Vacation Rentals by Owner

More than satisfied.

Guest: Mon (Canada)
Date of Stay: 05/04/12 Review Submitted: 05/13/12

Very well cared for property with attentive host Piergirgio. Wonderful views in a peaceful setting that is still within easy drive to Siena and other local hill towns. Our kids enjoyed playing with the cat and dog! With warm weather the swimming pool would be very welcome.

Recommended for:Families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Fantastic Experience

Guest: Ian (Calgary, AB Canada)
Date of Stay: 03/30/12 Review Submitted: 04/12/12

The property is absolutely stunning! The owners have done a marvelous job creating a wonderful spot for families like us to enjoy. This was our first visit to Tuscany and I honestly think we lucked out finding your home. The house is in such a fantastic location for exploring Tuscany. The host was so helpful in giving us tips on what places we should focus on, and was so attentive to our requests when we were booking our stay. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay. My kids fell in love with the latest additon to the property, 4 month old puppy Dante, and the cat was a welcome companion at our window sill. Thank you very much for opening up such a wonderful door for us. We HIGHLY recommend this property.

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

The perfect choice for a fantastic month in Tuscany for 2 ladies from Winter Haven, FL., USA

Guest: Pat (Winter Haven, FL 33881, USA)
Date of Stay: 03/04/12 Review Submitted: 03/29/12

From the time of my first inquiry about the property, to our arrival and all during our stay, the owners Silvana and Piergiorgio, were the perfect hosts at their enchanting podere high in the hills of Tuscany. Silvana answered all my questions concerning the apartment & accommodations, supplied information about car rental (a MUST for appreciating the area), airport info and train info for an excursion to Rome Without her knowledge and help our month long trip would not have turned out to be as enjoyable and smooth. The Ficus Apartment was perfect for 2 retired ladies. We had separate bedrooms (with very comfortable full size beds), a wonderful large bathroom which included a washing machine, a kitchen where we cooked almost everyday and a combination living/dinning area. All appliances were new, as were the dishes, silverware & accessories. Wifi keep us in touch with friends and relatives in the US. Podere Cunina is located in central Tuscany so we were able do day trips by car all mostlty within 1-1/2 hrs. We were treated to authentic Italian suppers several times during the month by our hosts and their son Marchello who arrived during our stay. We all enjoyed learning English & Italian words from each other. The town on Buonconvento is within 3 miles with a grocery (COOP), shops and restaurants. After driving over 2500 kilometers & a train trip for 3 nights into Rome, I would definetely say we picked the PERFECT location for our holiday. For anyone wishing for a peaceful place to return to after a day of traveling you should pick Podere Cunina.

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

Amazing!

Guest: Wendy (Los Angeles, California)
Date of Stay: 10/10/11 Review Submitted: 10/25/11

I can't say enough about our stay at Agriturismo Podere Cunina. Toddler in tow, we came to romantic Tuscany with the usual apprehensions that parents have when traveling with children. Upon our arrival, Silvana and Giorgio's immediately made us feel at ease! Their beautifully renovated property was private and peaceful, yet warm and welcoming. Our apartment was spacious, well appointed, and comfortable, with incredible views of the Tuscan countryside. Silvana and Giorgio were very knowledgeable about the region and their suggestions were invaluable. They were more than happy to make phone calls as we planned our outings. They even offered to babysit our son while we toured a nearby winery for a couple hours. We had previously only left our son with family before then....that's how much we trusted and loved Silvana and Giorgio!! When we returned, our son was having a blast making olive oil cookies with Silvana. Can you imagine walking into such a sweet, picturesque scene? I can't tell you how much we appreciated their kindness and hospitality. On top of that, the location gave us great access to everything we wanted to do in Tuscany. Would be a great choice for families as well as couples. Beyond our expectations and highly recommended!

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with young children, pet owners, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

A Tuscan Dream!

Guest: Karen/Clarence (Winnipeg, MB Canada)
Date of Stay: 09/26/11 Review Submitted: 11/07/11

Podere Cunina is wonderful! We stayed 11 nights in the apartment, Salix. We are very particular and had been a bit worried about booking for so long in case it was not to our liking. However, we had no reason to be concerned. It was fantastic and we could have stayed there comfortably for months. It is quiet and tranquil, and offered a welcome respite from the tourist-laden cities. The apartment is tastefully decorated, well appointed, and very clean. The property is well managed. Everything, including the weather, was perfect. The views are spectacular, and we enjoyed the sunset every evening from our patio table just outside of our apartment. Piergiorgio gave us wonderful recommendations for restaurants and places to see close to "home". Silvana was extremely helpful via e-mail prior to our arrival. There are vegetable and herb gardens (with rosemary shrubs!), and we were invited by Piergiorgio to pick what we wanted. Having a washing machine in our apartment was a welcome convenience after two weeks of doing laundry in a bathroom sink. All of the fixtures and appliances are new, the water pressure excellent, and we had no problems with anything. The pool has a breathtaking view (as does the entire property), and we used it even though it was early October. Podere Cunina is a lovely place and we could easily have stayed much, much longer. We would have no hesitation in recommending this beautiful agriturismo, and we hope to return.

