01/09/2010 Paul, Louise, Matthew and Alex Smith from Dundas, Ontario, Canada

Our stay at the beautiful Podere Le Le Manzinaie was everything we wished for and more! The reviews that you will read on the Internet are spot on. This is truly a wonderful place to stay in fantastic Tuscany. This is all due to the friendliness and attention to detail of Alice, Marzia, and Fiore. The accommodation are amazing and the ambience so hospitable. Rufus was a particular hit! We hope to return one day to continue our Tuscan adventure.

13/08/2010 Marianne & Robert from Montreal, Canada

If you want the best of Tuscany, you have to visit Le Manzinaie!
It's a home away from home! You feel with family the minute you enter the gates and are greeted by Alice and Marzia! It is a beautiful and unforgettable place to stay and enjoy the Tuscan sun!
The garden filled with fresh vegetables, the clean and big pool, the nice apartments, the private dining areas outside and the many places to visit make this place a MUST to visit!
Thank you Fiore, Marzia and Alice and of course Rufus, for making our stay an unforgettable one!
The capuccino and BBQ skills, the help in booking any tickets and the enjoyable cooking tips I learned from Marzia are moments we will never forget!
We stayed a week and will go back no question asked!
Grazie per tutti e ritorneremo presto!
Speriamo che abbiate una conclusione meravigliosa dell'estate!

A la prossima volta! :)
xoxoxo

08/08/2010 Chantal et Pascal Petit de Paris, France

Le Manzinaie est un lieu où il fait bon se reposer. C'est un espace de verdure au milieu des champs de blé. La famille est accueillante et serviable, allant jusqu'à partager son potager avec les vacanciers. La piscine est superbe, et l'espace de vie de chacun permet une intimité ligitime. Superbe semaine !!!

08/08/2010 Dave, Vicki, Nicole (6), Parker (4) from Littleton, Colorado, USA

Our family stayed at Le Manzinaie for a week in late June 2010, at the very start of our trip to Italy. After the trip was over, we all realized that Le Manzinaie was our overwhelming 'family favorite.' Marzia, Fiore, and Alice (and Rufus the dog!) were amazing hosts. It felt like we were staying with family. Once you pass through that front gate, the rest of the world seems to fade away, and you are home. We don't know when we will have a chance to go to Italy again, but when we do, we will stay again at Le Manzinaie.

There are so many great things to say about our stay, but the hospitality and helpfulness of our wonderful hosts was the best. A bottle of wine and stocked food in our refrigerator were waiting for us in when we arrived at our apartment, Girasole. Staying one week with Le Manzinaie as our Tuscany home base was perfect. Alice's helpful packages of information helped us get to and from all of the wonderful Tuscan sites. We visited Cortona, Siena, Florence, San Gimignano, Volterra, Montepulciano, and Pienza. The guest dinner that Marzia, Fiore, and Alice prepared for us was the best meal we had in Italy. Nicole has never eaten pasta with pesto like she did that night! And the meats that Fiore prepared were excellent, as were the beverages that we shared and the berry torte. We still need to get some of thoes recipes.

Our best days of the entire vacation were the days that we took it easy at Le Manzinaie. It's so easy, when you've never visited a country, to try to do way too much, fit everything in, and try to see as much as you can, even if that means only seeing it briefly. We did some of that. But we also slept in some mornings, swam at the pool, relaxed, played with Rufus, and took late afternoon trips to close towns like Montepulciano. We highly recommend those types of days. By the time our week was up, and it was time to leave, it felt as if we had only been at Le Manzinaie for 2 or 3 days. Thank you, Fiore, Marzia, Alice, and Rufus, for everything!

