We spent two weeks at San Vito in April 2006--I'm only writing the review now because I didn't know TripAdvisor existed until I started trying to book another vacation and found it so helpful that I want to contribute something!!
Anyway. Our two weeks in Tuscany were absolutely brilliant. The weather was mediocre--some days rain, some days brilliant sunshine--but never so bad that we couldn't leave the house. The air is fresh and clear and the wind across the tops of the hills was gentle and soothing.
Details by category:
Arrival/Check-In: We arrived late at night and were ushered into our villa and set for the night within fifteen minutes. We entered our villa to discover a bottle of spumante (complimentary!) and a card with relevant informational details.
Accomodations: I will start by stating very clearly--this is not the Ritz, it is not the Four Seasons. It is a lovely, cozy, welcoming, clean setting that feels like you really and truly are living in Tuscany. We stayed in Villino I Cavalli which had two bedrooms at opposite ends of the house, a kitchen/living room in the middle. Each bedroom had it's own private bathroom with towels, sink, mirror, shower, toilet, and HEATED FLOOR TILES. The bathroom/bedroom suites had doors that closed off that section of the house for additional privacy. One bedroom had two twin beds and the other had a queen sized bed. Each bedroom had French Style doors that opened onto the patio in front of the house.
Our kitchen had dishes, cutlery, cookware, stove, oven, sink, table, couch, tv (didn't interest us, so we never bothered to try turning it on), and fireplace.
The service was wonderful. We got fresh towels when requested. The owners were kind and welcoming and patient (when I blew out the electricity in the villa at 9:30pm one night using my flat iron...oops...someone arrived within 15 minutes to solve the problem and the lights were back on!)
The view from our villa included mountains, cyprus trees, olive and grape vineyards, and miles of Tuscany. We had a kitten who started to visit us daily on our patio. He was quite friendly and was kind enough to leave his little companions up at the barn. There's lengthy paths and roads to walk and explore around the grounds of the farm, and for those who feel like a little more of a hands on exploration, scope out the bikes.
Food: The restaurant was closed for the whole time we were there (I guess technically it was the low season...I actually think we might have been the only family staying at the farm who didn't live there full time, so needless to say it was quite peaceful) so we either ate in Florence or a nearby town or stopped at the HyperCOOP (Italian grocery chain) or other small market for food on the way back from Florence each day. While I was a bit skeptical about shopping at a chain in Tuscany--I tend to prefer the smaller markets--it's worth going at least once. They are HUGE and while they have some similarities to American grocery stores, they also have a heavenly selection of things you will never find in the States. Cheeses, wines, salami, sausage, bread, fruit, pastry....And the food there is so fresh and you'll do so much walking. I ate my way through that city (and an entire large jar of Nutella) in two weeks and came home having lost 5 pounds.
In downtown Florence check out restaurants ZaZa (in Mercato Centrale--mind numbingly good steak with truffle sauce and really not all that expensive considering what you're eating and how much food you get) and Il Latini (a place loved by locals and tourists alike. It's a prix fixe deal with about five courses including pasta, antipasto, bread, oil, meats, cheeses, lamb/chicken/steak/pork, dessert, enough wine to satisfy all, shots of liquer...and the owner gave my mother a free bottle of wine just for "being beautiful". But make reservations and get there early. A crowd forms outside the door and they do some very creative math to get everyone in to the rowdy, communal tables. The food is amazing).
Transportation: All I can say--if you stay at San Vito rent a car!!! And be prepared to watch your life flash before your eyes because the Tuscans don't have any readily obvious traffic laws.
All in all this was one of the best vacations I have ever taken. I love to travel and feel like I am experiencing the location in as close a proximity to the way the locals experience it. San Vito filled this expectation in every possible way. I would go back in a heart beat.
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC