After a recommendation from a friend, we emailed Dawne on Thursday to come down on Sunday for two nights. We asked if our little dog would be welcome and we were told that she was more than welcome and she has a couple of dogs and some cats on the property.

We arrived in the afternoon and this woman showed us our room (just off of the livingroom) and when our dog started to walk into the main part of the house the owner said "on no, she can't be anywhere but in the room, because it would not be fair to my dogs". Well, I have to tell you, if she would have told us that in an email before arriving we would not have come. Such a simple thing to mention!!

We and our dog sat in our room until an hour before dinner. Dinner is touted to be a 5 course gourmet meal with wine..... in fact it was a very skimpy 5 course with 1 bottle of prosecco and 1 bottle of Rosato and Dawne drank about half of that wine. We kept trying to get a conversation going and every single sentence would be countered with an argument from her. I've never seen a worse owner in my life and it would have been better if we were eatting alone and not with her as a hostess.

We did not feel comfortable and decided to leave the next morning. This woman was shocked that we would leave and insisted that she could have rented the room 20 times over (there was another unrented room), so she made us pay the second night.

The woman is old, tired and has forgotten what it is like to have guests, but it you want to spend the money, there is an amazing collection of vinyl albums and a great sound system. Mostly British groups from the 70's because she was a model and partied witht he Beattles and Stones, apparently.

We stayed at L'Ombricolo for 4 nights in September 2011 and can't recommend it highly enough. It's in a stunning location and has been renovated to a high standard in a very comfortable rather than chic style. The owner, Dawne, could not do enough to make our stay enjoyable. She cooked the most delicious meals and ate with us which we enjoyed very much as she is such an interesting lady. The website indicates there are dogs in the house and cats outside which made for a very homely atmosphere and was one of the reasons we chose to stay there. We will definitely be returning.

Dawne is an excellent cook. Splurge for dinner and you won't regret it. L'Ombricolo is a peaceful place off the beaten track with easy access to many wonderful sights. (Civita di Bagnoregio is one to visit....but don't forget the Monster Park in Bomarzo!)
Belinda and Luna will welcome you as only the best 4-legged friends can. They are lovely, well-behaved dogs that made it feel like home for us.
L'Ombricolo was a wonderful find. The story of its creation is part of it's charm. Be sure to inquire about it's history.

We spent a few days at L'Ombricolo over Easter 2010. L'Ombricolo it's a great country house, renovated with taste and care over the years by Dawne who is an excellent and extremely caring host. We were treated to great breakfasts and dinners. The house is in a beautiful spot of the italian countryside right at the boundary between Lazio, Tuscany and Umbria. Bomarzo, Orvieto and many other gems can be easily reached by car. Definitely the perfect place to relax, unwind and enjoy some treasures of the Italian Renaissance.