Dear Manola,
Thank-you for requesting la Manzinaie. It was everything you said it would be and we were very impressed by the apartments, the gardens, the pool and especially Marzia, Fiore and Alice. Their friendliness and hospitality made the stay even more enjoyable.
Thanks again for the recommendation.
Alida Mitchell
Hi Manola,
My husband and I have just returned from an amazing week at the Podere Le Manzinaie. Thanks to InTuscany we found the perfect spot to enjoy our week - our first (but now not last) trip to Italy. Marzia, Alice & Fiore were wonderful, gracious and very helpful hosts. The accommodations were top class - a testament to Fiore and Marzia's painstaking renovation. We met other interesting travellers and were made to feel completely at home and pampered. A highlight of the week was the fabulous home-cooked meal prepared by our hosts for the guests staying at Le Manzinaie that week. Great fun and an excellent way to meet terrific people from around the world.
I'm so glad I discovered InTuscany, and will certainly recommend it to others. Please feel free to use all or parts of this e-mail on your website.
Ciao from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada,
Tracey Williams
Hi Manola,
My wife and I booked a trip with your
company in June, and I wanted to let you know how thoroughly
we enjoyed it.
First of all, your services were excellent.
I must admit that I was worried at first about doing
the research over the Internet, and then giving my credit
card to a company I had never met. Well, everything
went exactly as planned. There were no surprises, and
that's a good thing. Surprises are only fun on birthdays
and Christmas morning.
I also wanted to add a few words about
the place we stayed, Podere le Manzinaie. We decided
to rent there for a week, based only on the place name
taken from a bottle of wine (Montepulciano), and on
the write-up in your website. Well, we couldn't have
been happier. le Manzinaie is a very special place in
a land full of special places. This was our first trip
through Tuscany, and we quickly noticed that there is
no shortage of Agriturismo sites in the area. However,
what the owners have done here is truly magical.
Fiore took what appears to have been
an abandoned building, and turned it into a guest home
with just the right mix of old craftsmanship and modern
conveniences. Marzia took it from there, and her paintings
and embroidered pictures truly make each guest apartment
a home. I had the impression that Alice is the computer
and marketing genius, and the documents she prepared
for our arrival gave us a real head start in touring
the area.
The best part of your write-up about
le Manzinaie was your mention of the possibility of
a home-cooked dinner, and we were not disappointed.
We had a truly enjoyable experience, and it wasn't just
Fiore's bottomless wine cellar. The food was great,
there was an interesting mix of other guests, and even
their dog Rufus seemed to be having a good time. This
was an evening we could not have had any other way.
The purpose of this trip was to celebrate
our 15th wedding anniversary. After such a good time,
we're looking for another excuse to make our next trip
to Tuscany, and we'll certainly not hesitate to call
on InTuscany again.
Best regards, Cynde & Bill
Just a quick note regarding our time
at Le Manzinaie. We had a truly wonderful time. Marzia,
Fiore and Alicia were very friendly and accomodating.
We felt like we were visiting family. I will definitely
recommend the podere to all my friends. They are truly
excellent hosts. We can't wait to return.
Greg & Barbar Myers
May 2004, 2 weeks
Le Manzinaie is a 19th century farm,
a 15 minute drive from Montepulciano. It had fallen
very badly into disrepair, but has been beautifully
restored by Marzia and Fiore since buying it about 13
years ago. A labour of love and imagination.
The little town of Montepulciano Stazione
is within walking distance. It has a grocery store and
a good meat market. There are several restaurants nearby,
including a good pizza take out.
There is an excellent restaurant in
Acquaviva, "L'Angolo", a 10-15 minute drive.
The food was exceptional, and reasonably priced.
The sizeable town of Montepulciano
has many interesting shops, historic buildings, a supermarket
and a weekly outdoor market.
Alicia, Marzia's & Fiore's 17
year old daughter has composed an extensive travel book,
with 7 itineraries describing the towns in each. We
found it more useful than the published guide books,
and brought our copy home as a souvenir.
There are 4 apartments in the main
house - Glicine, Rose, Edera and Girasole. In the course
of the extensive renovations, the traditional Tuscan
architecture has been maintained, with stone structures,
soaring ceilings and arches, tiled floors, and striking
decor. Adera was our favourite. All are on the ground
floor with private entrances.
We stayed in Viole, a private 2-storey
villa a few steps from the main house. The ground floor
contains a large bedroom and a full bathroom, and a
fully equipped kitchen and dining area, and a sunny
patio and lawn. The upstairs has a large bedroom with
a lovely view of the grounds, and a full bathroom. The
entire villa was immaculate, fully equipped , and attractively
furnished.
The immediate grounds comprise several
acres. They are beautifully maintained, with many flowers,
flowering bushes, shrubs and trees, complimenting the
equally beautiful restored buildings. There is a pretty
drive, lined with cypresses, from the front gate to
the main house. The swimming pool sparkles.
Le Viole has a private garden area
by the patio.
All the furnishings were in excellent
condition, and comfortable. The living/dining room has
a large table with 6 chairs, a large glass cabinet,
pretty sofa, T.V. Not large overall, but plenty of room
for 4 people.
Both bedrooms/ bathrooms were ensuite.
The bedrooms were spacious and attractively furnished.
Beds were quite new and comfortable. The lower bedroom
looks out on the patio and garden. The upper bedroom
has a lovely view of the grounds. Both bathrooms are
roomy. The lower has a jetted tub and shower, the upper
a shower.
The kitchen was roomy and equiped
with a 4-burner gas stove top, microwave, toaster, refrigerator
and North-American style coffee maker. China and utensils
for at least 4 people, and ample pots and pans of good
quality. There is no oven, except the microwave, but
we cooked several full meals.
When we arrived, the kitchen was stocked
with fresh fruit, bread, biscuits, coffee, filters,
tea, several bottles of water, a bottle of wine, and
there were ham, eggs and milk in the fridge. It was
obvious that everything had been bought just that day.
There is a tradition at Le Manzinaie,
that all guests are invited, at least once, to a traditional
Tuscan dinner. Marzia is a gourmet chef, and with help
from Fiore and Alicia, serves an exceptional many-course
dinner. Much wine is served by Fiore, followed by liqueurs.
The guests regale each other in several languages, while
Alicia translates furiously. We did not have another
meal in Italy that even came close, or was as much fun.
The biggest bonus was the amazing
affection that somehow developed between the hosts and
their guests, in such a short time. In our case, while
our privacy was always observed, anytime we needed help,
all we had to do was ask. And it was given with such
genuine warmth and good humour that before our 2 weeks
were up we were fast friends.
We dealt with Manola. She gave us
accurate and informative details, and was able to tailor-make
her recommendations to our needs and budget. The reality
of Le Manzinaie certainly measured up to her description,
and more.
