Agriturismo Renello — Hotel in Unione dei Comuni Valdichiana Senese

We had a lovely week here. Lots to do in the vicinity and the pool was very welcome on our return each time. While it may look like I’ve got a long list of things to improve, these are just the things that would push this to a 5/5. We enjoyed our stay here a lot and would recommend it to others. ||Highlights ||- Vitalba cottage was perfect for a family of up to 4. Air con worked flawlessly which was a blessing in the heat of the day and overnight. ||- Staff were attentive and friendly ||- Views are spectacular ||Improvements||- Pool area. While we enjoyed our time by the pool, the pool itself is dated and showing its age and needs refurbishing. Sun-beds were uncomfortable and the whole pool area lacked shade, which was a problem on some days when lots of guests were using the area. Some serious investment is needed to bring this lovely space back up to what it should be. ||Also, there was a lot of wasps by the pool. Several people were stung. There was a nest nearby that really needed to be removed for guest safety. I appreciate this is not an easy task and not one that can be done overnight. In general it was nice to see so many bugs around, it’s a sign that the ecosystem is thriving. ||- Meals. We had several meals at the restaurant. While they were always tasty and lovingly prepared, some days we left hungry. I would also say that at €40pp the meals here don’t represent great value for money. For the same price, there were some gourmet restaurants nearby that delivered a more impressive experience. ||- Weekly BBQ. We were really looking forward to this but in the end were slightly disappointed. You can’t fault the setting and the views and it was lovely to get to know some of the other guests but some things need improvement. First and foremost, there just wasn’t enough food. They served some tasty side dishes and salads but by the time they had been shared between the 30 odd guests it was just a few mouthfuls each. The meat was also tasty but I ended up having 1 sausage, 2 small pork ribs and 3 small slices of steak. We also asked several times for some meat to be cooked well done for our young son, this never arrived. Pudding was just a small bowl of fruit salad, which we all assumed was just a tasty palate cleanser before the desert. Also, there was a group dining with us who were clearly guests of the owner and were getting preferential treatment which didn’t give us the feeling of being very welcome. ||- Activities. We were hoping to take part in the cooking class but once we saw how it was planned we decided against it. The class was €25 each and was planned as a pasta making activity. This was at 1100 but then didn’t include lunch, you then had to pay another €40 to eat the pasta you just made in the evening. This is a real missed opportunity, it would have been so nice to spend an hour or two learning to make some interesting local dishes before sitting down with the other guests for a tasty lunch. ||The olive oil tasting was a disappointment. It seemed like we were forgotten as we waited for an hour for someone to turn up. It was meant to be hosted by the owner, but ended up being done by the host/administrator. She did her best but just wasn’t as informed as the owner would have been. Considering the delay and absent owner I think it would have been a good gesture to waive the cost or to give a free bottle of oil to make up for it. This was not done. ||Amenities ||- It would be lovely if there was a little honesty shop or similar. It’s a fair drive to the shops so it would be helpful if you could just put some cash in a tin and take toilet roll, water, sun cream etc. Also, on hot afternoons they could make a fortune selling premix spritz and beers to thirsty sunbathers and ice cream...

Cannot not recommend Agriturismo Renello, unfortunately. The place is beautiful, but: Price/quality at the restaurant: Dinner costed €35-45 and was a) not a lot (contrary to most other Agriturismi we’ve seen) and b) very average (lots of far better and cheaper restaurants are a 5-10min drive away). Room quality: Our room was very old and only had a small window, surely not enough for the strong smell of the room. Friendliness at the restaurant/of the hosts: especially the one running the restaurant seems to be more interested in business than making his guests feel welcomed. Just one example: one day we tried to reach someone at the reception during their opening hours to get an extra sheet. No one was there. So we sent them an email and also a WhatsApp message. We didn’t get any reply (up until today after our stay actually). So we outrageously asked again at the reception in the evening and the son/guy who runs the restaurant got almost upset by the obscenity of our request. When he started ignoring us and focussing on the screen in front of him, his parents rushed to his aide and apologized. We eventually received an extra sheet, but were left wondering what we had done wrong. If you don’t treat your (paying!) guests as guests, just don’t work in the service/hospitality sector.

Overall there is a business vibe around the place that doesn’t made us feel welcomed. Not the kind of family atmosphere you’d want at a Tuscan Agriturismo.

Positive aspects: Nice pool Great views Staff at breakfast is very nice

Good ratings are probably showing rather marketing success more than anything else. Especially given the prices you are charging. Renello might impress first time travelers to Europe/Italy, but otherwise you will easily be left underwhelmed. If you’re looking for alternative Agriturismi there are other...

We absolutely loved our stay at Agriturismo Renello. Stop your research and just book it. You won't be disappointed. After having a friend recommend Renello, I did just that. What a beautiful place. We booked just a few weeks in advance and ended up with the only room they had left which was next to the restaurant. Due to where it is located, it's easily confused by other guests as staff services. We had someone try to give us their laundry for washing and another person walked in thinking it was part of the restaurant. Regardless, the room was simple, comfortable and nice. I loved how dark and peaceful it was at night. The bed was comfortable and there was ample closet space. If we are lucky enough to visit Renello again, we'll look to stay in a cottage. They looked lovely.|The views and land are spectacular and you are able to walk/explore all of it. We enjoyed a beautiful morning walking through the olive tree orchard. |Breakfast is served outside on the most beautiful patio and is delicious. We highly recommend partaking in the BBQ dinner and/or dinner at least once. Andrea is a wonderful chef who prepares family dinners for those who are interested. It is a set three-course menu and you pay extra for beverages. For the BBQ dinner, he prepared t-bone steaks in the Florence style, over fire coals and rare. It was amazing. Everything was farm fresh. |Book your stay at Renello. You...