I am reviewing this hotel for the second time. The first time I was there with my wife. This time we brought some friends and our daughter. This time we booked directly with the hotel manager via email. Nadia gave us a great deal and also arranged some excursions for us which worked out great! We also arranged ahead of time with Max for a special dinner for our anniversary.
First of all this hotel is located in the heart of the Chianti region of Tuscany and the views are beautiful in all directions. There are two towns (Tavarnelle val di Pesa, and Barberino val d'elsa) within easy walking distance too! Driving time from Rome airport is just over 3 hours depending on traffic. Florence airport is much closer, of course, but we flew from Canada direct so we flew to Rome.
Check in is easy and there are elevators so access is no problem. The front desk staff are friendly and very helpful. Any information you need, or arrangements you need to make they are happy to help. In fact all the staff here are friendly and helpful and they are genuinely concerned to ensure you are having a wonderful time. There is a very good restaurant here which I reviewed separately.
The facilities at this hotel are first class. There is a comfortable lobby to lounge in any time of day with a bar and snacks available. There are also nice places outside to sit and have a drink, either in the shade or sun depending on your preference. The pool is very nice and the view from the pool can't be beat. There are plenty of lounge chairs to relax in and there is also a bar right at the pool.
We had a family room this time on the second floor with a balcony and a wonderful view of the Tuscan hills, olive groves, etc. The room had a main floor with a pull out couch and then stairs up to a bedroom. The rooms are well equipped nicely decorated and air conditioned. There is a safe, and a mini fridge in the room also. Room service is available and we did make use of it a couple of times for evening snacks.
There is a wine cellar beside the restaurant where you can taste and buy many local wines, olive oil, Balsamic Vinegar, and truffle delicacies. All of the wines here are good, and some are exceptional!
Breakfast is an experience in itself and a great reason to get up in the morning. Whether you like Café Americano, or Cappuccino, or Espresso the coffee is wonderful. The selection of food at the buffet is complete with something for any taste. Wonderful breads, cereal, cheese, cold meat, scrambled eggs, bacon, fruit, yoghurt, juices....anything you could want.
Since we were a group this time we arranged through the hotel for excursions so we could all go together. Nadia arranged this for us and we had a really nice driver, Marco, and his vehicle was a new Mercedes van which was very comfortable and perfect for our group. This way we were able to spend a whole day in Florence and not have to worry about parking or traffic. We also arranged a day out in Chianti to explore the local area. What a treat that was!
I can't say enough about the people here. They are what made our whole stay special. Our friends were blown away by the quality of the experience we had during our whole week at the Borgo di Cortefreda.
Many thanks to Nadia and Max especially!