Do you recommend this vacation rental
to others?
Absolutely. We've only been back home
for a few weeks, and already we've recommended it to
half a dozen friends who are planning trips to Italy.
Dear Rebecca,
We had a really great holiday in Tuscany!
The two places that you chose for us were both superb
and very well suited to our needs.
Le Viole at Manzinaie was very comfortable
and very well situated for the siteseeing that we wanted
to do in our first week. As you said, however, it was
the amazing hospitality of Marzia and her family that
made the week so enjoyable. They really went out of
the way to make sure that all their guests felt at home.
Thanks very much for your help –
we’ll be back to Tuscany soon, and will be sure
to tell our friends about the service we received from
Intuscany.
Regards
Llew Jones
Hi Rebecca:
We would like to like to tell you
just how much we enjoyed our stay at La Manzainie. From
the moment we arrived to such a warm welcome, Marzia,
Fiore and Alice made our stay so enjoyable. Alice saved
us with her wonderful command of English. They were
a wealth of information about restaurants, sights to
see, trains etc. Marzia even made reservations for the
Florence museums. They were just so helpful.
Our "Rose" room was beautiful,
so comfortable and pretty (the stencils done by Marzia
are awesome). We found a bottle of wine, bread and all
we needed for breakfast, again, so welcoming.
We found the location perfect for
what we wanted to do. We were able to go out everyday
in a different direction to visit so many beautiful
Tuscan towns. (Even an itinerary of the surrounding
area was made up for us - nice touch). We felt that
we had a true Tuscan experience.
Of course, the wonderful dinner that
Marzia, Fiore and Alice prepared one night for all the
guests was just so much fun and the food was delicious.
We would come home each night totally
exhausted and, with a bottle of Chianti and whatever
goodies we had found that day, relax by the immaculate
swimming pool. Fiore would bring over fresh plums and
figs - divine.
One of our favorite times was after
having been to where we bought local pecorino cheese,
olive oil and pasta and came back to Marzia's garden
where we picked eggplant, zucchini, peppers and tomatoes
and had the most wonderful dinner under the Tuscan stars.
This is a bit long-winded but there
were so many lovely times in and around La Manzainie.
Obviously, we highly recommend La
Manzainie.
Best Regards,
Fiona and Rod
Dear Rebecca,
We were very happy with our accommodation
and the service from InTuscany.
We had a really great holiday! The
two places that you chose for us were both superb and
very well suited to our needs.
Le Viole at Manzinaie was very comfortable
and very well situated for the siteseeing that we wanted
to do in our first week. As you said, however, it was
the amazing hospitality of Marzia and her family that
made the week so enjoyable. They really went out of
the way to make sure that all their guests felt at home.
Le Rocca in Monterchi was very special
in its situation and spectacular views, and we also
had a very good week there. Donatella was a charming
and gracious hostess who allowed us to use the garden
and pool area of the Palazzo as well, and gave us a
very interesting tour of the Palazzo Marzochi.
Thanks very much for your help –
we’ll be back to Tuscany soon, and will be sure
to tell our friends about the service we received from
Intuscany.
Regards
Llew Jones
Dear Manola,
Thank you for recommending us to the
villa Le Manzinaie.
We were there from Oct. 19th thru
the 26th. Everything about Le Manzinaie was exceptional,
the facilities, the hostess Marza, her family, and her
surprise dinners which we rate as 5 stars. We would
recommend Le Manzinaie to the Pope himself.
Outstanding...outstanding....outstanding.
Susan & Ted Gori
USA
Dear Rebecca,
We had a really great holiday in
Tuscany! The two places that you chose for us were both
superb and very well suited to our needs. Le Viole at
Manzinaie was very comfortable and very well situated
for the siteseeing that we wanted to do in our first
week. As you said, however, it was the amazing hospitality
of Marzia and her family that made the week so enjoyable.
They really went out of the way to make sure that all
their guests felt at home. Le Rocca in Monterchi was
very special in its situation and spectacular views,
and we also had a very good week there. Donatella was
a charming and gracious hostess who allowed us to use
the garden and pool area of the Palazzo as well, and
gave us a very interesting tour of the Palazzo Marzochi.
Thanks very much for your help - we'll be back to Tuscany
soon, and will be sure to tell our friends about the
service we received from Intuscany.
Regards
Llew Jones
My wife and I would like to greatly
give a resounding recommendation to Marzia and family
at Podere Manzinaie. They are just the most perfect
hosts with the most !!. Enough could not be done to
make you welcome and at home . The daily travel program
they provided made our exploring of the area so much
easier and total dedication to making sure you are comfartable
seems to be second nature to them. We will be back next
year !Please pass on to them our sincere thanks
Don and Glenda Millar
Melbourne - Australia
8th September, 2004
The Willows,
Liscarton,
Navan,
Co. Meath.
Ireland.
Dear Rebecca,
What can we say. All we read about
Le Manzinaie was true. We had a wonderful holiday (Summer
2004) and hopefully will go back sometime. We found
Tuscany to be a different type of holiday than others
in that we found a little bit of heavan at ‘Le
Manzinaie.’ It was a just a wonderful spot and
very hard to describe unless you experience it for yourself.
When we were looking for a place to stay in Tuscany
we found it hard to believe all the testimonials we
read about Le Manzinaie, and here we are now adding
to the list. Flori, Marzia and Alicia were wonderful
hosts and couldn’t do enough for you. They had
a knack of being there if you needed their assistance,
however, giving you your privacy at the same time. We
spent two full weeks at Le Manzinaie and enjoyed every
minute. Within the two weeks we had dinner twice with
our hosts and all the other guests. Both the food and
the company were superb.
We stayed in the ‘Le Rose’
apartment at Le Manzinaie. The apartment was very well
equipped and very comfortable. On arrival we found a
lovely basket of goodies. As we got delayed leaving
the Airport we did not arrive till late, and these goodies
were more than welcomed.
The location of Montepulciano was
perfect for visiting the Cities. We did day trips by
train to Rome, Florence, and Piza. Travelling by train
was both hazzle free and not expensive. We also travelled
by car to Siena, Assisi and of course Montepulciano
itself. Then other days we just lounged by the pool,
read our books, and lit the BBQ in the evenings. It
was magic.
Thank you for helping us choose ‘Le
Manzinaie’ as our place of stay. We reckon you
won’t beat it.
Kind Regards
Miriam & Kieran O’Sullivan
Dear Rebecca
I just wanted to write to tell you
what a fantastic holiday we had at Le Mazinaie. We loved
every aspect of the place - the pool, the beautiful
apartment and the fresh fruit and veg that Fioire would
provide from the garden. Marzia and family did so much
more than could be reasonably expected - from arranging
itineraries to hosting 2 wonderful meals. We would highly
recommend Le Manzinaie to our family and friends, and
look forward to returning again in the future.
