| Date | Rating | Comment
[Guest Comments: 4 positive, 0 negative]
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| 10/28/09 |
Positive
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We stayed at Casa Cucule from Sept.16-26, 2009
as the first part of our honeymoon and a 1 month
stay in Italy. We stayed in a number of other bed
and breakfasts and hotels after we left Casa Cucule
and none of them even came close to what we
experienced at Casa Cucule. The surroundings and
accommodations are beautiful. The apartment is
amazingly well furnished, much thought has gone
into the decorating and needs of someone coming
far from home. A very well equipped kitchen, made
it possible to cook anything you like. The pool area
is wonderful, along with all the plant life, like
rosemary, sage, lavender and thyme bushes
everywhere. There are olive trees, a persimmon
tree,cypress trees and anything else you might
dream to be part of the Tuscan landscape. An
enormous cobblestone patio surrounds the
renovated farmhouse with many potted plants and
great teak furniture to laze around on. The weather
was warm and sunny and we were able to spend a
number of days by the pool and eat our dinners
outside by candlelight. Because of the way Casa
Cucule is situated you literally have 360 degree
views of a valley including a vineyard and 2
medieval villages. Susan is an amazing and fun
hostess. She gave us many invaluable tips regarding
the area, which is super helpful when you are
coming to a strange area. This part of our
honeymoon turned out to be our very favorite part
of our stay in Italy and we went to many places
including Venice, Rome, Sorrento and Florence.
Thank you so much Susan for your fantastic
hospitality and that great bottle of wine, our stay
with you was unforgettable. |
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Katheryn Leszczynski, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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|
| 11/08/08 |
N/A |
Guest Comment Entered By Homeowner:
We had no idea of the peace and beauty of this sanctuary which we had booked largely by chance when we decided to holiday in Tuscany. This has been just the refuge we needed – a base to explore the hills and villages of Chianti- and a place to return each night to quiet and serenity. Thank you Susan & Ray for your warm welcome and generous hospitality
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Alan & Jan
Perth Australia
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| 10/04/08 |
N/A |
Guest Comment Entered By Homeowner:
Thanks for a peaceful & relaxing stay. Susan ‘s recommendations for places to eat were superb, and using Casa Cucule as a hub to explore Siena, Radda in Chianti, and the other beautiful places in this part of the world has been perfect.
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Chris & Kath
Aylesbury UK
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| 09/20/08 |
N/A |
Guest Comment Entered By Homeowner:
Where to start! After visiting the area 10 years ago I’d given my new(!) husband great expectations for our honeymoon and it exceeded all of them. Firstly thank you so much to Susan & Ray for their very warm welcome, the welcome pack was everything we needed and you made us feel right at home – even Leo, Nero et al [our shy and discreet family of cats] accepted us in the end.
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Cheryl & Craig
Manchester UK
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| 08/23/08 |
N/A |
Guest Comment Entered By Homeowner:
Our second visit and having ventured out a bit on the first visit we learnt our lesson and barely left the place this time The magic is all here – peace tranquillity and an endless succession of wild life sound effects too good to miss. Never thought the only visits out would be to the Coop (and the Osteria in Montebenichi) but it worked for us. See you again.
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Tim & Jackie
Leeds UK
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| 08/16/08 |
N/A |
Guest Comment Entered By Homeowner:
Our second visit and we wondered how it would live up to our 1st – it did. Your hospitality is charming, when we arrived we felt like we’d reached home. The peace and tranquillity have done us the world of good. Highlights were: a fox visiting us at lunch time at the pool side, Nero [our cheeky black cat ] retuning home after missing for 3 days, the Palio heats in Siena,
drinks on your balcony sharing your Tuscan experiences, a spectacular thunderstorm on our penultimate day – all previous days had been glorious sunshine.
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Marie & Simon
Northampton UK
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| 07/26/08 |
N/A |
Guest Comment Entered By Homeowner:
2nd time here and we’re already looking forward to the third.