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with young children, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Farù House near Montalcino

Guest: Faith/Herb (Orford, NH, USA)
Date of Stay: 09/26/11 Review Submitted: 09/28/11

We found this property to be what was listed on VRBO. The property is outstanding and well equipped. It is comfortable and very clean. There is a dirt road of about 2K coming where one has to be careful about speed and loose rocks - not an issue if you are aware of it. There is a very friendly cat which has apparently been spoiled by guests and wants to make everyone hiss friend. OK is one does not have allergies. Our host quickly took care of this and we were very glad. Our hosts are most helpful and are quick to give one directions, places to eat etc;, etc. We enjoyed staying here; One must have a car.

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Wonderful, Beautiful, Excellent - Not enough adjectives to describe Podere Cunina

Guest: Denise & Bernie (Victoria, BC Canada)
Date of Stay: 09/24/11 Review Submitted: 01/18/12

We were guests for three weeks in September and October. We can’t say enough about our stay. This beautiful farm house in the heart of Tuscany was just wonderful. We would return in a heartbeat and would like to stay for a few months. It was private, peaceful, beautiful, the setting is just stunning, a great place to just sit and relax, but was also very central to lovely towns such as Buonconvento, Montepulcanio and the other Tuscan hill towns. I would highly recommend Podere Cunina for any travelers who are looking for a relaxing, comfortable and beautiful place to vacation. Our apartment, The Vitis, was spacious, well appointed, and comfortable, with incredible views of the Tuscan countryside. We had been concerned about making the booking in case it was not to our liking. It was exactly as pictured and described on the website. The pictures truly do not do it justice. Silvanna and Piergiorgio are wonderful hosts; gracious, informative, and caring. We were greeted with smiles and a bottle of very good local wine. Their wonderful cat, Bice is a terrific ambassador as well. She came to visit us quite frequently and was very enjoyable to have around. We had just THE best time ever!

Recommended for:Age 55+, girls getaway, pet owners, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Wonderful Tuscan experience

Guest: Janet (Gastonia, NC)
Date of Stay: 09/21/11 Review Submitted: 10/06/11

We were met with a bottle of local wine and two smiling faces. What a wonderful way to begin the Tuscan part of our trip to Italy! Our well-appointed, newly renovated apartment was very comfortable and decorated in authentic Tuscan design. Our hosts gave us good recommendations for restaurants, and went out of their way to make sure we enjoyed our time. There are apartments on ground level and upstairs...regardless, the views and peacefulness are priceless!!!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, pet owners, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Just perfect!

Guest: Caroline and Jim (Los Altos, California USA)
Date of Stay: 07/10/11 Review Submitted: 08/11/11

We stayed in "Salix" for a week in July 2011. It was perfect. Silvanna and Piergiorgio (and their wonderful family) are natural hosts: gracious, informative, caring, and respectful. The apartment was just what we wanted and needed for our family of four (two adults and two daughters ages 12 and 9). It was well-equipped and very comfortable -- and exactly as depicted in the listing. Since we are wine lovers, we were extremely pleased by the location so close to Montalcino, etc. Siena is about a half-hour away, which was just fine. We loved the pool, too, which was the perfect way to deal with the very hot weather. We met other nice travelers during our week, which made the experience even more special for us. We would return in a heartbeat!!!

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

A Dream Come True!

Guest: Sango (Scotts Valley, CA USA)
Date of Stay: 06/25/11 Review Submitted: 07/25/11

I've always dreamed of a week of fun and relaxation in Tuscany. EVERYTHING you read about this gem is true. My only regret is that I had to leave after only one week!

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

It doesn't get any better than this!

Guest: Kathy (Katy, TX USA)
Date of Stay: 06/13/11 Review Submitted: 07/28/11

My husband & I spent 5 amazing days at this beautiful property. It is exactly (or actually even better) than it appears! Our apt (Vitis) was immaculate. The owners, Piergiorgio & Silvana, were very gracious and went above and beyond to make our stay delightful in every way. Piergiorgio gave us suggestions of places and restaurants to visit and we were never disappointed. Montalcino was one of our favorites! I would recommend this property wholeheartedly.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

HILLTOP HOME WITH MARVELOUS VIEWS

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 05/26/11 Review Submitted: 06/09/11

My adult daughter, her boyfriend, and I spent four memorable days and nights at PODERE CUNINA and were astounded by the beauty and comfort of this wonderful hilltop apartment. We stayed in the Ficus apartment. The pictures truly do not do it justice. We would have liked to stay much longer, as it is centrally located in some really nice wine country. Piergiorgio was there to greet us, and made sure we were aware of the many interesting sites, restaurants, wineries, etc. in the area, all easy day trips. He speaks very good English. We went to a couple of very nice, old fashioned, local restaurants at his recommendation, which we'd never have found without his help. The apartment was roomy and beautifully furnished, with a view to die for. And yes, Bice the cat joined us every day for a while. I would absolutely recommend this gorgeous place to anyone wanting to enjoy the beauty of the Tuscan countryside, and the friendliness of the locals.

