Just came back from a 5 day stay at the hotel. Never received a warm welcome when we arrived .We were given the impression we were distrubing the owner Daniella. We checked in at the hotel around 6pm I was given the key and quiclky escorted out of the office. I Had to go back to the office to get the wi fi password when I started asking the girl who works in the office some questions I was more or less told I was taking up too much of her time, I presume the owner had somewhere to go and wanted to lock up for the evening. The rooms were not what was expected for a junrior suite they need to do extensive renovations. Breakfast is served at 8am not before and nowhere at the hotelcan you get a cup of coffee or juice you have to wait until 8 am. Thanks to the staff who made the experience bearable. As much as the owner was rude and impolite the staff were quite friendly.

I stayed here with my boyfriend for 6 nights and had an unforgettable time. Our room was nicely decorated and quite spacious, the bathroom was fairly big and we even had our own shaded terrace-balcony facing one of the olive groves which we used when we wanted to get out of the sun. The bed was very comfortable, but slippers were needed as the red floor kept painting the soles of our feet!

We couldn't fault the hotel staff - Emilio and the others were all friendly and as attentive as they could be even during busy periods of the day. It was really nice to see Daniela the owner most days, and to receive a free bottle of the estates home made olive oil upon arrival. The staff were particularly accommodating at the poolside, coming to take drinks and food orders.

The breakfast choice was vast - a buffet of cereal, croissants, ham, cheese and a lot of cakes! The hot chocolate is delicious too. We ate in the restaurant in the evening twice - the food was slow to arrive but on a starry evening sat outside it's nice not to feel waiters hovering over you!

The grounds are beautiful - olive groves surrounding the three buildings. We explored further down the hillside when one of the groundsmen was feeding the animals (a collection of geese, pigs, goats, horses, donkeys and chickens) and he helped us spot the wild boar they keep which like to stick to the shadows.

Tenuta La Bandita is a perfect place to take life easy - reading in the hammocks, relaxing by the pool and having long meals outdoors. Make sure you have a hire car though if you want to explore the neighbouring towns.

Unfortunately we were placed on one of the most depressing hotel rooms I have ever had the misfortune to stay in (tiny; dark & gloomy; stain on headboard; damp black & white prints of the English hunting season; no signal on television; single beds pushed together). Thankfully following a complaint we were moved to a much nicer room (3 times the size; beautiful antique furniture). I would strongly recommend checking what room you will be put in as the difference in quality is amazing. If we had seen any pictures of the room we were given on the website then we would not have booked there.

There isn't a very open, welcoming reception but instead an 'ufficio' which sometimes has the door shut so the staff don't always feel approachable.

Unfortunately the bathrooms appear to be the ones originally installed when the hotel opened in 1997 (hit and miss dribbling hot water). The hotel food was average at best (I would definitely recommend a visit to Castagneto Carducci or Sassetta for dining out however) and the breakfast was disappointing (dry bread; stale croissants and a choice of cakes and cereals; instant coffee). Any fresh coffee or eggs come at an extra cost, but unfortunately we weren't offered these as the waiter was rushed off his feet.

The waiters do Daniela an absolute credit as they were warm, friendly and helpful at all times, despite sometimes being visibly stressed and explaining that they were having to run the shift alone for one reason or another.

The hotel is in a stunning location with tremendous views and not far from Castagneto Carducci, which was a lovely little hilltop town. I would recommend eating there or at Sassetta where we had a great lunch. The only thing I would say is make sure you check what room you are being put in as it massively affects your experience of La Bandita!

My boyfriend and I stayed here for three nights in June and a fabulous time. The house is amazing with so many beautiful pieces of authentic furniture and such a feel of italian character. The nearby village os Sassetta is only 5 - 10 mins drive away and is so untouched by tourists it is a joy to see. There is a great little shop selling local produce, a tabbachi and a few pizzarias (selling the best pizzas we had!). The restaurant at La Bandita though is lovely - everything they serve is grown or reared on their surrounding land and there is a fab view to enjoy while having dinner. The breakfast is also a great standard not to mention the first class waiting staff who can't do enough for you! The only negatives (which aren't really negatives) are the pool area which could be improved although is still very nice and certainly quiet and peaceful if that is what you are after. Also, our room overlooked the restaurant (which meant we had a great view) but were woken quite early each morning with the breakfast preparations. However a beautiful place well worth visiting for some peace and quiet and real untouched Italian culture!