Kind regards
Rob and Nina
ps - Marzia's english is better than
your advert would have us believe - In addition Alice
speaks perfect english !
Rebecca,
My husband and I and my sister and
her husband wanted to let you know that we had a wonderful
stay at Le Manzinaie near Montepulciano in May 2004.
Fiore, Marzia, and Alice were very gracious hosts of
their wonderful country home. The accomodations and
amenities at the Podere were excellent.
The location was great as far as access
to many towns and villages either by car or by train.
We especially enjoyed the wonderful home cooking and
comaraderie of the family when we and other guests were
invited during our 2 week stay. We highly recommend
Le Manzinaie and hope to go back again.
Linda & Mike Rawlinson,
Denis & Luizs Gaucher,
Vancouver, B.C. Canad
July 7, 2004
Dear Manola and Rebecca,
Thank you so much for recommending
Le Manzinaie to us. During our search for accommodations,
Manola, you suggested more than once that we really
shouldn’t miss staying there. Seemed like it was
a special place.
So we booked a week, and then a second
week.
Now we know why you kept encouraging
us to stay there. It is a very special place.
Our 2 weeks in May at Le Manzinaie
were the highlight of our Tuscany vacation. Marzia,
Fiore and Alicia are charming hosts. They are a genuinely
warm, friendly family. We quickly became true friends.
At the end of our stay our leave-taking was like a family
affair.
Their living on the premises was a
huge advantage in many other ways as well. Alicia helped
us with our emails, using their internet connection.
Marzia organized the phone in our villa for calls to
Florence and other Italian centers, Fiore and Alicia
drew maps to some of the tricky destinations, Fiore
set up the very different Italian-style BBQ for us,
they helped with our laundry, and so on.
And how often has an innkeeper (in
this case Marzia and Alicia) delivered a freshly-baked
coffee cake for breakfast the first morning?
Our accommodations were in Le Viole,
a small villa, independent of the main house. Marzia
and Alicia acquainted us with the workings of the appliances,
heating, wall safe, and answered our questions.
There was a basket of fresh fruit
and bread, crackers, condiments and fresh ham, eggs
and milk in the fridge, and a bottle of wine. Also fresh
terry robes in the bedrooms.
The 2 bedrooms and 2 full bathrooms,
both ensuite, make Le Viole ideal for 2 couples or a
family of 4.
The entire villa is immaculate, and
attractively furnished and decorated.
We had the good luck to attend 3 of
our hosts’ famous dinner parties, to which all
guests on the premises are invited. These were far-and-away
the finest meals we had in Italy, and the most fun.
If anyone reading this wants more
information, call us at 604-921-1299.
Maggie and Noah Bowman
West Vancouver, BC, Canada
Hi Manola,
Thank you for booking us in for our
holidays at LeManzinaie. It was a perfect setting for
our perfect holiday. The Grassi family made us so welcome
we could not have asked for a better place to stay.
We shall recommend it to our family & friends and
would love to return ourselves in the future.
Thankyou Carol & Harley Chamberlain
Dear Rebecca,
I just returned from my first trip
to Italy. I stayed at Podere Le Manzinaie for 3 out
of my 9 nights. It was by far the best accomodations
of the trip. Marzia and her family's hospitality was
wonderful. They were friendly, helpful, and very welcoming.
They made me feel right at home. I hope to return to
Italy one day and will definitely stay here again. I
recommend it to anyone who is travelling to Tuscany.
Sincerely,
Jenny, USA
Rebecca
Sorry we didn't contact you sooner
to tell you about our holiday at Le Manzinaie in October.
It goes almost without saying that
it was everything we hoped for and more. All the testimonials
we read on your website before we went made us more
than a little nervous. We simply did not believe that
it could be that good and we began to worry that the
pages of testimonials were just a clever marketing tool.
How wrong could you be ! We need not have worried.
Le Manzinaie is quite simply superb
- the most relaxed and hospitable place to be on holiday
that we have ever encountered. Marzia, Fiore and Alice
could not do enough for us. From making sure we had
candles and matches during the big power failure (thank
you, France), to offering endless cups of coffee, we
really did feel part of their family for the week. The
family's presence never felt intrusive - the atmosphere
they created always felt kind, hospitable and caring.
And the meals................We survived
two of the family 'get togethers' in the company of
fellow guests from Canada, USA, Netherlands and the
UK and had a great time. Marzia's food was superb, Fiore's
hospitality with the wine and later the liqueurs knew
no bounds and Alice's translation skills smoothed the
way for good conversation and a good giggle.
The accommodation itself is of the
highest quality, the grounds are peaceful and well kept
and the pool is clean, clear and welcoming - even at
the beginning of October. The two local restaurants
are well worth a visit as is the town of Montepuliciano,
just a few kilometres away.
Marzia and Alice were only too willing
to share their local knowledge with us on arrival and
all the local sights they recommended were well worth
seeing.
We plan to go back in June and again
next year, and the year after that, and the next year........!
It was a long time in the searching, but now we've found
this particular piece of Tuscan heaven we will not let
it go easily.
Best wishes
Pete & Hilary Lenehan
Manola and Rebecca,
We just returned from spending a week
at Le Manzinaie. Marzia, Fiore, and Alicia are wonderful
hosts and were very helpful during our stay. The accommodations
were very nice and just what we were looking for --
a chance to stay outside of town in a more rural area.
We really appreciated the help from
Marzia and Fiore on our bicycling adventures also, like:
- Marzia finding a cycling guide book
for local rides that she loaned to us
- Fiore finding a bicycle pump to
get us going when we found ours was damaged getting
there
- Fiore going to the bike shop in
Acquavia with us to help us sort out repairs to a damaged
wheel (and getting us back on the road riding the same
day)
Thanks to the help from our hosts
we really enjoyed the opportunity to cycle in Tuscany,
they were always willing to help us quickly solve any
problem that came up.
And the dinner Marzia and Fiore prepared
for all the guests on Friday night was wonderful. It
was a fun evening and made us wish we could have stayed
longer.
Thanks very much for recommending
Le Manzinaie to us, we intend to tell our friends about
it so that they stay there when they visit Tuscany.
Ed Brown & Barb Burger
Dear Rebecca,
When we booked with you for a fortnight
at le Manzinaie I was somewhat apprehensive of the extraordinary
testimonials - nowhere could be this good!
Now we know what everyone is talking
about!
Tuscany itself is stunning - is there
anrwhere more beautiful on earth?
Le Manzinae was the icing on the cake,
it lived up to everything you, and the testimonials,
said about it. We can confirm that everything that has
been written about le manzinaie, Marzia, Fiore, Alicia,
Peggy & Rufus is true!!
