Hotel Le Renaie - San Gimignano, Italy     

Fantastic friendly place with an excellent restaurant in an even better location. For a sub-?1000 stay for 10 nights (even with the current Euro exchange rate) then you WILL NOT find better in this part of Tuscany. I have paid much more for a lot less in Italy. The rooms are reasonably large with a nice bathroom (large shower cubicle rather than bath). The double bed is clearly two singles pushed together but you would not know when in them - there is not the usual roll apart that you get. Nice crisp linen. The rooms are very clean and tended excellently each day. Breakfast I would rate as good rather than very good. Fresh fruit, cold cuts, pastries and a hot selection are all very good. The one let down is that coffee is from a machine rather than fresh. In italy this must be classed as a crime! Dinner is where it really rates - service and food is exceptional. Excellent local food especially on the menu of the day that supplements the excellent standard menu. I can't recommend the restaurant highly enough. 3 course meal for two with excellent local Chianti - around 80 euros - not tourist fayre but proper tuscan cooking with fine ingredients. Location - what can I say - set in lovely village 3km from San Gimignano. Completely silent at night and in the day - really peaceful. Views breathtaking, especially of San Gimignano on a hill in the distance. About 1.25hrs from Pisa airport. Trains to Siena (30m) and Florence (1hr) from Certaldo which is a 20m drive from the hotel. Spend as much time as you can in San Gimignano - it is magical. Final tip - go for a walk towards the church after dinner - we saw fireflies everynight. We'll be back many times!

We went to San Gimignano with the high euro ringing in our ears. However this hotel provided a clean, large well appointed room and having booked half board, an outstanding restaurant. We loved the lamb and the beef, and despite mediocre weather, loved this hotel. We didn't book a balcony room which in better weather we may have regretted, but do go for the fairly priced dinner option....and eat where Cherie and Tony did!! Easy access to SG with a car and the rest of Tuscany makes it a winner for us!