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

Villa Cunina

Guest: Dale (Harpswell, ME USA)
Date of Stay: 04/07/11 Review Submitted: 05/08/11

My family and I stayed at Villa Cunina hosted by Pier and his wife Silvana for one week in April of 2011. We had an absolutely wonderful time! The villa was clean, quiet, Pier was thoroughly accommodating, the views were unreal and the location superb. We were in easy driving distance of Montepulciano, Montalcino, Siena, Pienza, the wineries and more! We had 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, our own kitchen, terrace to enjoy happy hour at sunset and free internet in the common room. I would highly recommend this villa to anyone wanting an authentic taste of Tuscany!

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

Beautiful Views and Excellent Accommodations

Guest: Jamie (Burlington,Vermont USA)
Date of Stay: 04/07/11 Review Submitted: 04/18/11

This beautiful farm house in the heart of Tuscany was a wonderful place to stay for my family and I. It had a lot of privacy because of its rural setting, but was also very central to lovely towns such as Buenconvento and Montalcino. I would highly recomend this place for any travelers who are looking for a relaxing,comfortable and beautiful place to vacation.

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, pet owners, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Perfect.

Guest: Brian (Austin, Texas, USA)
Date of Stay: 03/13/11 Review Submitted: 04/04/11

It has been my wife's dream to travel to Tuscany for many years. We found Agriturismo Podere Cunina and our dreams came true! Silvana and Piergiorgio were amazing hosts. They were friendly and spoke english with us, as our Italian is horrible. We have been in Italy now for almost a month, and we think Piergiorgio is the nicest Italian we have met. We brought our three year old son and they were amazing with him. Daily Piergiorgio gave us things to go see and we would always go and check them out! The house has a phenomenal view of the Tuscan countryside and is an easy drive to many important sites. The home, the price, the location, were all perfect. Total 10 out of 10. Check out the dance video we did while on the site. (It was raining the day we made this, but was mostly beautiful!) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpuUi0i2T7c

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

Three lovely months at Cunina

Guest: Piero (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
Date of Stay: 12/17/10 Review Submitted: 03/22/11

Sharrin and I were there from mid December 2010 to mid March 2011 and truly felt at home in the Ficus apartment and hope to return some day. The location is excellent for exploring Val d'Orcia, Tuscany and nearby regions. Piergiorgio, Silvana and family (including Bice, the cat) were excellent hosts providing everything we needed, warm hospitality and fun times together. The renovated farm house is marvelous! They could not have done it better. Even though we had the chance to visit all the other beautiful apartments, the Ficus, with its fantastic view of Montalcino and the beautiful rolling hills around will be our choice again. The passion of the owners is evident in the furnishings and details of the building as well as the beautifully landscaped grounds. After three months at Cunina we really feel like friends of the Freddis. Sharrin and Piero Bassi Minneapolis, Minnesota

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

Wonderful Property, Fantastic Owners!

Guest: Kat M. (Geneva, Switzerland)
Date of Stay: 10/15/10 Review Submitted: 10/26/10

We stayed at Podere Cunina in the Ficus apartment from 15 October - 21 October 2010. Silvana was a joy to work with and gave us many options to pay for our apartment. Our group of 4 drove down from Geneva, Switzerland and arrived at around 10 PM. Silvana and Piergiorgio greeted us and helped us bring our bags to the apartment. Even at night I could tell it had a beautiful view, with the lights of Montalcino twinkling right outside my window. The apartment was clean, well maintained, and we had all the amenities we needed - pots, pans, spices, etc. The apartment was beautiful - Silvana has a great eye for decoration! We had everything we needed including wi-fi. The pool was meticulously clean and the grounds are beautiful. They have tried to be as environmentally friendly as possible - installing many solar panels and keeping a compost pile by the garden. The grounds are beautiful as the house is set atop a hill with the rolling hills of Tuscany spread beneath you. Silvana and Piergiorgio Freddi were wonderful hosts - as was their cat who spent the night in our apartment a few times! A large group of people stayed one night and the Freddis were concerned they were loud (although we did not hear anything from our apartment). We awoke to a note on our door inviting us down for breakfast to apologize for the noise. We had homemade Italian delicacies, and homemade jams and honey from their own hives! Silvana and Piergiorgio actually saved our vacation! As we were driving from Pienza to Montelpuciano our car broke down. We could not get in touch with Hertz so we called Silvana and Piergiorgio. He came to meet us, called the emergency number and spoke with the employees. We were very thankful because emergency assistance did not speak English! Piergiorgio stayed with us for 4 hours while we waited for the tow truck. The next morning, he called Hertz for us to try and arrange another car. He let us use his cell for 3 hours in order to get everything straight. This saved us a lot of money as our cell phones are Swiss and would have cost an arm and a leg to call for as long as we did. We are so thankful that we chose Podere Cunina. Our friends flew in from the US to join us on this vacation and we were able to enjoy Tuscany thanks to Silvana and Piergiogio's help with the car. Podere Cunina is a wonderful homebase to explore Tuscany. Thank you for an amazing vacation Silvana and Piergiorgio!

