We stayed 28 nights at Il Faeto, a centuries-old stone property in the hills above Rignano sull’Arno, about 30 minutes from Florence.The property blends its age with real modern comfort. There are two houses, both with full working kitchens and coffee machines – we cooked and ate mostly in Il Fienile. Air conditioning in every bedroom, though the hilltop sits about 20F cooler than Florence. The pool is gorgeous and a genuine respite from the Tuscan heat; we spent most of our days there. Laundry on site, and Wi-Fi strong enough that I worked remotely for a month without trouble. You need a car for the drive up the hill, but the owners help arrange transport to Florence, wineries, and restaurants. We walked down to San Donato in Collina most mornings – 3.5 miles roundtrip.The meals served at the property are the other reason to book. We ate a dozen or so breakfasts and dinners here – huge prawns, Baccalà Mantecato, anchovies, one better than the other – priced below Florence and far better. Our 11-year-old got spaghetti ragù every night, even when it wasn’t on the menu. We also did two cooking classes on site: focaccia, pasta, and tiramisù, recipes to take home, and aprons to keep.Fonsy and Enzo, the owners, made every part of the stay effortless. Il Faeto brought our family closer, and we will be back.