I stayed at the Stella apartment in the hotel with my familyfor two nights. We had the bedroom and the kids slept on the fold out couch. The views and the gardens from this hotel are so beautiful that you can't stop being amazed. Having pools to go to after a long day sightseeing is also wonderful. My kids loved the floats and pool toys. The breakfast on the terrace included with the room was delicious and convenient. There was a computer with an internet connection outside our room which was also a thoughtful touch.

Unfortunately I can't recommend this hotel without some strong concerns. The first was the bathroom, because there is no shower stall, just a curtain rod and a hole in the floor, it was impossible to take a shower without flooding most of the bathroom floor. Because of this the grout between the tiles was brownish black with mold. Also the bathmat had a salt and pepper look, also from mold. While you are taking a shower there is no place to put your soap or shampoo except on top of the toilet or the bidet which makes it very awkward.

The dresser in the room has no drawer pulls, so people probably use the keys to pull out the drawers which is probably why the middle drawer was broken and could not be used. Furnishing are a matter of taste, but the wool throw rugs seemed worn and the yellow bedspread and chairs could use some updating. There was a nice glass cabinet and the big windows, tile flooring and tall ceiling were great.

Also when we came back from sight seeing and were too tired to walk the hilly 2 km to Piazzale Michelangelo, we asked about eating at the hotel. Unfortunately you are required to make reservations the day before which we didn't know. Since the hotel is in a quiet residential neighborhood we had to then drive to get food or take a taxi. There are no lists of local restaurants and directions to get there, so the person at the front desk drew us a quick map. We got lost in the neighborhood since the streets are unmarked from the back entrance. Having a detailed neighborhood map marked with buildings and restaurants would have been very useful.

To sum it up, the bathroom, decor and lack of food options make what could have been one of the best places I have ever stayed into one I probably won't go back to.

This is a small but exquisite bed & breakfast. The Villa is surrounded by a vineyard and is sited on the edge of a hill with lovely views over a valley. The rooms are magnificent - large, well decorated and very comfortable with period furniture.

The hotel does not have a bar or evening restaurant - although there is a breakfast room. There is also a lovely terrace and a good sized heated swimming pool. The hotel is about 3 miles out of town, which makes a nice walk during daylight, but is best reached by taxi at night. Beware if driving - the road access is long, very narrow and not for the nervous!

We booked direct over the internet for a 3 night stay with great ease. The staff are very welcoming and I was particularly impressed with help and advice given by e-mail even before we arrived. The staff are unobtrusive and are very accomodating to any request you make. You can arrange for almost anything you might wish for by asking the staff (including a special steak evening meal which we would recommend for the price), but this is not necessarily advertised in advance.

We had a wonderful time there and thoroughly recommend it. However there are a few things to note:

Firstly it is really quiet at nighttime - which isn't for everyone's taste - though I would recommend sitting down with a bottle of wine made from grapes grown at the Villa.

Secondly they do open up the place to external parties to hire - we had a local christening take place whilst we were there and it did interfere with our enjoyment of that evening as there is little space for large groups (also we were not alerted in advance it was happening..).

Thirdly some brochures do show a picture of a magnificent Villa in connection with this hotel - beware the picture shown is of the Villa Piazzole which is owned by the same people but is split into self catering apartments. These apartments are magnificent - but more pricey. If this is what you prefer ask for it instead of Villa Montartino.

My family & I stayed in the Boccaccio Apartment at Villa Montartino in May 2005 for a wedding. The apartments are a short walk through the vines/olive trees to the main hotel for breakfast.

It has a fabulous location just a 10 minute taxi ride into the centre of Florence and has the best of both worlds. Close enough to visit Florence to sightsee or just for dinner as we did a couple of times and with the facilities to sunbathe & swim (choice of 2 beautiful pools) when you wish to. My children loved the pools and on rest days we had the pool to ourselves. Great floats and toys for the children to play with.

Although the hotel has no restaurant the staff were able to provide us with lunch on a couple of days when we stayed by the pool (fantastic pasta, salad & bread - as well as ice cream!). The views are amazing all around. Had some wonderful meals at hotel recommended restaurants too!

Overall a fantastic hotel for both couples & families with children. We shall be returning.

Villa Montartino is a magical place set in the hills above Florence. The facilities are comprised of two main lodging areas. We were in a large "apartment" decorated with beautiful frescoes. Our 11 year old son loved the fact that there were two swimming pools! Carlotta and Benedetta, two of the staff members, went out of their way to accomodate our needs. In fact, Benedetta recommended wonderful restaurants in Florence (the best food we had in Italy), and also made advance reservations for us at the Accademia and Uffizi Gallery. You won't regret a stay at Villa Montartino!