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

Outstanding, Renovated Farmhouse with Beautiful Views

Guest: Todd (Colorado Springs, CO, USA)
Date of Stay: 09/09/10 Review Submitted: 09/11/10

Silvana was easy to work with prior to our visit with scheduling, payment and anwering questions about the property and the area. Upon arrival we were greeted with our smiling host, Piergiorgio. He was so very welcoming, telling us all about restaurants to visit, sites to see and suggesting that we use the herbs and tomatoes from the garden for our own cooking. We stayed in Ficus, a two bedroom apartment which was equipped quite well, with all modern appliances and conveniences. Best of all, sitting up in the morning in our beds to see the fabulous view of Montalcino and the Tuscan countryside was an absolute dream come true for my fiance and myself Each evening Piergiorgio would pop in briefly to inform us of activities in Buonconvento and the surrounding area. He is a wealth of information and while he struggles with English, I was so very appreciative of his efforts and that his skills with English far exceeded my Italian! Piergiorgio and Silvana run a first class operation. Treat the property and them with the respect that they deserve and you will be richly rewarded with a stay in a first class property. I am reminded of the term "La Dolce Vida"!

Owner response:Splendidi ospiti sotto tutti i punti di vista, gentili, puntuali, precisi e simpaticissimi.. Hanno considerato la mia casa come la loro casa e di questo li ringrazio molto. Spero di poterli di nuovo ospitare in futuro. Grazie Todd per tutto. Silvana

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Come and Relax

Guest: Texsun (Las Cruces, NM)
Date of Stay: 05/01/10 Review Submitted: 05/15/10

We spent two wonderful weeks in the apartment called Vitis. It has been lovingly restored to its old world majesty, with all of the modern conveniences. The location on the top of a hill affords an excellent view of the Italian countryside that is immediately recognized as Tuscany, with a serenity that is unbelievable. The surrounding small villages will keep you occupied for several days, just walking around the shops, admiring the architecture, watching (and meeting) the people. Restaurants and sidewalk cafes are plentiful and offer excellent food and service. The central location makes any point in Tuscany a day trip. You can do what you want to do, go, or just stay and read and enjoy the pool. Piergiorgio and Silvana were excellent hosts, fulfilling our every desire. We look forward to returning, and will certainly recommend Podere Cunina to everyone. Lindy and Lurlene, Las Cruces, NM

Recommended for:Age 55+, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Guest: Andre Mele (Woodstock, NY, 12498 US)
Date of Stay: 07/23/09 Review Submitted: 07/23/09

My wife and I stayed in the apartment called Vitis -- they're all named after the taxa of local trees -- because we believe that a good porch makes a good home. The apartment was beautiful and comfortable, lacking for nothing. We arrived after a week in Venice a little burned out from trekking the streets and eating out, so we stayed by the excellent pool and read Ferenc Mate's two books about Tuscany, and we cooked in. The Podere (means simply "farmhouse") is newly restored, so all the plumbing and appliances were new. The whole place is green -- that is, powered by the banks of solar panels that sit atop parking garages and on nearby hilltops. If you have a little Italian, ask Piergiorgio for a look in the basement -- a techie's dream. The view is superb, the classic rolling-hills vista you dream about when you think of Tuscany, and with our feet up on the brick railing of our porch we looked upon Montalcino, a scant ten kilometers away by road. Montalcino is a perfect medieval hill town, home of Brunello di Montalcino, the best wine ------- anywhere. After our week in Venice we found that the Podere Cunina, between its lower price and the ability to cook in, an absolute bargain. It was well-situated as a home base for expolorations throughout Tuscany. We recommend it without reservation. Be sure to tour the big vineyard reached by turning left on a dirt road a kilometer or two down the road to Montalcino. Molto bello Brunello, non e caro. Andy and Lisa

Recommended for: