Casa Margherita — Hotel in Cortona

What an amazing place and wonderful hosts, Garbriele, Laura and their daughter Margerita (who speaks fluent English). Casa Margherita is an outstanding holiday rental in the gorgeous Tuscan countryside. We booked it with a little trepidation, as there was only 2 previous reviews on Airbnb, but this is because they are relatively new. But we could not have chosen a better place to stay. Situated in the small village of Fratticciola, just 15 minutes drive from the town of Camucia (which as numerous shops and supermarkets), and 20 minutes from the fabulous Medieval city of Cortona. There is also a small shop in the village that looked like someone’s front room but had everything you’d need in it and was open until 8pm 7 days a week! As locations go, it was ideal. Quiet and peaceful, amazing views, but also close to the mainline train station which can get you about wider Italy for low cost and is very efficient. We travelled to Florence by train for an overnight trip and it was 1hr and 2mins from Castiglion Fiorentino for 7 euro a ticket. You could also visit Rome in under 2 hrs. We drove to Sienna for a day trip (amazing city and a must to visit, especially around the time of the Palio race) in 40 mins. We arrived from the UK in Italy at Pisa Airport and it was an easy 2hr drive to get there and back. You will need a hire car and be prepared for some ‘rustic’ roads in the area! All part of the fun and beauty. The accommodation is spacious and a high standard, having been the host’s grandparent’s farm and been recently refurbished, perfectly mixing modern style and convenience with classic Tuscan period features. All living spaces and bedrooms have Air Conditioning which was needed in the mid-summer heat. The house is divided into 2 apartments, we rented both for a big family holiday. Both have kitchens, multiple bathrooms and bedrooms. We could have slept up to 14 with use of the sofa beds but we were comfortable with 8. There is also a separate kitchen and laundry room outside and a permanent gazebo with insect net curtains and a light for al fresco dining, which we used most nights. The kitchens were well equipped with most utensils that you would need, even a grater for the Parmesan! Outside there was also a fixed barbeque which we used many times to grill meats and vegetable. Gabriele was kind enough to provide us with a box of old dry olive tree logs that we used to cook the perfect Chianina Steak! The swimming pool is also new, surrounded by lush grass and olive trees and the perfect temperature. Warm to jump straight in but refreshing enough for the hot days. They also provided sun loungers, parasol and a selection of inflatables that the kids enjoyed. There is a separate toilet and shower down by the pool and a table tennis table. As for our hosts, we could not have asked for better and we have now become friends. Gabriele and Laura were very keen to please and were very thorough in making sure we had everything we needed. They helped out with recommendations for trips and restaurants and dealt with any little issue very quickly. Gabriele brought over some fresh produce from his mother’s garden a couple of time which was delightful and very well received. A highlight was the Private Dining night that Gabriele and Laura arranged for us, where they brought along their friend and chef Cristina to cook a traditional Tuscan meal for us. It was amazing and very generous with wonderful food cooked the way it should be. They offer a range of menus and the Tuscan menu that we selected included a range of antipasti, a local speciality of Pici pasta with ragu sauce, a pork loin with creamed potatoes and tiramisu. Served with local red wine. There was even a children’s option. All served with style outside the guesthouse. They worked very hard and provided a feast for us. This is an outstanding find and a wonderful place to stay, I cannot recommend it more highly. As a family we rarely holiday in the same place more than once, however, this will be an exception, and we will absolutely return and...

We had an amazing stay in Tuscany! The accommodation was wonderful and we truly appreciated the warm care of the owner, Gabriele. It was such a pleasure to be welcomed by his wife, Laura, and their daughter, Margherita – they showed us around and explained everything perfectly. The house was spotless and very well equipped, with everything we could possibly need. The pool was always ready for sunny days, making our holiday even more enjoyable. In one word – perfect! These were truly the best holidays in a beautiful house with a pool and stunning surroundings. Thank you so much for everything!...

Abbiamo soggiornato a Casa Margherita per il ponte del 2 giugno con un gruppo di 11 amici e non possiamo che lasciare una recensione a 5 stelle. La casa si trova a Fratticciola e si compone di due appartamenti gemelli disposti su due piani ma collegati da un corridoio d’ingresso comune, perfetti per ospitare gruppi numerosi come il nostro. L’appartamento superiore dispone anche di un soppalco con divanoletto. Tutta la struttura è stata recentemente ristrutturata: ambienti spaziosi, moderni, pulitissimi e molto curati nei dettagli. Ognuno dei due appartamenti è dotato di TV e all’esterno si trovano tantissimi comfort: una bellissima piscina, un ampio prato curato, una zona lavanderia con lavatrice, un tavolo da ping pong che abbiamo molto apprezzato e un gazebo con zanzariere e tavolo allungabile dove abbiamo potuto mangiare tutti insieme comodamente. Il giardino e gli esterni sono molto ben tenuti e illuminabili di notte, creando un’atmosfera piacevolissima anche la sera. Un ringraziamento speciale a Laura e Gabriele, host gentilissimi, disponibili e sempre pronti a venire incontro a ogni nostra esigenza. Soggiorno perfetto, ci siamo divertiti tantissimo. Torneremo...