Marzia, Fiore and Alicia added joy
to a very special holiday, and like so many others we
now have some wonderful friends in Tuscany.
Thank you for enabling this to happen,
And very special thanks to Marzia, Fiore & Alicia.
Pat & David Kea
Hampshire, England
Hi Rebecca
Just a quick note to you and all at InTuscany to say
thank you for recommending the fabulous Le Manzinaie.
I want everyone to know how fantastic our holiday was
and all thanks to Marzia, Fiore and Alicia. We have
never stayed in such a beautiful place with such loving
attention to detail. From the moment we arrived we could
not believe how fortunate we were to have found such
a gorgeous place to stay for our first time in Italy.
We were pampered and looked after every day and nothing
was ever too much trouble. We thoroughly enjoyed our
dinner with the family and felt part of the Tuscan way
of life. Anyone who has the privilege of staying at
Le Manzinaie will be touched forever by it's beauty,
warmth and friendliness. We will definitely be returning
to Tuscany soon and look forward to making Le Manzinaie
our home from home again!!
Thank you for all your help and support and we will
be in touch soon.
Love
Tracy and Pete Skyrme
Hi Rebecca
I've just completed your feedback
form but also wanted to send a separate note to thank
you for suggesting Le Manzinaie to us. We've just come
back from a fantastic week there and it was everything
you said it would be - and more. The holiday was really
made by Marzia, Fiore and Alicia who were fabulous hosts
and treated us more like friends staying with them than
customers. Everything was perfect - a beautifully decorated
apartment, wonderful pool and gardens and some fantastic
food prepared by the family. They always went completely
out of their way to ensure we had everything we needed
- from teaching us how to make Italian coffee to giving
us a constant supply of tomatoes and zucchinis from
their gardens! We will definitely be coming back!
Grazie mille
Karen and Will
Dear Rebecca Taylor
My wife Else and I would like to thank
you very much for your good advice when we were looking
for a place to stay in Tuscany this summer. You proposed
Podere le Manzinaie for its good quality and its kind
people, and so right you were.
During our holidays I got serious
problems with my back and we had to call a doctor. Marzia
and her family were fantastic, they organized a doctor,
helped with shopping and buying pills, and when I finally
got back on my feet again, they all came to the apartement
with 5 glasses and a bottle of white wine to celebrate
that I was back "among the living" again.
Very helpful, very kind and caring,
and always with a smile - and thus they are the good
memory we take back from a holiday troubled by my miserable
back.
We would definitely like to go back
to Podere le Manzinaie at our next visit to Tuscany
- it is most certainly a recommendable place.
I enclose a couple of photos. You
are free to use them if you like.
Best wishes from Else and Ole in Horsens.
Dear Rebecca
I have completed your review form,
although I'm sure there's nothing you need to know about
this wonderful place! Pauline and I had a marvellous
time despite the extreme heat. The day we went to Florence
it must have been 38 degrees or 100 Fahrenheit!. Consequently,
we did not do justice to Florence this time, being keen
to get back to the pool so carefully tended each morning
by Fiore and Alice who cleaned the sunbed chairs every
morning.
It turned out to be the very special
holiday I had hoped for for Pauline, who coped with
the heat very well and was in fairly good health all
week long. You don't need me to tell you about Marzia,
Fiore and Alice, because you've heard it all before!
Suffice to say that they were brilliant hosts. We had
a wonderful meal with other guests, mostly cooked on
the BBQ by Fiore - don't underestimate him! He's a great
host in his own right, very generous with his wine and
grappa and, if we were by the pool for any length of
time it was usually he who would appear with a cold
drink or even coffee. We also had a great evening after
we returned from Florence very hot and bothered. The
family were waiting with cool white wine and then we,
American friends Hue and Fran and the family all had
take away pizzas which Marzia collected and we drank
more wine, grappa and coffee!
Le M is a great place to stay, more
than anything because of the family. It is they who
have wrought the miracle through their personality and
hard work - Marzia's wonderful artwork, Fiore's great
skill outdoors, Alice's lovely helpfulness. And Peggy
and Rufus are delightful too - they never barked once!
I have already praised your website
and will recommend it to
anyone planning a trip to Tuscany.
I thank you for your help and am very sorry we did not
meet. I fully intend to return one day and have now
noted that the office is in Castelmuzio, not that far
from Le M. Don't be surprised if I turn up at the office
next time! You obviously have a very good relationship
with Marcia. She spoke very kindly of you both, just
as you speak, quite rightly, very kindly of her.
Our daughter Jo will be honeymooning
at Le Macchie from 13 July. It looked a good choice
when we viewed it from a distance from the main road
and I am sure that Mr and Mrs Fenner will have a great
time! It is our intention to get Jo to call in on Marzia
with a piece of wedding cake and maybe some photos.Many
thanks once again.
Take care
Tony xx
At the rate they are going, the Grassis
of Le Manzinaie are going to be one of the largest families
in Tuscany. Every guest, it seems, becomes a branch
on the family tree. From the time Marzia first greeted
us at the door, we felt like part of that family. Marzia's
warmth was that of a beloved relative rather than an
innkeeper. Fiori was as quick with a smile as with a
glass of grappa. Daughter Alicia was a delight, as were
the tail-wagging tandem of Rufus and mother Peggy.
Although we lacked for nothing, we
felt ... not catered to, but embraced. Other guests
told us the same: they felt like they had been welcomed
into the Grassi family, promising to keep in touch,
to send pictures, to return at the next opportunity.
The facilities are thoughtful, tasteful and thorough,
as other guests have testified. Marzia's artistic skills
permeate every room of the beautifully restored main
villa and outbuilding and overflow into her textile
art.
The grounds and pool are impeccably
inviting. But what we took away from Le Manzinaie in
the spring of 2003 was, most of all, deep appreciation
for having shared a week of our life with three people
so charming and yet so genuine. It is said that when
people make a true connection, they become a part of
each other. If that is so, our family just got a little
bigger too.
Chester and Danielle Grant
Vancouver, Canada
We've just returned from a wonderful
week in Tuscany, staying at Le Manzinaie. Marzia, Fiore,
and Alice were wonderful hosts, and we felt like we
were saying goodbye to family when we had to leave.
We decided on Le Manzinaie based on the sheer number
of glowing testimonials from other guests (this seems
to be a pattern). Like Paul and Neimah, with whom we
shared the incredible four-hour dinner, our expectations
were surpassed by our experiences at Le Manzinaie!