05/08/2010 Alain David de Paris, France

Une très belle semaine à la MANZINAIE ... Bien sur la très belle allée lorsque l'on arrive, le jardin merveilleusement entretenue par Fiore, la piscine , le "coin" BBQ génial, le potager ou l'on peut cueillir tomates courgettes etc, l'intimité de chacun... mais plus que tout c'est l'accueil qui nous a marqué, la gentillesse, la disponibilité pour faire de cette semaine un très beau moment...
merci à vous trois

Alain & Fabienne

27/07/2010 Avril & Gordon Samuel from Wimbledon, SW19 7AD, UK

July 2010
we spent some time with friends in Tuscany, after leaving them we felt we needed a few days of ultimate relaxation. Where could we go? The answer was very easy, Le Manzinaie. We had spent some two weeks there some time ago with two of our children and remembered it with fond memories. It was with much pleasure then that we arrived to see the electric gates opening in front of us..

The Hosts, Marzia, Fiore and Alice welcomed us like long lost family members. We have never met such friendly people. We had arrived on a Saturday afternoon without having spied an open shop to buy provisions but needn't have worried, the fridge and cupboards were full of all essentials and more. In addition, Fiore insists that his vegetable garden should be plundered when required - and he grows the most delicious tomatoes!

Last time we stayed in Viole, but this time we stayed in an apartment. Each beautiful and individually decorated and extremely comfortable. The gardens are well kept and guests can choose to eat inside or outside. The pool is large and there are plenty of loungers and we remember with pleasure Fiore bringing us some of his wonderful cappuccino or fruit juice.

One of our fondest memories from our earlier trips was the evening when all the guests are invited to eat together. Marzia cooks her wonderful Tuscan food and we are given copious amounts of wonderful local wine and licquors. Most of the time the guests, from all over the world, discuss what a wonderful place we have all found. We had a surprise this time though, a cookery lesson is now an additional attraction. We joined with another two families and each had a representative making pasta and tart - both of which we ate next day. My husband was so pleased with the taste of his own pasta that a pasta maker was the first item on his Christmas list this year.

The location of Le Manzinaie is ideal for touring around and Alice, in particular, has produced wonderful visitor guides. Siena, Florence, Rome, Montepulciano, Assisi are just a few of the very easily reached sights we have explored. However, on this second visit, we were just happy to relax by the pool and enjoy the sunshine and good food.

We hope that others will enjoy the pleasure of staying at Le Manzinaie and I know that we are not alone in having returned to be amongst such friendly people.

24/07/2010 Bernadette and Hugh from Australia

On a 9 week trip, Podere le Manzinaie was definitely one of our favourite places to stay.
This region of Tuscany is charming, and central to many beautiful places to see, so we found it a good place to locate ourselves.
The grounds, while not extensive, were beautifully kept and provided private space as well as ample room for our children to explore. Our villa was fantastic! Beautifully decorated with everything thought of, even nicer than in the photos!
The reason this place is so successful though, with so many satisfied visitors, is due to the genuine hospitality of the owners. Not knowing our arrival time, they had stocked our fridge with supplies for an evening meal and a beautiful bottle of wine. Alice, with her fluent English, was very helpful with maps and information, and dropped in to visit bearing gifts of dove bread, and a lovely keepsake when we left.
Would highly recommend.

23/07/2010 Mike, Kelly, Olivia and Joey from Cleveland, Ohio, USA

We stayed at Le Manzinaie at the same time as Jeff and his family from California. Our 2 kids, 7 and 11 yrs old, loved everything about our stay at this beautiful getaway set in the heart of Tuscany. While one may find a bigger villa, or a hilltop setting, the heart and soul of the villa is definitely the folks running the villa. In this case, Le Manzinaie is unrivaled thanks to the warmth and dedication of the family of Fiore, Marzia and Alice. As I planned our 1st trip to Italy, I spent countless hours researching the ideal place for our week in Tuscany. Fortunately, I came across the many, all positive reviews posted by other travelers who discovered this jewel near Montepulciano. Our 3 week trip to Italy was highlighted by our stay in Tuscany. Alice, and her parents, were the most considerate, warm, and genuine hosts we have ever met!! The attention to detail in every encounter we had regarding Le Manzinaie exceeded our expectations. Alice is like having your own tour guide/concierge/friend all rolled up into one, and she doesn't even charge for her expertise. Mille Grazie Fiore, Marzia and Alice for the one week's stay at your beautiful home that will leave a positive, lifetime impression on my family!! By the way, Jeff's wife is an author, and my kids and their girls became friends during the stay. When we came back to the States, my wife bought 6 of the Ivy and Bean books for our daughter, and she has already read 4 of them- great stuff for kids!!

