Appartamenti Belvedere — Hotel in Cortona

We stayed here in a 2 bedroom/1 bathroom apartment (one double and twin beds) for 10 nights in July, 2013. We found the apartment to be homely, comfortable, well-equipped and very well located. The shower is a squeeze if you're larger or taller, but it's manageable. This is self-contained living, there is no cleaning provided during your stay, you wash the towels/tea towels provided in the washing machine. There is also, a small well-equipped kitchen and a dining table in the lounge room. ||||We met Francesca (the owner) briefly, she was away for most of our stay, but her charming sister showed us into the apartment and was available if we needed anything. We also, had the tourist information center in the town, we arranged a taxi through them to take us back to the station on our day of departure. (you have to pre-book taxis in Cortona, they're thin on the ground) ||||This apt reminded us of childhood stays with Aunts or our grandparents, the antique furniture, vases etc. The views from the lounge room were just amazing, we couldn't get enough...from the early morning mist through to sunset. We found the building to be very quiet.||||It was a short and steep walk up to the center of town, to our favorite coffee shop or for drinks in the piazza and some people watching late afternoon. You could prepare your own meals in the apt if you wanted to, we ate out most of the time and just had a couple of simple cold meat and salad type meals in the apt.||||This is a reasonably priced option for a family, friends or 2 couples who enjoy privacy and doing their own thing. If you rely on room service, maid services etc. then this place won't suit you. ||We'd stay again.....and we...

While the apartments are fairly well located just a short walk from one the entrances to Cortona (and parking) the trip to town is an uphill walk (not a deal-breaker for us). The apartments' entrances are accessed via an iron gate and a gravel covered courtyard. There are three ground level apartments and each has a small bistro table with two chairs. Each table sits on a small patch of semi-circular patio stones and not very spacious or private (one of our chairs sat on uneven ground so we had to arrange it in a tighter space so as not to sit lopsided). While we assume the top level apartments were bright and had great views towards the Tuscan and Umbrian landscape we were given the corner ground floor apartment on the right. The apartment had only two windows that faced the house next door (no view) and little light entered. The front door (the brightest opening), while quaint with an entrance arch of honeysuckle, had a direct view to the room's bathroom. If you wanted privacy you would have to shut the curtains--less light. In all, while it was neat and clean and had a modestly equipped kitchen (for those who like to cook and save on meals) it was a rather dreary apartment. To get a view you would need to walk out to the courtyard and face left, and for a better view, walk across the narrow street towards the waist high wall (BTW, if you like swallows, there are always dozens zipping around overhead during the day), It was not an apartment you wanted to rush back to for a relaxing afternoon. I would be more inclined to stay at an...

Just returned from a two week vacation from this beautiful Country. It was my first experience and did not want to be a slave to a formal Tour schedule so my husband, sister and brother in law scheduled our own 14 day "experience". Part of our trip was to center ourselves in this region to visit hill towns and do the vineyard thing. We chose Cortona mostly because of its location, knowing that we would be driving ourselves, most days, to Asisi, Siena, Montelcino, Florence and Pisa. This was a HOME RUN! We stayed in the Belvedere and Glicine apartments on the ground floor. They are connected by a common hallway but with each having their own entry off that hallway. The view from the front apartment common area was spectacular. The four of us used that space for eating and relaxing. The front apartment bedroom was small but comfortable. The back apartment had no window views but the bedroom was very large and the bathroom was a bit larger also. Be forwarned that the showers are a struggle throughout the entire country. My 6'4" brother-in-law struggled the entire trip but with a great sense of humor. Let me say also that Francesca was there whenever we needed direction. All we needed to do was dial her cell and we had her attention. It was one of the cleanest apartments we rented and out of the 11 cities and towns that we visited, this was our favorite. It was the only place that was limited in tourists and you felt the love of the residents...we miss our Cafe' Americano from Mossimo every morning..and oh...did I...