First, the accommodations... The grounds
were immaculately maintained, and thoughtful touches
like a covered garden patio, complimentary bathrobes,
local wine, and food for the first morning's breakfast
put smiles on our faces right away, even though we were
weary from our long day of travel! The apartments and
the "little house" next to it are lovingly
restored, with Marzia's beautiful artwork on virtually
every wall! The house we stayed in (Le Viole) was a
perfect balance between modern convenience and rustic
charm, and it was the perfect size for 4 people.
Now, the people... When we arrived,
we were greeted warmly by Marzia and the two little
dogs, Rufus and Peggy. Once we had unpacked, we were
invited to have wine in the garden with the other guests,
who we immediately befriended. After only an hour of
chatting with the hosts and other guests, we already
had great daytrips planned for the entire week! In fact,
we were having such a good time on those trips that
we forgot about grocery shopping, and Marzia even gave
us some olive oil and homemade jam when we needed it!
We are already dreaming of returning
to Tuscany, and when we do, we will definitely return
to Le Manzinaie!
Rebecca, finding your web site was
the best thing that could have happened for our trip
to Italy! It can be a little scary planning a vacation
based on information from the web, but everything to
do with InTuscany.net was honest and reliable! We have
told many friends about it.
Josh and Heather Grant
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Dear Samantha and Rebecca,
My wife and I returned late Tuesday
evening from a spectacular week in Tuscany. Staying
at Le Manzinaie with Marzia, Fiore and Alice was at
the heart of our enjoyment and I use the word "heart"
in several senses. First and most importantly, they
welcomed us into their home and their hearts. They made
us feel part of their wonderful family from the moment
we arrived until the moment we left. Their warmth, generosity
and helpfulness were unparalleled.
In another sense, too, Le Manzinaie
was at the heart of our enjoyment of Tuscany. It is
beautifully and artistically restored, impeccably maintained
and centrally located to most of Tuscany's major sites.
We decided to stay at Le Manzinaie,
from among the thousands of appealing sounding Tuscany
accommodations, because of the effectiveness of your
website and especially the testimonials from guests
that you provide. After I printed out and read the 12
pages worth, I was sold. I have to admit, though, a
few days before our departure for Tuscany, my wife and
I began to discuss whether the extravagance of many
of the testimonials might raise our expectations to
the point where nothing could measure up. How wrong
we were to be concerned! Le Manzinaie, and Marzia, Fiore
and Alice, actually surpassed our lofty expectations.
The complimentary four-hour dinner
they shared with their guests, during which we learned
that good food, good wine and good nature can overcome
what might have been language barriers, was only one
of many high points. Samantha, you are absolutely right
about how good a cook Marzia is, but Fiore and Alice
are no slouches either. The day-long cooking class and
gourmet dinner, which you arranged for us with them,
was also wonderful. The personalized itineraries Marzia
prepared with Alice's help were the icing on the cake,
so to speak.
We will surely return to Le Manzinaie
soon, perhaps even as early as this October. Thank you
so much for making this great travel experience possible
and for being so responsive and helpful throughout.
Regards.
Paul & Neimah
West Orange, NJ, USA (and London)
Having returned from nearly a month
touring Italy, for Milan-Lake Como to Capri, our fondest
memories are the 10 days we spent at le Manzinaie. Our
hosts, Marzia, Fiore and Alice were so kind and accommodating-our
every wish was fulfilled. The accommodations were superb
and absolutely 4-star! A 3 room apartment beautifully
decorated by Marzia, a fully equipped kitchen (with
essential condiments, teas and coffee supplied); canopied
four-poster bed and full bath with jacuzzi tub for relaxing
after a day exploring the Tuscan villages. The special
hospitality they offered, from suggestions of local
places to visit to help with train and travel schedules
and use of internet for email were graciously offered
and gratefully accepted. The opportunity to share with
the family and other guests the wonderful Tuscan meals
was a special unexpected treat. Their sharing in those
special times made us feel very much like family. Don’t
miss the opportunity to visit le Manzinaie.
We definitely want to return!
Dear Rebecca,
I have been meaning to do this for
months and was reminded when I logged into your website
(trying to cheer myself up!). Please pass this message
to Marzia, Fiore and Alicia.
We stayed in June last year and we
had the most wonderful holiday. Our daughter Lesley
and her partner Kenny had just got married and we were
all a bit stressed and ready for somewhere just like
this! The warm welcome and the efforts made to make
us feel at home were much appreciated. Our grandson
Ryan was only 18 months old and quite a handful (the
heatwave didn't help) but Marzia had unlimited patience
(as had Peggy and Rufus). And, Oh Yes Fiore! Molto grazie
for the coffee every morning - did you get the building
work finished in time? With love and best wishes Andrea,
(old) Kenny, Lesley, (young) Kenny, and Ryan from Edinburgh
XXXXX.
Everything everyone else says in the
testimonials is true, I expect Podere le Manzinae to
be booked up next time we can afford a holiday! If not,
we will most certainly be back. You have hit on exactly
the right formula to make sure your guests relax and
enjoy their stay, and we wish you all the best for the
future. Alicia, dont forget to look us up if your studies
bring you to Scotland.
Lesley gave birth to a brother for
Ryan on 3rd January (two weeks late!) - his name is
Thomas (or Tomass!). i'm sure you'll get to see him
someday.
Dear Marzia, Fiore and Alicia
We just want to say thank you all very much for your
warm welcome and hospitality throughout our stay at
Le Manzenaie. Kyren misses Peggy and Rufus terribly
and we think we must get her a pet dog of her own soon!
We've all enjoyed our stay at your
lovely place and appreciate your making us feel thoroughly
at home. Travelling with two small children is not always
easy but Kyren and Yian had the time of their lives
just having a good run every morning in your beautiful
garden and playing with your dogs! And of course, they
enjoyed your company and all the toys you spoiled them
with! Grazie!
Thanks for dinner too and the lovely
wine! We wish you a blessed Christmas in advance and
hope to see you again as Kyren and Yian would love to
use your pool!!!
Best regards
Sau-Wai, Ling, Kyren and Yian Wong
CIAO REBECCA,
We have returned from a two week stay with the Grassis
at their Podere. We are the Schmitts and were sharing
the anter house with the Clarks. I don't quite know
where to start and stop, but it is sufficient to say
that we had a magnificent two week stay in October.
From entering the front gate and driving up the cypress
lined entrance, we were awe struct and more than pleased.
The Grassis, Marzia, Fiore and their
daughter, Alice are wonderful hosts and hostesses. They
made our stay in many, many ways. We felt immersed in
the culture and the country from their first greeting
until the last day when we were so disappointed we had
to drive out the walkway for the last time. Everything
was more than we could have expected. The dinners we
enjoyed with the family and other guests are the perfect
touch to make everyone comfortable and feel the warmth
of a lovely country and the area of Tuscany. Of course,
the food and wine were delicious and more than abundant.
