What can one say about Foresteria... other than the fact that it is absolutely beautiful in every way!

Myself and my oldest sister stayed there for 4 nights and I wish we had stayed longer. Mariann and her partner as well as all other staff must be commended on creating a holiday experience that is truly Tuscan. My parents as well as middle sister and her husband have been and hence the reason my other sister and I decided to visit.

We stayed in Tabaccaia 2 - a 4-sleeper unit. It had a small kitchen downstairs with beautiful crockery and all necessary cooking equipment. It also had a little sleeper couch. Upstairs there was a bedroom with double bed and bathroom. Bathroom is small, but gorgeous. Above the bedroom on a mezzanine level there was another little bedroom with a single bed. My sister stayed in the double bed and I stayed in the single bed on upper level. We were both very comfortable - lovely beds and bed linen. Only negative would be that I felt that the rooms didn't have enough storage for clothing, especially if we had been 4 in the unit.

The hotel itself is perfect - traditional, comfortable, clean, cosy. We had continental breakfast one of the mornings which was great! Every morning coffee and some type of sweet, yummy thing is set out on the patio outside reception - wonderful! Not to mention the little baker man who comes every morning in his little white van with all sorts of amazing stuff to buy - croissants, ciabatta, doughnuts, pizza, etc!!! The hotel surrounds are perfect - set in the fruit orchards with the mountains in the background and Tuscan villages in the distance.

Unfortunately it rained from our second day there, so we were unable to enjoy the pool area or take a bike ride from the hotel into the orchards and beyond, but maybe next time :) Also, because we were not there in high season we could not experience the dinner that the hotel does during the week :( i had been looking so forward to that - have heard wonderful things about it!

Hired car here essential - especially to enjoy all the other little villages scattered around. Arezzo, Cortona, etc all lovely. Some advice - this is rural Italy - when you see a Spar (or similar) do yourself a favour and savour the opportunity to get your shopping done. We battled to find shops open when we wanted to shop for food. There is a wonderful pizzeria just to the left on the main road... Otherwise there aren't lots of other restaurants locally, unless you go to Arezzo. Also, people here do not speak much English, so take a phrase book or a class in Italian beforehand! We did battle a little with the language barrier. Surrounding villages were so beautiful and added to the charm of the whole place.

Overall - perfect, wonderful, amazing, beautiful. Mariann is a family friend now... I hope I can return one day! Thank you for a great time...

We spent a week here with 7 friends staying in 2 apartments (one 4 bedrooms and one 3 bedrooms). Marianne is a wonderful manager -friendly, helpful planning day trips, recommending restaurants, and just an all around wonderful hostess. The accommodations are old fashioned and pleasant but not luxurious. Bathrooms are functional with small showers. The scenery, fruit orchards, and location bucolic. We had a wonderful week. An unfortunate water leak caused us to have a few days with little/no hot water but we managed and knew it was an unusual circumstance. We headed out most days to travel around Tuscany, maps in hand,and had fun getting lost several times. The location requires driving and learning the Tuscan road system which was an adventure. One day we drove to Arezzo (about 20 minutes) and took the train to Florenced, another new experience - trains were on time and comfortable and a good way to travel. Another day we drove to Siena to spend the day. On day of arrival, we were able to eat at the restaurant at the villa - excellent food and service, expensive. It was a wonderful week and we highly recommend to all.....

We went in November/December of 2006(the option drop down menu only goes back to 2007), but I'm determined to share my great experience! Plus we are traveling again, and I want to be able to share my experience here, as Trpadvisor has been so great in helping my family decide upon our accomodations. The reviews and ratings are such helpful guides.

Since my husband, son, and I traveled during the down-time of tourist season, we ended up having the villa to ourselves! We didnt use ALL of the properties, of course, but it was a very quiet stay, which we truly appreciated--especially after the hustle and bustle of our adventures in Rome.

