Castello del Calcione

Don’t be fooled by the glossy website photos. Castello del Calcione is an absolute disaster. The place is mismanaged by people who have no clue how to run a luxury estate. Communication is zero, workers are either unpaid or underpaid, and it shows in every corner. The so-called manager, Selvaggia (28), spends her days smoking, napping, or riding horses for the Palio (which she recently lost embarrassingly), while the estate rots. The cleaning staff don’t seem trained at all—bathrooms are left dirty, toilets often have fecal matter in them, and the villas reek of must and mildew. What’s worse is the sense of decay: this “historic” family property, supposedly in their name for 700 years, has been completely let go. Behind the façade it’s dilapidated, unsafe, and full of random people crashing who aren’t even paying guests. If you’re thinking about booking here for a room or—heaven forbid—a wedding, run the other way. Tuscany is full of beautiful, professional venues. This one is a disgrace.

I stayed here in 2009. The apartment we rented was magical, with amazing views and horses walking by every hour. I knew it was rustic, which I was prepared for. When we decided to bring our kids to Tuscany and meet up with another family, there was no question that we wanted a big house at Il Calcione. The owner explained that she took it over from her Grandfather who had passed away and was working on fixing it up. She’s putting a lot of time and effort into it and I totally respect that. However, the actual house we rented was in really rough shape, almost to the point that it shouldn’t be rented without some major updates. I was disappointed. Here are the issues: -The house we rented (San Pietro) said it had “sweeping views” but on arrival I realized there were no views. I asked when they were showing us around and they said, yeah, this house doesn’t have views. Okay, but it was in the description of this actual house and was one of the top things on my list when renting a place in Tuscany. -There had been water issues the day before we arrived. That’s fine, no hot water for a night. But, all the bathrooms had a stink to them that got worse over the course of the week. I’m not sure if it was related, but there were plumbing issues somewhere that wasn’t just hot water. -The washing machine didn’t work. They told us that, and they kindly did our laundry at the castle. But it was pretty inconvenient with 8 people, towels, etc. -The dishwasher technically worked but it didn’t actually wash the dishes. And when we got there, ALL the dishes were dirty, but put away. So I’m assuming the people before us just did what they could and no one checked to make sure they were clean. This meant that we did a ton of dishes by hand the first hour we got there and through the entire stay. And with one single dish towel that we couldn’t wash, it was very frustrating. -The entire house needed a deep clean. A major, complete, top to bottom, deep clean. -The first floor bedroom had no top sheet, and just one thick, stained, ripped comforter. It’s just the little things like this that make a difference. Just spend 50€ and buy a sheet and a new bedspread. -The website states that there are two lakes, canoes and crystal clear swimming water. We only found one small swampy lake with a dock and when I inquired about the canoe they said it was 45€ per person. -There weren’t screens on some of the windows, yet it was very hot, so there were flies EVERYWHERE. You couldn’t get away from them. Now for the good part: -The house was gorgeous. The artwork was amazing, the floors and ceilings were awesome. It’s a beautiful structure. -The people who worked there were kind and helpful. The owner came over to say hi when we checked in. -The pool area was magnificent and they kept it super clean. The kids were in it everyday for hours. -The area is beautiful and we love the little town, Lucignano, that was close. I hope this helps anyone booking there. Th

The castle is amazing! It has been beautifully restored, so there is history in every room, but it is still a comfortable place to stay. Every person who lives or works there (including the dogs) was kind and helpful. If you are looking for an incredible experience in a beautiful part of the world, go!

Paix et tranquillité. Toute la beauté et le romantisme de la toscane. Nous avons passé un séjour magique au Calcione, ici on savoure toute la dolce vita de l'Italie.