We so enjoyed seeing and hearing about all of Marzia's
artictic talents and personal touches she has added
to the properties. Our place was very cozy and warm
with all of her personal touches and wall decorations.
Having a nicely stocked kitchen made the few meals we
prepared easy (with the exception of a toaster and maybe
that is only an "American thing" , a convenience
that we need to learn to live without??)
You are very fortunate to have such
a perfect client and rental to offer to people who really
want to enjoy Tuscany to its fullest. Several of the
other guests we met also found Podere Le Manzinaie on
the internet through you--everyone's good fortune!!!
We will stay in contact with the Grassis and hope to
return some day in
the not too distant future. Until then, we wish many
more guests the good fortune to enjoy the Podere experience
with the Grassis with hopes their stay is as wonderful.
Thank you for connecting us with "The Best"
Tuscany has to offer. Our
memories are in our pictures, but more so in our minds,
as pictures just can't do the countryside justice no
matter how many we took.
Arreverdici------------Lou and Chris
Schmitt
Dear Rebecca,
I thought I must write to let you know that we had a
wonderful week spent at the Le Podere Mamzomaoe with
Marcie, Fiore and Alicia. We received a wonderful welcome
and they looked after us all through the week with information
on places to visit and especially - how to get there,
and a map. The accommodation was really first class.
It was our first trip to Tuscany and we all hope to
return another year. Thank you all for such a wonderful
holiday and we will certainly recommend
it to our friends.
Regards.
Janice + Brian Oliver and Hannah + Ash Said
Rebecca, I've been meaning to write
since we returned from Italy 3 weeks ago. Our stay at
Le Manzinaie was wonderful. Marzia was warm and gracious
and made our stay very nice. Her daughter Alicia was
a poised and articulate young lady and prepared a booklet
for us of neighboring sites.
Thank you for recommending it. It
was the highlight of our trip.
Alice Murray
Hi Rebecca,
I just wanted to thank you for setting
us up at Podere Manziniae. Cindy and I were there for
a little over a week (Sept 4-13) and wished we could
have stayed longer. It was wonderful. Marzia and family
were warm, thoughtful and fun. The apartment was perfect
- warm, comfortable and the furnishings and fixtures
were very high quality. Marzia did a wonderful job of
decorating. Podere Manzinaie was the perfect base for
beautiful drives throughout the Tuscan countryside,
relaxing afternoons by the pool, and fabulous dinners
in the evenings. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Kay Lafranconi
Rebecca
What can I say..our holiday at Le
Manzinaie was the best ever and we have never been so
sad to leave anywhere before...I even cried!!! We were
the very first people to stay in Marzia's new propery
conversion, Le Viole and feel really privelidged to
have done so. It has been lovingly restored by marzia
and Fiore and was beautiful. The hand painted furniture
was a joy and the little touches such as the bathrobes
and toileteries were unexpected. The kitchen was stocked
with everything you could need and we enjoyed cooking
and eating alfresco there so much we only sampled the
local restaurants (all excellent) a couple of times
in our 2 week stay. Marzia and Fiore, and of cause Alicia
were the best hoasts ever and the 2 wonderful meals
the family treated us to along with the other guests
were really fun.. The family go out of their way to
make your stay perfect . We have 3 children and they
had such a good time.... Le Manzinaie is really child
friendly. My eldest Tom wanted to stay and live with
Marzia!!! If your customers want a wonderful holiday,
in beautiful countryside with fantastic places to visit
and the company of the warmest, most generous family,
send them to Le Manzinaie.
Mandy Millington (and Andrew, Tom,
Matthew and Melissa)
Ps. Rebecca, could you please tell
Marzia that I am waiting for my photographs to be developed
and then I will email her and send her some copies.
Dear Rebecca,
Our recent stay at Le Manzinaie was
really fabulous ... we were thrilled with the friendliness
and warmth of Marzia, Fiore and Alicia. They were splendid
hosts, not only because of the great cooking, the impromptu
drinks by the pool, the ready smiles and eagerness to
communicate with us despite our non-exitent Italian,
but also because they allowed us to feel completely
'at home' and relaxed at Le Manzinaie. It was a perfect
balance between friendly engagement and allowing us
the freedom to 'do our own thing'. We loved it!
Mary-Ann is 14 weeks pregnant and
Marzia wants us to keep her in touch with progress ...
Le Manzinaie is very child and baby friendly and I am
sure we will be back their with our new addition to
the family as soon as we can arrange it.
thanks so much for your help in arranging
this holiday.
Dear Marzia and Fiore,
We just wanted to drop you a line
to thank you for the 3 weeks we spent at Podere le Manzinaie.
They were certainly the finest part of our trip to Italy.
We will definately be recommending you to any of our
friends who wish to travel in Tuscany. A visitor could
not do any better than your apartments, which are so
comfortable for both couples or families and are also
so well located for exploring the region. In fact, it
was one of the very best places we’ve ever stayed
in all of our travels anywhere.
We appreciated all the details you
put into preparing for our visit. The rooms were very
big and clean and the large bathroom with its quality
fixtures, and shower, bath, AND jacuzzi was really great.
The bed was super comfortable and the quiet surroundings
gave us our best sleep in a long time. And the kitchen
was well organized with all the necessary amenities.
We especially liked the fact that there were a few supplies
waiting for us in the refrigerator and that we didn’t
need to buy things like tea or salt and pepper. There
were even well sharpened knives!
Le Manzinaie was so ideal for us in
so many ways. Though travelling with a 1-year old means
that we don’t often eat in restaurants, we always
found it very pleasant to begin our day with coffee
outside or to return to our apartment in the evening,
use the kitchen, and take our dinner in the garden.
And the garden was so beautiful, relaxing, and well
planned that we fully enjoyed spending an entire day
or two reading, playing, and sunning next to the pool.
We especially liked how you created so many different
spaces outside where we could either enjoy some
privacy or comfortably visit with the other guests.
Your location near Montepulciano really
worked out well for us, too. It was so easy for us to
take many interesting and scenic day trips to places
as near as Cortona or as far as Urbino and Viareggio.
We have already decided to visit Rome the next time
we come to stay with you, as one of your other guests
explained that his family took the train from nearby
Chiusi and reached the city center in just over an hour’s
time!
All of this made Le Manzinaie a fantastic
experience and great value for us, but we are doubly
thankful for all the extra service you graciously provided.
We always found your advice and directions to be accurate;
it was a relief to be able to have our daughter’s
laundry done, especially at such a reasonable rate;
and the telephone/internet connections were a real convenience.