We were greeted with a warm welcoming smile, by Marian, one of the owners. She was very kind and helpful throuout our stay, and respected our wish for privacy, yet she was always accessible, if and when we had questions. Thank you, Marian!

We stayed in the Gostino 'apartment'(sleeps 4)--rustic, charming, fairytaleish--and very spacious! Beamed ceilings, beautifully tiled floors, and plenty of windows. Though there were no screens on the windows when we visited, we didnt have an insect problem-- it was winter so I dont think screens were necessary. It rained hard while we were there and we could here the rain drops hit the rooftops which was such a cool sound... we also experienced a thunder storm while there!
Later, after the storm, we opened the windows to let in the rain fresh air... ahhhhhhh...

Our "apartment' had 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. The Gostino gave us plenty of space to move around without crowding each other... I use a wheelchair, so it worked out well for all...
Each of the bedrooms at the villa are located at the opposite end of one another--great for privacy!

There's a small living room area with plenty of seating--and even a television, though we didnt really watch anything other than the hubby turning on the news on occasion. Who wants to watch TV when on vacation, anyway, when there's so much to do?

There was a cute little kitchen that had everything we needed to cook a nice meal--also a small wooden dining table(reminds me goldilocks and the 3 bears)--and even a bar-b-que grill out back which we also put to use.
We enjoyed yummy fresh baked goods every morning via the bakery truck that would stop by at around 9am. How great is that? :)

Marian opened up the community center part of the villa where they also have a library and internet connection(!)--my son's salvation while there..lol. He wanted to chat with his friends and play some intenet games... There was no downside for the hubby and I but the downside for my son, was that he preferred being in Rome--centro, amidst all the action-- understandable for being a teen! (we did go on a (guilt)trip to Rome again, later... lol)

Speaking of day trips; one of them, was a visit to Cortona, the 'walled city' which was only a few miles away--I've read that they filmed "Under The Tuscan Sun" in Arrezzo and Cortona, among other locations. We all enjoyed Cortona--spectacular views from atop the city!

Overall, our stay at the Foresteria was wonderful. I think my son would have enjoyed it more, had it been in one of the summer months. My husband and I enjoyed the villa in its dormant season-it was picturesque with a surreal mood of the haunted grayness of the sleeping orchard. A quiet setting that gave us a chance to relax and rejuvenate.
If you're looking for relaxiation and privacy, a winter visit would be your best bet. Probably not the best time to go when you have a teen who loves action of the big city.
Had we gone to the villa in the summer, he probably would have enjoyed it more--swimming pool, people(aka--teen girls) LOL...

I have nothing to negative to say about our stay--it was awesome, and I highly recommend to anyone planning a stay in Tuscany!

We were a group of 4 adults and 2 teenagers who travelled independently to Tuscany in July 2008. We stayed in the nonno dulio rooms at Il Foresteria. This was the upper floor of a traditional Tuscan farmhouse comprising of 3 double rooms with private bathrooms and three different public sitting areas. The kitchen area was basic but sufficient for our needs (incl having an indoor barbecue due to the one night of rain during our holiday!). It is set in the middle of a huge fruit farm so fresh fruit is plentiful. The swimming pool is great with plenty of loungers and umbrellas. Although we were self catering the accommodation does do breakfasts and also evening meals twice a week. These are served on the terrace which is a lovely setting. We had an evening meal twice and it ranked as some of the best food we had during our fortnight which was crammed with memorable meals. The breakfasts were also most enjoyable. All in all we had a fantastic holiday but if this was not enough the absolute jewel in Foresteria's crown is Marianne, the young woman who runs the accomodation. Nothing but nothing is too much trouble for her and her recommendations are superb. She directed us to places we probably would have never stumbled upon and as a result we had some unforgettable traditional Tuscan meals. She was friendly, chatty, knowledgeable and even gave us beautiful cakes and biscuits to celebrate a bithday in our group. Without a doubt she and the other staff at the accomodation made an excellent holiday unforgettable and I would certainly recommend Il Foresteria as a great destination