautiful villa. Set in fantastic grounds with beautiful plants and trees. Walking through the grape vines and the fig trees must be tried for yourself. This has been the most relaxing holiday I have ever had. Our first night was lovely and we had a welcome meal prepared by Maria. Yummy! With the local chianti wine it was great. Paolo and Anna treated us like long lost family and Francesco was so helpful with his brilliant English. I was embarrassed my Italian was so poor. I was there in a group of 11 people, all family . This made the stay even more special. We ranged from age 16 to 56 and all enjoyed what this place had to offer. We visited Florence and Montegonzi and Montevarchi , but we just loved lazing by the pool and cooking in the fabulous kitchens and being visited by GInger the cat. The walks in the vast grounds were brilliant. We found little places to sit or lounge about wherever we went. We only had a weeks stay but could have stayed forever. We will definitely return to this Tuscan haven and have taken home some wonderful memories from this trip. The villa was huge even with 11 people in it we still had so much room and so tastefully decorated with a distinct Tuscan feel . It was spotless and well equipped . This place definitely lives up to it's description on the website . A truly amazing villa you will not want to leave and definitely want to return to.

Recommended for:Sightseeing, romantic getaway, families with young children, adventure seekers, families with teenagers, age 55+.

Amazing venue for a family gathering..and my daughter's wedding

Guest: Joyce (Cranston, RI, USA)
Date of Stay: 06/25/11 Review Submitted: 07/13/11

We gathered 14 family members and had our daughter's wedding at this villa. It was amazing!! The villa and grounds are beautiful, the owners gracious and responsive, the chef Maria was the most amazing, and the pool was a savior in the very hot temperatures. The villa was clean, everything worked, and it was very serviceable for cooking our own meals when we wanted to, etc. We stayed for one week and took many day trips including Florence, Chianti wine tour, Rome, Arezzo, and Sienna. The train station in Montevarchi was extremely easy to get to and made all these locations easily accessible. It was a beautiful venue for my daughter's wedding right under the awning of the patio. Francesco (owner) and Maria (chef) were right there to be sure everything was perfect. Francesco, the centerpieces were lovely and absolutely appreciated. Our greatest hope is that we'll return some day for a repeat visit! Thank you Francesco and Maria for making it so wonderful!

Recommended for:Sightseeing, romantic getaway, people with disabilities, pet owners, families with young children, girls getaway, adventure seekers, families with teenagers, age 55+.

LA SELVA ........I will be back!

Guest: Ronni (Tropical North Queensland Australia)
Date of Stay: 03/16/11 Review Submitted: 06/04/11

Thanks you to Francesco , Anna and Paolo for opening LA SELVA up to guests. 7 visited and stayed 10 days at LA SELVA in March / April 2011. It was fabulous, the location is unique and perfect to explore the region. I hired a 9 seeter bus from Rome and di all the driving and found it easy to make my way from the main road to the Villa.From LA SELVA we did day trips to Pisa , Siena, Florence, S.Anna Winery and then a train to venice for 2 nights. This was such a dream holiday - we loved the rustic charm of such a beautiful Tuscan villa - LA SELVA has a special feeling that is hard to find in holiday rental properties.Our first night was to sit down to a feast prepared by Maria , this was just fabulous , the food was excellent and Maria is a darling - nothing was too much trouble. From under the tropical sun in Australia we certainly experienced our Under the Tuscan Sun dream!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, girls getaway.

A Breathtaking, Unrepeatable Experience at Villa La Selva

Guest: gg (Chicago)
Date of Stay: 10/28/10 Review Submitted: 11/15/10

We had the great pleasure of staying at La Selva recently for one week. In our search for the ideal vacation spot in Tuscany, a region we've previously visited. Everything that we read online about this property was precisely what we found. In fact, we found the position of the villa absolutely right as the Chianti region's pleasantly winding roads nearly always lead you to unexpected pleasures. The charm of villa was apparent as soon as we entered the front door (there are many of them in this house): friendly, down-to-earth, welcoming, furnished with many interesting pieces that reflect the warmth of its owners. We had the pleasure of enjoying several delicious meals prepared by the diminutive Maria, who has worked for the Cioncolini family for many years now--dishes prepared with the freshest, local ingredients of the season. We had fun selecting between the different bedrooms, all different in their decor, but comfortable and clean with spectacular views into the garden and surrounding countryside. The grounds of the property are extensive offering up nature's best--pathways lead you past imposing oak trees, hidden ponds and a rough-hewn wooden bench in the middle of a fern grove. Absolutely, enchanting. The location couldn't have been better providing easy access to the autostrada and many of Tuscany's principal cities. Sure, this is a villa that has been around for many centuries. The owners have honored its history by not making it "too perfect," by conveying a sense of home that we felt throughout our stay. Francesco and Paolo Cioncolini made it clear to us upon our arrival that we could contact them for any reason at any time if there were any problems. In fact, when we had some trouble ourselves with the stove, we called and they attended to our needs pronto. We came to this enchanting place, not for a 5-star hotel experience nor to watch television (come on, with all that beautiful nature outside your windows!). We wholeheartedly recommend La Selva to friends, family and colleagues. Thank you, Cioncolini family, for making this one of most memorable experiences of our lives! We hope to return again soon to your beautiful region and to La Selva.

Recommended for:Sightseeing, adventure seekers.

La Selva is a glorious, special place!

Guest: Nancy (Frederick, Maryland)
Date of Stay: 10/16/10 Review Submitted: 11/07/10

We - a group of 9 mature adults and one grandchild - just returned from two glorious weeks at La Selva, in late October, 2010. I am astonished at the negative previous review. Our experience was the EXACT OPPOSITE. Possibly these people rented a huge house for only 4 people and expected some kind of luxury hotel experience? La Selva isn't that. It is SO MUCH MORE THAN THAT! But 4 people would rattle around there. It is best for a larger group. The house is very spacious,and wonderfully-renovated. The owners retained the true flavor of Tuscany in every corner: terra cotta tiles, brick arches, arched-windows, indoor shutters (which provide total darkness for nice long sleeps), TWO spacious kitchens with old marble counters and large wood work-tables, etc. You have the feeling of what the original farm-house was like, but of course there are 6 modern, fully-tiled baths too. The bathrooms and kitchen were very clean, The furnishings are rustic,with the special, artistic touches of the very talented owner. Everywhere there are little still-lifes of the rural Tuscan life - sprays of dried herbs, old tools hung on the wall, old pots filled with flowers, an original painting, an old family memento, etc. Outdoors, there are sculptures in the garden and rustic furniture for sunny picnics. There is plenty of room to spread out, be alone, be in a group, etc. The beds were all very comfortable and the bedrooms large and airy. As the website explains, the house and its outbuildings are set in a fabulous botanical garden filled with paths. We took many woodland walks, including the hike up to adorable little Montegonzi, a hilltop village 2 km away. The privacy, peace, and beauty of the place are very special. The drive up to it is an adventure in itself. We loved the steep, winding roads of Chianti and found driving was not at all difficult; it was FUN! From La Selva, we went to Florence 3 times, to Siena, Volterra, Montepulciano, Assisi, Arezzo, Pienza, Cortona, and Rome. It has a perfect location in the Chianti Hills, and yet 12 minutes to Montevarchi's train station. The owners are a family of four amazing and wonderful people who helped us in every way possible. They made sure everything was fine, and when we called about little problems (we had 2 power outtages caused by the electric company) they were up there in a flash to check things out. So, we have NO complaints about La Selva, and will recommend it to all of our family and friends.

Owner response:Dear Nancy, We were very pleased to receive your comment, which confirms that we are doing a good job at the Selva. In reference to the two times the electricity went out, we are sorry for the inconvenience caused by ENEL (the Italian electric company), while doing maintenance work on the lines, which has now been completed.

Recommended for:Sightseeing, families with young children, girls getaway, adventure seekers, families with teenagers, age 55+.

La Selva did not live up to its billing

Guest: Sisi (New York)
Date of Stay: 10/02/10 Review Submitted: 10/26/10

We stayed in this villa (La Selva) two weeks between Oct 2 and 16, 2010. We were two mature couples and occupied only two of the many bedrooms in the villa. Based on the impressively prepared web site and brochures we had high expectations of our stay. Unfortunately our expectations were not met at all. Here are some points I will make for those considering staying at La Selva, which may help them understand what to expect. (1) The location is of the villa was accurately described in the promotional material and is very central to the Chianti area. We liked that. However, one has to drive through winding mountain roads get to some of the famous destinations like Siena, San Giminiano, Greve-in-Chianti etc. I personally loved driving on those twisty country roads but others may may not. You have to have an up-to-date GPS navigator to find directions. (2) When we arrive the villa itself was dirty and not well prepared. (3) Non of the appliances worked properly. The washing machine, the dishwasher, and the toaster were in desperate shape. The cook top was tricky to turn on - one has to be careful as to which burner is being tuned on. The oven took forever to reach the set temp. The kitchen and utensils were all dirty. (4) The photos cleverly disguised the villa's many shortcomings. (5) While the garden and the pool were in bad shape some might find their "rustic" condition appealing. (6) The shower drain was clogged. (7) The TV (an old 26 inch CRT) had only 10-12 Italian channels. (8) The fireplace was unusable; its chimney didn't sufficiently draw the smoke, which choked us all. (9) The Internet connection worked fine. (10) The owners were friendly but the housekeeper was totally useless. She cooked us a welcome dinner that turned out to be our least favorite meal during the three weeks we were in Italy. (11) The walks around the villa were fantastic. (12) The father of the family knew a lot about mushrooms and spent an hour with us showing and picking edible mushrooms, including a couple of porcinis, in the garden. The bottom line is this: We won't recommend La Selva to our friends. Unless they completely fix its many problems and replace the housekeeper (or maid or cook) with someone who is much better, we won't recommend it to anyone. I have written this review in good faith. We told the owners about our disappointments and made suggestions as to how to improve the conditions because we thought the building, location and the gardens have great potential.

Owner response:In ten years of activity this is the first time we’ve received a negative review. We are surprised, saddened and disappointed. Our family and staff is always available to make our guests’ stay pleasant and problem free. The guests of the above critique occupied only two bedrooms but had reserved many more. The cost for full occupancy comes to roughly 50/60 Euro a person per day. Contrary to the review, the guests never pointed out any problems during their stay. However, in order to aid future clients we have responded point by point. 1.La Selva lies on the first plateau of the Chianti hills, placing it close to the valley and motorway used to reach cities of art like Florence, Siena and Arezzo. Its location also gives guests an advantage for travelling to the lovely hamlets of Chianti. To reach La Selva we don’t recommend using a Navigator and we encourage guests to print out our detailed photo directions. 2.The villa is cleaned and inspected before guests arrive. Upon arrival they are shown all the various features of the house and bedrooms and are encouraged to use the 4 numbers and e-mail to contact us, using the villa phone, if any needs or problems arise. The couples above never indicated any problems during their stay. 3.La Selva has two washing machines, 2 kitchens complete with 2 ovens, 2 dishwashers, 2 refrigerators. In 1 oven and 1 dishwasher we found some small glitches that did not interfere with the functioning of the appliances, which have now been fixed. 4.The photos on our site demonstrate the un-retouched reality guests encounter at La Selva. 5.The botanic garden is purposely kept in a semi-natural state. The pool’s filter system is checked regularly. 6.We found that one of the 7 showers was not draining correctly and it has been fixed. 7.Photos show that the TV is not a new model. However, guests can request free use of a satellite decoder to view hundreds of international channels. 8.The original stone fireplace works well but, like any fireplace, requires attention. 9.The Internet connection is free, also wireless. 10.Maria has been our cook and housekeeper for 10 years and clients have always been complimentary of her services. 11/12. La Selva is nestled in a private botanic garden of 13 hectares, with many paths crossing the terrain. Paolo visits the garden daily and is happy to accompany guests on walks. We encourage prospective clients to read all the reviews and our guest book so as to truly understand what La Selva has to offer

Recommended for:Sightseeing, pet owners, girls getaway, adventure seekers.

Beautiful, serene, relaxing villa!

Guest: Janet (Sherborn, MA USA)
Date of Stay: 06/19/10 Review Submitted: 07/13/10

We just spent 3 weeks at this beautiful property, 10 of us ranging from 7 months to 86 years old. Everyone loved it, it was so peaceful and quiet, and exceeded our expectations. We made numerous day trips to nearby cities or just to explore the Tuscan countryside, but some days we just stayed "at home" and relaxed by the pool. We held a recommitment ceremony to celebrate a 30th wedding anniversary with family in the amphitheatre, followed by the most incredible dinner prepared by Maria. Her meals are exquisite, especially the handmade pasta. The whole celebration could not have been more perfect! The owners were tremendous hosts, they really made us feel welcome and at home, we enjoyed meeting them so much. We highly recommend La Selva, and hope to return.

Recommended for:Sightseeing, romantic getaway, families with young children, girls getaway, adventure seekers, families with teenagers, age 55+.

Guest: Katia1 (London / UK)
Date of Stay: 12/19/09 Review Submitted: 12/19/09

Dear Paolo, Anna and Francesco, We had a great time in Giardino del Belvedere. We loved the scenery, the artistic touch of your family. Every morning we woke up for a run and every morning from one hill to or another the horizon looked very different but one common denominator was a costant: the beauty of the landscape. In short a very relaxing with our friends and little children

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