18/07/2010 Jeff from CA, USA

Le Manzinaie offered our family the perfect holiday from our holiday. As much as we adored touring the big cities and their big sights, we needed a place where we could slow down and relax: Le Manzinaie was it. Our “apartment” was spacious (which made a nice change from our city hotels), well-appointed, and beautifully decorated with frescoes, which I later discovered to be the work of Marzia, the proprietor. We enjoyed eating a leisurely breakfast in our little garden and having a glass of wine while our kids played in the pool in the evening. The grounds are lovely, and the location can’t be topped: we spent our days the exquisite towns nearby: Cortona, Montepulciano, Montalchino, Arezzo, Assisi. Best of all were the warm, friendly, and incredibly helpful proprietors of Le Manzinaie: Fiore, Marzia, and Alice. They are the hosts you always hope you’re going to find when you walk into a hotel and very rarely do, and the little piece of paradise they’ve created in Le Manzinaie was certainly the highlight of our vacation. Jeff, Annie, Clio and Esme

30/06/2010 Levison Family from Washington D.C.; Prague; N.Y.C.

Le Manzinaie was the setting for our 50th wedding anniversary with our family....three generations; all 12 of us!! It was perfect in so many ways.The separate apartments provided comfort and privacy for each family. The pool was fun and refreshing for the kids at the end of a day of cobblestone streets and churches. The spacious grounds provided space to kick a soccerball. The shaded pergola with room for all of us,became the gathering place for breakfasts and fantastic dinner feast a la griglia......with salads composed of just picked lettuce,cucumbers and zucchini. The artichoke lovers feasted on Fiori's artichokes....the best ever!! The kids loved identifying the fruits and the nuts on the trees,and feeling they were a part of a real place. We were treated to a magnificent feast that Marzia worked all day to produce. The family provided all of us with opportunities to practice our very rusty italian, but most importantly, they provided us with great warmth, caring, helpfulness and the essence of Italian hospitality. It took lots of planning for all of us to be together in Tuscany,and le Manzinaie and its family provided us with everything; even more than we had hoped for.It is a truly special place.
Carol & Fred Levison

24/12/2009 Jerry & Lillian Grammer from Thornhill, Ontario, Canada

We recently returned from a 2 week stay in Tuscany,at Podere le Manzinaie.We chose Le Manzinaie based on its facilities and the reviews listed on the website.The reviews,as great as they are,do not truly do justice to the place,its facilities and especially its owners,Fiore,Marzia and their daughter Alice.These are truly 3 unbelievable people whose warmth and generosity made our stay a memorable experience.Knowing that we were arriving late in the day,they had stocked our refrigerator with enough food for a sumptuous braekfast.During our stay we were made to feel as part of their family.The dinner,prepared by the family,in their home,and shared with the other guest staying there,was one of the most memorable moments we had in our travels. The accommodations are both charming and spotlessly clean with a number of art works on the walls painted by Marzia.Alice's help in arranging various itineraries,train tickets and reservations to several of the sights in Florence as well as wine tours,made our touring stress-free.We would certainly recommend Le Manzinaie to anyone who wants something very special in their travels.

12/11/2009 Patti from Montana, USA

We just returned from a wonderful 18 day vacation in Italy, and I have told many friends and family that one of the highlights of our trip was the time spent at Le Manzinaie. The moment we drove up to the iron gate we felt that we had arrived at what we had imagined an Italian villa should look like. The grounds are gorgeous and would be ideal for a family on a summer trip, as the swimming pool looked inviting even though we visited in the fall. This was the largest apartment we stayed in and one of the best values for the money we experienced. This very friendly family has created beautiful decor in the apartments, appointed them with all the necessities plus some nice touches such as food for your first meal and local maps and tourist information, and can arrange local tours and activities. Alice speaks excellent English and was extremely helpful. This is a great location for a base from which to make day trips to the surrounding hilltowns, wineries, and historic sites. We felt at home here and truly enjoyed our family dinner and the wine tour arranged by and hosted by Alice. We would recommend this as a destination for anyone traveling to this area of Tuscany.

09/11/2009 Don & Doris from Lynchburg, VA, USA

We booked our week for Podre le Manzinaie about nine months prior to our visit during the last week of October 2009. It was obvious from reviews on tripadvisor.com and their guestbook that accommodations for the 2009 travel season would go fast. Without hesitation the Podre le Manzinaie was definitely our first choice for our return to Italy
after some thirty years and the final week of our Tuscan vacation.
We never believed that we would be disappointed in our choice. However, the Podre le Manzinaie, exceeded even our high expectations. The property and grounds are absolutely stunning. Our two bedroom apartment, the Girasole, had high vaulted ceilings, completely outfitted kitchen, separate baths for each bedroom, and food for the next day. Having the few grocery items available, also mentioned by other guests, is a remarkable and very thoughtful gesture. It says volumes about the attention to detail by the owners, Marzia and Fiori.
We were completely overwhelmed by the warmth and hospitality of Marzia, Fiori, and their lovely daughter, Alice. They could not have been more gracious and kind. We, like everyone else, thoroughly enjoyed our dinner with the family and other guests. Making homemade pasta, pastries, drinking wine, and singing songs to the family dog, Rufus.
If you are considering a visit to Tuscany, I would highly recommend the Podre le Manzinaie. I can promise that you will have a memorable week and leave feeling you
have a gained new Italian family.

23/07/2009 Dee and Rich from Mesa, Arizona, USA

We recently spent a week at Le Manzinaie and had an absolutely wonderful experience! We had devoted months researching properties in Tuscany in advance of our trip and it really paid off in locating this gem. The location was ideal for our purposes – we wanted a quiet, romantic setting from which to do day trips in Tuscany and Umbria. We were within an hour radius of Siena and Assisi. (Taking the train to Florence or Rome is more convenient than trying to drive in those cities and the train station is nearby with free parking.)
Le Manzinaie is an absolutely gorgeous property – more of a sanctuary – with the cypress-lined driveway, bountiful garden, fruit trees, flowers, well manicured lawn and swimming pool. Upon arrival there was a slight rain and Alice scurried for an umbrella to help us finish bringing in our luggage. Then we were greeted with a tray of wine and chips to unwind and settle in. Our refrigerator was stocked with provisions for breakfast for the next day which included prosciutto, eggs, milk, juice, coffee, bread and jam. There was also a bottle of wine, glasses and a cork screw nestled in a basket on the counter. We took advantage of the patio area each morning for breakfast and to enjoy a glass of wine at night.
We were provided with packets of customized itineraries of easy day trips, detailed instruction for places to buy groceries, where to do laundry, buy meat and find an ATM.
The Grassi family was incredibly warm, friendly and hospitable from arrival to departure and everywhere in between. They strike the perfect balance of providing access and availability while also respecting our privacy. Alice assisted us in booking tickets to museums in Florence, provided train schedules and detailed driving directions to the train station. She is a cross between the friendliest of neighbors and a concierge.
The evening of the cooking class/dinner was a night to remember! We have a pasta machine, but have never been able to master the “feel” for the perfect consistency of dough. Our training was definitely hands on and now we know exactly how easy it is to prepare. Making the dessert pastry was also fun and a learning experience. But nothing can top the hospitality and dinner that followed! This was a 3 ½ hour marathon progressive feast with progressive courses made from scratch by Fiore. He used many ingredients from the garden right down to the zucchini blossoms. We are foodies and this was like winning a gourmet vacation!
If you have time for the local excursions they offer they are worth it. We took advantage of both the winery and cheese tours that Alice arranged and accompanied us to as a translator. Both are small family-owned operations and were well worth the nominal fees. In each instance we were welcomed by the owners and provided leisurely tours, tastings and conversations. There was no pressure to buy, but we used it as a great opportunity to bring wine and vacuum packed cheeses back to the U.S. as gifts.
The Grassi’s are a genuinely warm family who welcome you not only onto their property, but into their dream! To paraphrase their choice of lifestyle ‘we could not see the world so we built this property to bring the world to us’.

