“Extraordinary Hospitality in Tuscany”

I can’t say enough about how fabulous this place is. I’ll start with our host, Giulia. Our stay was part of a cycling tour with friends through Tuscany. I started planning it last fall and from my first interactions with Giulia, she couldn’t have been more helpful and responsive. On the day of our … more

I can’t say enough about how fabulous this place is. I’ll start with our host, Giulia. Our stay was part of a cycling tour with friends through Tuscany. I started planning it last fall and from my first interactions with Giulia, she couldn’t have been more helpful and responsive. On the day of our arrival, one of my friends had a mechanical issue with his bike 10 miles from the hotel. We called Giulia and 30 minutes later she showed up with the SAG wagon to rescue him. Meanwhile the rest of the group were pedaling away through the gorgeous Tuscan countryside and we all arrived together. After checking in, she arranged a light lunch and wine tasting for us, where she patiently shared details about the lovely wines from the nearby Podere Lecci e Brocchi winery. While on the topic of food and wine — dinner that evening was molto delizioso. I had a beef tartare with shaved truffles appetizer that was amazing. The tagliata di manzo was equally exceptional. And the setting matched the food, wine, and service. My room looked out over a stunning vista. Finally, we had to get an early start on our bikes the following morning and Giulia kindly arranged to have breakfast ready early for us so we could fuel up before heading out to conquer the Tuscan hills. I can’t wait to return — with even more cycling friends!

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“There are better agriturismo options than this one”

There are so many fantastic agriturismos in Italy, but Podere Casato is not one of them. They seem to run the operation with a focus on special events, not guests staying overnight, so they host weddings snd parties which are the top priority. Overnight guests are like an afterthought. If you want … more

There are so many fantastic agriturismos in Italy, but Podere Casato is not one of them. They seem to run the operation with a focus on special events, not guests staying overnight, so they host weddings snd parties which are the top priority. Overnight guests are like an afterthought. If you want to eat dinner there ( we were on bikes and had made a reservation) you’ll find that it’s not a restaurant but a kitchen that will serve a meal with 2 options- salumi and pasta or past and beef. We had to ask them to set a table. When we asked if they served anything else or if it would be possible to have vegetables or a salad, they said maybe we can find some vegetables. The pool was fine but the AC barely worked. The views are beautiful but the grounds and landscaping don’t seem particularly well cared for. Overall, this seems like an event business to sell bottles of wine, not to provide a quality agriturismo experience. There are much better options than Podere Casato.

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