We have also really been touched by the warm hospitality
you showed us from the moment we arrived. Thank you
so much for all of the great tea and cappucino, the
several absolutely delicious and extravagant meals you
served, and the many fun conversations we shared with
you and the other guests. Finally, thanks so much to
both of you for always being kind enough to stop your
work and spend time with Eva, talk to her, take a walk
with her, show her the goldfish, let her pet the dogs,
or yet once again sort rocks with her in the gravel
driveway. We all three of us are looking forward to
our next visit.
Wishing you all the best,
Alex Schenck and Roz Galtz (and Eva!)
Dear Rebecca,
Just wanted to let you know that our
five-day stay in our apartment at the Podere Le Manzanaie
farmhouse was by far the best part of our three-week
tour of Italy.
When we arrived at the farmhouse, which was surprisingly
easy to find, our very friendly hosts led us to our
apartment and gave us a thorough tour of what was where,
which we really appreciated. To our surprise, we found
that the apartment actually exceeded expectations: its
interior was not cramped but spacious; it was exceptionally
clean, attractively furnished and painted, and included
all the right accessories and amenities (like a very
well equipped kitchen!). In addition, we really appreciated
the small touches, like the bottle of wine, the bathrobes
and the CNN (via cable tele).
In the daytime, we took trips through
the gorgeous countryside to sightsee in the nearby gothic
towns like San Gimignano, Montepulciano, and Sienna.
When
pulling out of the driveway, we would invariably see
Fiore who would drop everything and come over to offer
advice, letting us know which roads to take and which
wines to sample.
But what made our visit truly special
were our hosts; Marcia, Fiore and their daughter, Alicia,
took us in like family. On three of our five evenings,
they treated us to scrumptious, three-hour long (and
on one occasion four hours) dinners, which far exceeded
in quality and tastiness any of the meals we got in
the restaurants of Rome and Venice. At these home-cooked
dinners, we ate at a very beautifully laid table with
all the other guests of the house, and experienced meals
that consisted of countless courses and a delicious
variety of after-dinner liqueurs, like limoncello, grappa
and, our favorite, vino santo. Throughout the meals,
which were filled with endless chatter and good cheer,
we frequently raised our glasses, offering toasts to
our exceptional hosts and to their exceptional cooking
and then a couple more toasts to ourselves for having
had the damn good fortune to be there to experience
it. It was truly magnificent.
On our last day, we lounged by the
pool in the sun and drank sweet peach tea, which Fiore
quietly provided, while dreaming of our next visit to
Le Podere
Manzanaie.
And lastly, we want to thank you so
much Rebecca for introducing us to Le Manzanaie! We
will be recommending them to all our friends and family.
Take care,
Julia and Shawn
Rebecca,
I just wanted to let you know that
our trip to Italy worked out very well, and certainly
the high point of the trip was our stay at Le Manzinaie.
We had some initial problems finding it, because we
had innocently assumed we could just show up at the
town of Montepulciano and it would be obvious. We had
forgotten to go to the website to get directions. But
the people at the Tourist Information in Montepulciano
did know where it was, and gave us good directions to
get there.
We were very impressed with the very
clean, new, and comfortable facilities. Everything was
well organized and worked properly.
We also found the location excellent
for day trips: we went to Chiusi, Chianciano, Montepulciano
(of course), Siena, San Gimignano, and the abbeys at
Monte Oliveto and San Antimo. We also did a day trip
south to the coast and Argentario.
Most of all, however, we were pleased
with the warm hospitality shown to us by Marzia, Fiore,
and Alicia. All three were friendly, helpful, and simply
excellent hosts. We had dinner with them and the other
guests on two nights, and found them not only good company,
but also very helpful and informative.
So thank you for recommending Le
Manzinaie to us. We will certainly recommend it to our
friends, and we hope you will continue to steer your
clients that way.
Arrivederci!
Tom and Carol Allaway
Dear Angus,
How lovely to hear all of this, thank
you for taking the time to write to
me. I must admit, I know you were in for a treat !
Dear Rebecca
sorry i have taken so long to tell you of our stay at
le manzinaie. in fact
marzia just emailed me to remind me!
well, what can i say.
it was truly wonderful. from the first moment everything
was exactly what we
could wish for. we arrived earlier than we should have
done. not in terms of
days but hours but alice and marzia were so kind and
friendly and willing.
the appartment was fantastic, really managing to have
all the things a good
hotel would have but with a personal, 'homey' kind of
feel to it. the
grounds and pool were beautiful and,as i said to fiore,
they had been so
well planned that when we go back(!!) in acouple of
years the whole place
will look spectacular.
i am going to stop rambling through
the whole week now! we had two meals as
a large group. not that we had to be persuaded, and
it was great to be able
(or at least to try) talking with marzia and alice about
food - i managed to
get alice's fantastic recipe for tiramisu.
i suppose its always the little things
that make a difference. having coffee
made for you in the afternoon by the pool. fiore driving
us to montepulciano
on our last evening so i could drink properly - and
then picking us up
afterwards. actually that is a big thing.
as i said to marzia when i emailed
our thanks on our return i find it very
difficult to express how much we loved being there.
all i can say is that
usually after about 10 days away from home i start to
get fidgety and miss
my home comforts but at le manzinaie i could have stayed
and stayed.
we will DEFINITELY return, as much
to see the family as to be in the place
itself. but thats the great thing about the place.
you cant seperate them from it.
just ask me if you need anything specific
about our stay or anything,
otherwise thank you also for your great website which
got us there in the
first place.
i hope things are going to be ok for
you following sept 11.
best wishes
angus maclennan
Dear Rebecca,
I am using an old e-mail just as
a convenience to send you a note.
My husband, Art, and I returned last week from our visit
to Italy where we
spent 2 weeks at Le Manzinaie. We were so delighted
with our stay there that
we wanted to write and thank you for representing them
and getting the word
out about their beautiful estate.If you wish to share
this letter as a
testimony to others please feel free to do so.
Our hosts, Marzia, Fiore and their
daughter Alice could not have been more sincerely gracious
and friendly. They were always available to help us
out with directions, food supplies, car repair advice,
delicious meals and just generally sweet, generous good
feelings. I wish I knew more people like they are here
in New York. We found our apartment comfortable and
roomy.
I loved standing by the sink in the
morning making myself an espresso while peering through
a flower filled window at the Tuscany landscape.Marizia
has decorated and painted the
rooms of each apartment withcharming stencils and murals
so each one is unique and lovely. We loved having that
clean, spacious pool to swim in most mornings and then
afternoons when things started to heat up.
What a pleasure to sit by a pool and
look out at green, green farmland and Montepulciano
off on a nearby hilltop. Often we would pour ourselves
a glass of delicious
Montepulciano Nobile in the evening and sit by the large
picnic table or the little gazebo area for a peaceful
hour, surrounded by flowers, before dinner. And speaking
of dinner, our hosts recommendations were always on
target, not to speak of the fabulous meals Marizia prepared
herself and so graciously served to us, several times.