12/07/2009 Lorraine Shemesh and Jack Bashkow from New York City, USA

Lorraine and Jack - New York City, USA - July 11, 2009

We recently spent eleven days in Tuscany for the first time. We feel so forturnate to have chosen Podere Le Manzinaie as our "home base", for it truly felt like being home, in the best sense. From the moment we arrived, we were so warmly greeted by our hosts, Alice, Marzia, and Fiore. Their thoughtfulness and kindness continued throughout our visit, making suggestions, helping us get acclimated, and simply affording us a sense of well being. For example, our refridgerator was stocked with food when we arrived so that we could easily make breakfast on our very first morning.

The grounds surrounding our apartment were so beautifully planted with flowers and Fiore, the father of the family, encouraged us to help ourselves to the fresh produce growing, which was so much fun and so delicious. Fresh artichokes and pears were there for the picking! What pleasure and joy it all was.

Le Manzinaie is a little piece of heaven and my husband and I cannot wait to return until next year. We stayed in Girasole whose walls are hand stenciled with sunflowers by Marzia, Fiore's wife. The place is kept up so well, and Alice, the daughter, speaks excellent English, so we had no trouble asking questions. Swimming in the pool on the property was a lovely way to begin each day.

We left Podere Le Manzinaie, rested and restored, and hope to come back soon. It simply was a magical time!

11/07/2009 Georgette Leake & family from California and Arizona, USA

We were at the Villa Le Manzinaie on June 23, 2009. We arrived to a wonderful greeting from Marzia , Alice and Fiori. We had been there two other time and always had a fantastic time at this beautiful Italian Oasis. You enter the gate to a Cypress lined driveway. The garden has flowers, a wonderful vegetable garden and fruit trees. Our villa was newly constructed and beautifully decorated. The pool was wonderful to cool off in the Italian sun. My granddaughter loved to sneak up on the fish pond and see if she could see the frogs. This villa is a delight for all.
The night we had the of dinner where all the people who are there are invited. We were able to take part in the making of the pasta and the apple torte. My granddaughter had the best time kneading the dough and making recommend this beautiful place where you are treated like family. This was the very best part of our 20 day vacation. I am hoping to go again.

09/07/2009 Kathy and Josie from East Greenbush, NY, USA

We recently spent two weeks at Podere Le Manzinaie in Montepuliciano Stazione in Southern Tuscany. It was by far one of the best vacations we have ever experienced. All the reviews you have read are correct in the high praise they give Le Manzinaie.

We stayed in Girasole. It was a 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment on one floor. The unit had a Jacuzzi tub, separate shower, fully equipped kitchen with all the pots and pans you would need to prepare a meal. The apartment was very clean with nice furnishings and beautiful art work done by Marzia.
We loved our apartment and felt very safe and comfortable staying in this unit.

The kitchen was stocked by the owners with jam, bread, juice, eggs, coffee, cheese, ham, crackers and water. The Grassi family made sure we had more than enough food until we could get to the food market. This was a very nice surprise.

Twice during our two week stay we were invited to dinner with all the other guests. At our first dinner Marzia taught us how to make homemade pasta. We also made a great raspberry cake for dessert. Our dinner was delicious we had bruschetta, pizza, pasta, turkey, zucchini, salad dessert wine, after dinner drinks and coffee. I’m sure I left something out.

We had such a great time with Fiore, Marzia and Alice. The dinners were my two favorite meals in Tuscany. They are wonderful hosts and you can tell that they love their work.

The property is well maintained, the flowers are beautiful and the area is very private. Everyone has space and you never feel like you are surrounded by people. They have a beautiful pool to enjoy after a day of visiting the different hilltowns.

On our visit we had the need to go to the local hospital. When I went to Marzia to get directions she insisted that Fiore go with us. He was wonderful getting us to the emergency room and helping with translation.

When we arrived at Le Manzinaie we were guests and when it was time to leave we left as another addition to their family. If you read the other reviews you will see that this is a special place and you have to experience it to get the full effect.