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London UK
H & Kate
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| 06/07/08 |
N/A |
Guest Comment Entered By Homeowner:
What a wonderful welcome! D & T (friends from Yorkshire) were right – they felt very responsible suggesting a villa in Tuscany for friends – But – they really need not have worried – it has been everything they said – AND MORE! Thank you Susan for sending us to La Bottega in Volpaia. (If you go do book a table at the front of the terrace to admire the wonderful view.)
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Keith and Penny
Yorkshire UK
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| 05/03/08 |
N/A |
Guest Comment Entered By Homeowner:
.....Most of all it was wonderful to have such a great host and hostess! Susan you thought of every detail, thanks for making our stay so wonderful.
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Dan & Kathy
Texas USA
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| 02/23/08 |
N/A |
Guest Comment Entered By Homeowner:
Well it is finally time to leave the delightful retreat of Casa Cucule … something we both do with fond memories of a great time that was had!
Many many thanks Susan for making our stay so enjoyable and creating such a friendly inviting atmosphere in Tuscany. The touring advice and all the little extras (e.g. Welcome pack) helped to create the perfect Tuscan break; also for organising the golf in Florence – a great day was had…… The advice given by previous guests to read “Too much Tuscan Sun” at the beginning of your stay was excellent advice as it gives a great overview and ideas.
We definitely hope to return to Casa Cucule in the future, next time perhaps in summer.
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Pete & Lu
Melbourne Australia
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| 11/30/07 |
Positive
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Our first trip to Europe to spend our 25th Anniversary, and we couldn’t have chosen a better place. The apartment was everything and more than we expected, Susan & Ray were perfect host and the setting was spectacular. We took an adventure everyday to a small village, drank incredible wine and the food was fantastic. I would highly recommend La Bottega for lunch early in your trip; you just may want to go back again. Plus that side of the Chianti region was absolutely beautiful. I would recommend staying a Casa Cucule, on a scale 1 – 10, we rate it a 12.
Ciao
Bob & Lori
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Bob & Lori, Colorado, USA
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| 08/11/07 |
N/A |
Guest Comment Entered By Homeowner:
We have had the most wonderful time - your personal touches have made this place a unique special hideaway - one that we would love to return to one day. Just not enought time!! We just soaked it all in and are leaving with so much more than we came with. Thank you for the comfort and fantastic easiness, even worrying about us like friends do!! Hope to see you one day soon.
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Rochelle & Steve
UK London (ex Soputh Africa)
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| 06/30/07 |
N/A |
Guest Comment Entered By Homeowner:
So good we are coming back next year, perfect in every way.
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H & Kate
UK, London
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| 10/29/06 |
Positive
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| Our week at Casa Cucule truly felt like our home away from home. Susan's warm and artistic interior designs,the welcome basket of groceries, and Ray's hospitality during our week there combined with the spectacular mountain scenery to create a very special experience. The location was ideal for visiting the beautiful surrounding towns and for biking in the Chianti and Siena regions. The warm send off by Susan and Ray at the end of our week - as well as our transformative experience there for our second anniversary - guarantee that we'll be back to celebrate future anniversaries. |
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Dave and Mickey, Princeton, NJ USA |
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| 11/11/05 |
Positive
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A beautiful haven nestled in the countryside of Tuscany, centrally located and providing access to many of the fabulous towns in the surrounding area. The location of Casa Cucule proved to be a welcome respite after a day of travelling, especially after contending with the winding roads of Tuscany. Being from North America, we greatly appreciated the spaciousness of the apartment with the large living, dining and kitchen area and the separate bedroom and bathroom, which, with being able to close the door between the areas, allowed for the ability to do things without disturbing someone who was still sleeping. In addition, as we enjoy preparing our own meals, it was nice to have a kitchen which provided the the wherewithal to do so. It allowed us to sit back and relax at the end of the travel day to partake of the wonderful food that Tuscany has to offer (especially the Porcini mushrooms) and the excellent local wines which were more than reasonably priced . After dinner we were able to enjoy the additional benefit of the beautiful night sky filled with stars and the absolute calm and serenity. When we return to Tuscany (which we now know would be impossible not to) we are hopeful Casa Cucule will be available.
