During our summer 2011 driving tour of Tuscany, my wife and I found the Hotel Picchio in Orvieto suited our needs very well. Picchio is not located on the hilltop of Orvieto like the higher visibility tourist establishments, but it is just at the bottom and frankly it was a better choice for many reasons. We flew to Rome, caught an easy train to Orvieto the first morning, and rented an car in Orvieto for our several week driving tour. Hotel Picchio seemed to be the perfect choice because it is located within walking distance of the train station, is located within walking distance of the funicular for an easy and interesting ride to Orvieto's hilltop, is located in a real Italian neighborhood for local color, is located within walking distance of several car rental agencies, and provided tidy, clean rooms with air conditioning. But perhaps best of all was the friendliness and helpfulness of the proprietors, Alessandra and her mother, and the wonderful breakfast buffet that included, among other things, about ten different types of HOMEMADE pastries. It was yummy. It was convenient. It was considerably less expensive than the "tourist" establishments. It was quiet. It was air conditioned. It was in an interesting and safe feeling Italian neighborhood. And best of all, they were friendly and helpful and we felt like we made some Italian friends.
If you wish to take a driving tour of Tuscany, we can certainly recommend this approach, including Hotel Picchio (and avoid having to drive in Rome itself).
- Picchio Hotel Orvieto