We are planning to return to Le Manzinaie next year because it’s the closest place to heaven we’ve ever been.

24/06/2009 Sue and Dave Sorrell from England

We stayed in Girasole with two friends in May 2009. Alice welcomed us when we arrive on Saturday afternoon with loads of information and food in the fridge and kitchen as she told us that the local shops were not open on Sundays. The accommodation was cool and clean and beautifully decorated and the ceilings are amazing! The gardens and pool are immaculate. During the week we were frequently offered fresh vegetables and cups of coffee by Fiore and on the Thursday Marzia ran a cooking lesson making tagliatelle and an Italian fruit tart which was enormous fun. That evening the guests were invited to a family meal which was wonderful - excellent food, drink, hospitality and friendship - a privilege to attend! We would not hesitate to recommend Le Manzianie to anyone.

24/06/2009 Gayle and Andrew from Boston, MA, USA

We had a truly memorable stay at Le Manzinaie and recommend it highly to anyone planning a tour of Tuscany. The grounds are beautiful and lovingly maintained by Marzia and Fiore. Our accommodations were spacious and beautifully appointed. The location is superb. Above all, we felt truly welcomed by this wonderful family who cared for us like their own.

05/06/2009 Joyce and Scott Helm from Georgetown, TX, USA

Our week at Le Manzinaie near Montepulciano was the highlight of our 3 weeks in Italy in May, 2009. The accommodations were first class: roomy, clean, nicely decorated, and furnished with every amenity. Even better was the warm welcome and gracious hospitality of the Grassi family. Alice went over and above to connect us with a local bike touring company and translated perfectly for us during an arranged winery tour. And of course, the cooking class and family-style meal with our fellow guests were exceptional. The farm's location is perfect for day trips to the nearby Tuscan towns and wineries. It's also conveniently located to food shops, restaurants, and a laundry. We especially appreciated the welcome basket and stocked refrigerator - they made our first breakfast a breeze!

Joyce and Scott Helm
Georgetown, TX

16/11/2008 Regina and Greg from MS, USA

We just returned from a wonderful vacation in Italy. The beginning of our visit was a week's stay at an agristurismo in Montepulciano Stazion called LE MANZINAIE.

I can't recommend this place enough! The Grassi family (Marzia, Alice and Fiore) who own the farmhouse, live upstairs and have 4 independent apartments on the ground floor. There are also 2 separate villas that can accomodate 4-6 people each.

Each apartment has a fully stocked kitchen/living room and separate bedroom with a hugh bathroom. Each bathroom has a jacuzzi bathtub, shower, toilet and nice sink area. We stayed in the apartment "Rose" which Marzia hand painted with great detail. The apartment was very clean. The family supplies you with a welcome basket and refrigerator stocked with breakfast foods.

Marzia is an excellent cook and you have an opportunity to attend a cooking lesson. She teaches how to make homemade pasta and we made a fabulous dessert.

One night during your stay, you are invited to have a family dinner with all of the guests. Since we went off season, we had the place to ourselves! We had dinner with the Grassi family in their apartment upstairs, instead of the main dining hall since it was just the two of us. Marzia's meal was absolutely the best meal of our trip! Delicious! We had great food and a great time with Marzia, her husband Fiore, and their daughter Alice.

Alice handles most of the communication before arriving: emails, reservations, deposit, any questions, etc. She is excellent at her job. I usually had a reply the following day after I would send an email.

The location is excellent! We were 1.5 km from a grocery store, bank, etc. yet felt secluded when we were at "home".

Alice gave very helpful suggestions for places to visit, maps, restaurant recommendations, driving directions, cell phone help, or anything else we needed!

If we ever return to Tuscany, Le Manzinaie will definitely be where we would stay again!

11/05/2008 Linda Peace from USA

"Le Manzinaie" is the perfect place to experience Italy at its best. From the warm and helpful family who own "Le Manzinaie" to the beautiful vistas surrounding the property, it allows one to drive to hill towns and vineyards but return each night to a comfortable and well appointed lodging which begin to feel like your own little piece of Italy!