Villa La Tana
Casole d'Elsa (In the hills west of Siena)

With enviable views, yet peacefully hidden in the woods of the selva National park, abandoned for generations Villa La Tana has been transformed into what surely must be one of the loveliest properties to let in Tuscany. Villa La Tana was sleeping on the crest of a hillside in the rich, protected woodlands in the hills west of Siena when the owners  found it. Only the beautifully proportioned honey coloured stone walls remained of this large house and its barn, and so its new owners could start with a fresh palate. They have created something very special. All the rooms are tall, large and well lit, and there are plenty of French windows and doors to the landscaped exterior. The pool is set among local flora and the gardens are planted with local shrubs and roses.

Main Villa:  (Sleeps 10) - 5 Bedrooms - 2 bedrooms each with a queen bed & 3 bedrooms each with a king or 2 twin beds.
5 1/2 Bathrooms!
There is a ground floor bedroom with private bathroom with small tub and shower and there is a half bathroom on the ground floor. There are stairs to another bedroom with a bathroom featuring a large bath with shower and there is a smaller bedroom up 7 stairs with twin/king bed and a big private bathroom with a corner stall shower. Nine more steps leads up to another large bedroom with an L shaped bathroom with a tub and shower. Five more steps lead up to a medium sized bedroom with views to the front of the house and a bathroom featuring a corner shower.

Hay Barn Guesthouse: (Sleeps 6)  3 Bedrooms - Each with a king or 2 twin beds & 3 bathrooms!
There is a bedroom on the entry floor with a twin/king bed and a showered bath. On the lower level there are 2 more bedrooms with twin/king beds and one bathroom with a French tub and shower and another bathroom with a shower.

If renting the main villa & the hay barn this property will sleep up to 16 people!

Living Space
Main Villa: There is a huge kitchen on the entry floor with side-by-side fridge, an extra large oven, endless cupboards and an island with a butcher-block surface. There is a terrace off the kitchen that faces west with a large table for al fresco dining. A dining room or living room is an extension to this kitchen and has a welcoming fireplace; this space is open to the roof offering a soaring space. There is a study and below this area there are 7 stairs leading to a lower level living room or dining room. Free internet service available!

Hay Barn Guesthouse: Enter through a hallway with large closets, which are especially nice for long-term rentals. The lower level has a kitchen with travertine counters, living room and dining area, which will seat 6-8 people, and there are 2 terraces, one with table and chairs. There are huge windows and all furnishings are simple but comfortable.

Household Amenities
Washing machine, simple red tiled floors, dial up internet service, telephone and screens on all the windows.

Outside Features
Dining area and a 16'x48'pool with surround. There is a terrace surrounding the house but the outside furniture is either around the pool or on the dining island.

Other Features:
Concierge service which can assist with the following:
-catering
-car or van rental (with or without driver)
- reservations for restaurants and museums
- information on local attractions, museums, places of interest, towns
- information on roads and directions to places guests may wish to visit
- reservations of guided tours (for example: Florence, Siena, Arezzo, San Gimignano, Montepulciano, Pienza, Montalcino)- especially appreciated in our area are walking tours: they can be customized on the basis of the services the guides offer and they allow guests to be in direct contact with nature and local life
- wine and gastronomic tours
- artisans tours, shopping tours
- massages (including shiatsu treatments), manicure, pedicure, yoga classes
- tennis, golf, horse back riding (lessons available for beginners)
- hot air ballooning
- music groups and various forms of entertainment
Concierge service is available from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the villa for a daily fee of 200 Euro
Complimentary US calls on land line & internet service is free when using own laptop computer with modem

Meals

Cooking lessons available at a price of 75 e per person/includes meals. We have a full restaurant list at the villa which we share for cooking with the clients or you can make reservations instead; all of the restaurants are favorites owned and run by people we know very well. Great down home cooking to 3-star Michelin.

Tuscan Cuisine Example:

Baked pasta with bechamel sauce

Roast chicken and rosemary roasted potatoes

Alla  Puttanesca

Ravioloni burro e salvia

Roast pork Toscana with garlic

Beef Stracotto

The owners of La Tana & La Vigna also own the nearby La Tanica Winery. For 16 Euro per person they will provide a visit to and a light lunch at the winery. It includes a pasta, cold cuts, cheese, bruschetta (with their own olive oil), and seven wines. Please scroll down and click on the link for La Tanica Winery.

Location/Where to Go
Casole val d'Elsa 15 minutes, 5 or so minutes to a couple of good local restaurants, large grocery and bank, bus service and shopping 15 minutes in Casole val d'Elsa, San Gimignano 25 minutes, Siena 25 minutes, Monteriggioni 20 minutes, Florence 1 hour, Rome 3 hours.

CLIENT COMMENTS:

"Sixteen of us enjoyed seven wonderful days at La Tana. We celebrated a 40th birthday party with good friends and used La Tana as our base to explore Tuscany. There is no question that this beautiful setting and magnificent estate made our trip. It is located central to more places than we could possibly visit. After hustling through busy Florence or trekking through quiet hilltop villages, we would end up back at La Tana to enjoy cooking classes, wine and olive oil tasting, and spend time together in the spacious kitchen and living area. Our dinners for sixteen were over the top and our evenings extended well into the star filled nights. The Salvadori's made us feel at home and were always available for advice on where to go, what to see, how to get there. Vieri has taken his Tuscan experience to heart in his cooking and winemaking. From the Chianti to truffle sauce to grilled steaks he is a wonderful chef and will please any gathering with a meal that will be remembered." Guest 5/08

Mary, Simon, Roland, Alice, Henry, Jo, Michael & Tom S. Cambridge, England & Paris, France

Rates 2008

**MUST BE A SATURDAY TO A SATURDAY**

Both main villa & hay barn with the pool from 10,300 Euro per week

Main villa only with pool from 8,967 Euro per week - Hay barn empty

Main villa only with pool from 6,434 Euro per week - Hay barn rented to other guests

Hay barn with pool from 4,300 Euro per week

Hay barn only without the pool from 3,300 Euro per week

Rates 2009

**MUST BE A SATURDAY TO A SATURDAY**

Main villa only with pool from 8,967 Euro per week

Main villa only with pool from 6,434 Euro per week

Two bedroom/Two bath with pool (to be done in Feb) 2,860 Euro per week

To see photos of the Villa La Tana please click here.

To see directions to Villa La Tana please click here.

To see photos of La Tancia Winery please click here.

For more information or to schedule your stay please contact:
Small & Elegant Hotels, International
9425 Whispering Sands
West Olive, MI 49460
TEL: (616) 844-6000 / FAX: (616) 844-6042
E-Mail: res@smallandeleganthotels.com