I cannot, in all honesty, recommend
highly enough this beautiful, peaceful, enchanted villa
in Tuscany; Le Manzinaie. Thank you again for making
the arrangements.
Yours truly, Judith Young & Art
Kuchuck
Rebecca:
Alas, we have returned from our lovely
Tuscan vacation. We ate at incredible restaurants, one
being a four star restaurants, we stayed at an exclusive
villa perched high above Greve and we met some wonderful
Italians along the way. However, the exquisite food,
the lovely accomodations and the warmth that we received
from Marzia, Fiore and Alicia at Le Manzanaie surpassed
all of the above.
Our best meal was not at a restaurant...it
was the feast prepared by Marzia at Le Manzanaie and
served to us and the other lucky guests al fresco. The
most beautiful room was not at the four star villa in
Greve, it was at Le Manzanaie. And, of all the people
we met during our stay in Italy, none were as adorable,
warm, kind, talented (artist and gourmet cook) and energetic
as
Marzia, her adorable husband, Fiore and her charming
and pretty daughter, Alicia.
We will remember our stay at Podere
Le Manzanaie and Marzia, Fiore and Alicia, for a very
long time with fond memories of a perfect Tuscan holiday.
With kind regards,
Linda and Tracy Gallagher
Dear Rebecca,
I wanted to write to let you know
how much we enjoyed our stay at Podere Manzinaie in
June. Your colleague at In Tuscany (unfortunately I
forget her name) was most helpful when I called from
Marina di Bibbona to inquire about last minute availability.
We had booked another accommodation in Tuscany, but
unfortunately it looked much better on the Internet,
so I was most relieved when I learned that Marzia had
space at her beautiful estate.
We arrived on Friday, June 8 and stayed
until the following Thursday. While there we visited
Cortona, Assisi, Montepulciano and Pienza. I guess we
could have seen more Tuscan towns, but we wanted to
save some time for relaxing by the pool or in the beautiful
garden, shopping for local food specialities at the
food store down the road, and visiting with Marzia,
Fiore and Alicia. Their hospitality was heartwarming.
While the language barrier sometimes made conversations
challenging, we always got by with our phrasebooks,
diagrams and hand signals. Marzia was a fountain of
information when it came to interesting places to visit.
Her information package for suggested itineraries is
a great idea. And they've done a marvellous job at restoring
and decorating the old barn - every detail was considered.
Dinner on Saturday evening with the other family that
was staying there at the time, was one of the highlights
of my vacation. Fiore and Marzia served local specialities,
wine and other local liquors - it was all very delicious,
and the comraderie was great!
While driving in Italy was sometimes
frustrating - missing exits, getting lost, parking,
expensive gas and tolls - it was nice to have the freedom
and flexibility a car provides. However, next time in
Tuscany (I pray there's a next time), I think I'd like
to try to get around by train and bus. I think it would
be possible at Manzinaie since it's so close to a train
station. In fact one service Marzia might consider offering
is transportation to and from the Montepulciano Stazione.
You have my dream job Rebecca: arranging
holidays to one of the most beautiful parts of the world,
and living there at the same time! The people of Italy
are blessed with kindness and humour and a zest for
life, and we encountered these characteristics every
day of our trip.
Marzia told me while I was there that
your son had had an accident. I hope he has fully recovered
and is enjoying the summer in Tuscany!
Would you mind passing on the following
note to Marzia. I don't have time to struggle with Italian,
so I'm hoping you can give her a brief summary. Thanks
again for making my stay there possible, and I'll be
checking out your website for future trips to Italy!
Dear Marzia,
I'm sorry it's taken me so long to
write. I've just finished a note to Rebecca telling
her how much we enjoyed our stay at Manzinaie. You wanted
me to tell you about the rest of our trip, after we
left you, so here is a very brief version.
After dropping the car off at Rome
airport we took the taxi to the place we were staying
in the Trastevere district. It was a guesthouse operated
by an Armenian convent, and was very lovely and easy
to get to the major sights. We stayed for 4 nights and
saw only a few of the sights we wanted to visit: St.
Peter's, Vatican Museum, Colloseum, Roman Forum, Capital
Hill, Spanish Steps, Trevedi Fountain. We shopped a
little, ate at many Trattorias, and enjoyed the hospitality
of the nuns at the guesthouse. We then took the train
to Paris, and immediately on to a little town in the
Loire Valley where my mother's cousin lives. We stayed
4 days, had a lovely visit and then travelled on to
Frankfurt, Germany where we spent our last 2 days.
It was a wonderful holiday, but there
is no question in my mind that the highlight was my
stay in Tuscany. I wish it could have been longer, but
knowing there is so much more still to see will tempt
me to return some day.
I want to thank you again for the
heartwarming hospitality of your family. I enjoyed our
visits, the wonderful food you served, and especially
the beautiful apartment. You have made a beautiful and
comfortable place to welcome guests, and I hope I can
return someday (speaking Italian!). I hope Alicia did
well with her language exams and that you all enjoy
the beautiful Tuscan summer.
I will write again soon, maybe in
Italian! Grazie per tutto!
Catherine Holmes - California
Dear Rebecca,
We have been back in UK a week already!
We wanted to tell you what a great time we had at Le
Manzinaie.
A week would never have been long enough. If you want
anyone to recommend the place, please, please tell them
to E mail us or phone.
We will definitely be returning to Marzia &Fiore!!
Marzia is the kindest person we have met in a long time
and quite frankly , we were showered with hospitality
& kindness!! It's left us with such an impression of
Italian people, not just Marzia & her family, but others
we met on that holiday.
They did a spectacular meal for us and for the other
American couple staying there...but would not take any
money from us. In our part of the world these things
do not happen any more.... you pay for everything, believe
me!!
What we will do, is send them something from England
to say thank you.
They are a truly delightful family and on leaving it
was like saying good bye to family... and we had only
known them a week!!
Le Manzinaie is lovely and the rooms wonderful! We are
already E mailing each other in broken English and non
existent Italian!!
Remember if you want recommendations... try us.
Best wishes, Bronda and John Parsons
UK
Rebecca,
Just wanted to let you know that we
had a great time.
Marcia and her family were really great with the children.
We enjoyed it a lot. And yes, you were right, she hardly
ever stops.
Let me tell you that it does not make any difference
whether you speak Italian or not.... Anyway, we had
a great time.
Thanks again for your help.
Greetings Kris van den Bergh, Holland
Le manzinaie was just
like a dream comes true! the place was amazing - so
beautiful, nice, clean, pampered - it was a pleasure
to be there and Ms Marzia and her family were great
!!!! there are not enough words to describe how warmth
and friendly they were and although we do