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Steve & Liz Lees, Toronto, Canada
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| 09/11/04 |
N/A |
Guest Comment Entered By Homeowner:
I can’t remember who said it but it goes something like, “ Keep your face to the sun and the shadows will always be behind you”
Everything Was wonderful and we go away chilled, relaxed……..job done. Many thanks.
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Tim & Eleri
- London,UK
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| 06/19/04 |
N/A |
Guest Comment Entered By Homeowner:
GREAT HONEY MOON,
FANTASTIC SETTING, LOADS OF WILDLIFE,
SUZY AND RAY VERY HOSPITABLE & FRIENDLY.
A GREAT RELAXING STRESS FREE WEEK.
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Galiya and Simon Farley
Moscow, Russia
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| 05/29/04 |
N/A |
Guest Comment Entered By Homeowner:
Enjoyed a fab week here, think we did too much as slept too well every night (maybe it was the Chianti!)
If nothing else go to Cortona, Siena & of course Florence – 08.34 train from Montevarchi & 15.09 return gets you a flavour of the place- hope to come back soon.
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Portia & Mark Williamson
Manchester, UK
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| 04/03/04 |
N/A |
Guest Comment Entered By Homeowner:
We have enjoyed our week tremendously, the setting of Casa Cucule, breakfast and drinks on the terrace, and have seen deer, buzzards jays…… and a friendly green tinged lizard that sat on the tree stump beside us, as well as Leo the friendly but timid ginger cat…. Gabrielle found the handbag of her dreams at the Prada factory outlet in Montevarchi, and the market (on Thursdays) was quite good for cheese, hopeless for bread and, brilliant for vegetables. We ate one evening at the local Osteria in Montebeniche which was brilliant & they were very friendly…..Gabrielle has read her way through many of Susan’s books about life in Tuscany
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Phillip and Gabrielle Crokatt
London, UK
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| 09/27/02 |
N/A |
Guest Comment Entered By Homeowner:
Casa Cucule was well beyond our expectations. Everything needed was there and we particularly appreciated “The Guide book”. The walking and eating book became our bible. The walks are very well described. Very great thanks to Sue and Ray for their warm hospitality.
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Peter Williams
Wales - UK
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| 07/11/02 |
N/A |
Guest Comment Entered By Homeowner:
This little piece of Tuscan heaven is not only at the heart of all the splendours that Tuscany has to offer but, and more importantly, it is its own very special Tuscan Heart.
The greatest pleasures during our 1 week ‘vacanza’ were the dinners we lavishly consumed on the terrace under the moon light as well as spectacular drives across vertiginous hills to such wonderful and impossible ‘villagi’ such as Volpaia, Montebeniche and that incomparable location of pure pleasure Siena.
The local swimming pool, whilst crammed with excitable Italians, afforded a perfect glance into the ‘vita locale’ – and the swimming refreshment was worth the 8.50€ ……..
Our last night we ate at the superb ‘Osteria di Rendola’ – a 20 minute spectacular drive over mountains in the direction of Montevarchi – the food was divine, the terrace along the edge of olive tree fields, a perfect end to a perfect Tuscan week.
Daniela Roet – Australia
Exquisite location, divine accommodation, Tuscany – pure bliss…! Pure Paradiso – will be back as soon as the pool’s in!! NOW IT IS ....2005
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Daniella & Sophie Roet–
Australia
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| 06/03/02 |
N/A |
Guest Comment Entered By Homeowner:
Truly wonderful, we enjoyed our stay at ‘Casa Cucule’ so much, and feel you have created a paradise in this Tuscan heaven; it surely doesn’t get any better. Thanks Sue, and very much look forward to our return.
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Caroline & Norman Bull
Northampton UK
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| 05/13/02 |
N/A |
Guest Comment Entered By Homeowner:
Proud and privileged to be the first in the book, we have enjoyed our Tuscan retreat and will remember its beauty and tranquillity.
Questo e stato belissimo!
Arriverderci Casa Cucule until the next time……
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Peggy & Arthur Somers
London - UK
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