Mr & Mrs Smith

The review said that the Castello di Vicarello was hard to find and it certainly proved to be. As a result it was almost midnight when we arrived. Despite that one of the staff immediately came out to greet us and help us with our luggage as we followed a path lit by lanterns containing candles up to the Castello. It looked magical. Once we arrived at the candle lit courtyard that forms the heart of the Castello we were immediately offered food (despite the fact that we had phoned earlier to say we wouldn't need dinner) by staff that could not do enough to make us comfortable despite the late hour. Having declined food, we were shown to our room, which was beautifully arranged over two levels and came complete with the sort of bath the girl from the Cadbury's flake add would have envied with a view of the Tuscan countryside.

The sense of being pampered lasted the entire stay. The staff were warm and attentive, making us feel they would always go the extra mile (as witnessed by booking a wine tour for us, or phoning the car hire company), without displaying the sort of hovery tendencies that can be disconcerting by making you feel watched all the time.

We ate at the Castello every night after our arrival and the food was always good and often truly superb. What we loved about it was the sense that it really was home cooked. There was no menu - instead at breakfast you were asked if you fancied either lunch or dinner and then you were told what they were planning, to give you an opportunity to request changes if there was anything you disliked. This meant that all the food was incredibly fresh. There was a good wine menu that matched the food well. We went with a recommendation each time and were extremely happy with the results. Sadly it was very windy while we were there, so we only got to eat on the terrace once, but the courtyard proved to be a very adequate substitute. Each night the lanterns were lit around the courtyard and in the castle grounds, creating a really romantic backdrop.

During the day we divided our time between walking round the grounds, swimming in one of the fresh water pools overlooking the Tuscan hills, or sitting curled up underneath the shade of a large pine tree with views of the valley, which proved the perfect location for reading books. We only dragged ourselves away once - to go on a wine tour.

As a venue the Castello di Vicarello manages to be both charming and impressive all at the same time. It was the perfect summer retreat. However, the presence of an impressive wood burning stove in our room and fire places in some of the others we were shown, made us think it would be a fantastic venue of an autumn/winter break as well.

Overall, a great recommendation - thank you.