Residence la Ferriera

La Ferriera began 200 years ago as a stone mill set on a roaring stream immediately below a 20 foot waterfall. It was reconstructed into 19 condominium vacation units about 10 years go. It is located in the heart of avery old small Tuscany village about 10 K from the autostrade, in the heart of the great Chianti wine region. Our 2 BR, 1 bath unit, #17, was very spacious with hardwood floors and beamed ceiling. The largest BR was a huge room upstairs with three large porthole windows looking outward directly over the stream. The furnishiings are all antique, unfortunately also the TV. There was a complete kitchen with a small refrigerator and electric espresso/capachino machine. The unit was beautiful, and authentic to the old stone building, but a bit more furniture would be useful, such as a bureau with drawers and a soft chair or 2.

The grounds of the property encompass several acres that are beautifully maintained and include tennis courts and a swimming pool.

The most significant item to note is that this resort is a "halfboard," that is breakfast and dinner are included in the fair. Dinner was served from 7 to 9 PM, and for our week dinner was the highlight of the day. The four course meal was gourmet, the table settings were of fresh design each day, the staff knew our names and treated us as royalty. By mid-week a significant comradiere had developed, with the guests coming to dinner ready to share their adventures of the day. This inn, while not elegant, exudes charm and comfort. We would return in a flash.