Frequently Asked Questions
The Villas
Q: Are towels and linen provided?
A: Clean sheets and towels are provided weekly, for swimming pool use guests are requested to either bring their own towels or they can be hired.
Q: Are there hair dryers in the villas?
A: No, there aren't however if you forget yours we can lend you one!
Q: What equipment do you provide for young children?
A: We have a travel cot and bedsides as well as a high chair for young children.
Q: Is Podere San Martino child friendly?
A: We try to be as child friendly as possible, the whole property is fenced in as is the swimming pool, also each villa has it's own garden ensuring a friendly environment for children and at the same time guaranteeing peace and quiet for the other guests.
Q: Is there air-conditioning?
A: No, as there is always a breeze in the evening which makes it unnecessary, however the bedrooms and sitting rooms do have fans if one still finds it hot.
Also, have a look at our 'weather guide' page.
Q: Is there a washing machine?
A: Yes, there is a washing machine and iron in the laundry at the back of the Olive Grove villa. We charge per wash and also supply washing liquid so you don't have to buy it.
Q: Is there a television?
A: As we have guests of different nationalities we don't have televisions in the villas. Many guests enjoy the peace and quiet and family time without the stress of tv, however do feel free to bring your computer and some DVDs to watch if you would like to.
Q: Is there a stereo?
A: No, most guests prefer to bring their own MP3, however if you would like we can lend you a CD player.
Q: Is WIFI available?
A: No, however we are working on it! In the meantime if you need to connect up then just ask and you can use your computer from our house.
Q: Are there mosquitoes?
A: There aren't many mosquitoes as we are high up in the hills, however the bedrooms do have mosquito nets. Also we supply a plug in mosquito repellent in case!
Various
Q: What is there to see and do?
A: Plenty - click here for a preview.
Also, information folders are available to look at in each villa giving you an overview of all the places to visit and things to do, places to eat out, local market days, beaches, train and bus timetables, maps, recipes and many more things.
Q: Are there any specialities not to be missed?
A: Extra virgin olive oil – we produce our own ...
You can't miss out on a trip to Slitti for a coffee and pastry. They produce their own coffee and chocolate and win worldwide prizes every year!
Montecatini Terme is home to “cialde” which is a wafer which has crushed almonds and sugar in the middle, which are excellent with coffee or ice cream.
Wine...plenty available and we can suggest some excellent wine shops
Ice cream – there are so many mouth watering ice cream shops we can only suggest you try an ice-cream at each!
Q: Are there any spas or health farms nearby?
Yes, Grotta Giusti is just down the hill from us and offer a wide range of beauty treatments, hot spa swimming pools and grottos, just the way to pamper yourself for a day!
Q: Are you easy to reach from the airport?
A: Yes, the motorway takes you from the airport to within 10/15 minutes of us. We will give you directions to reach us before leaving for your holiday which have been well tried out - plus you can find GPS information on our 'Where' page.
Q: Which airport is it best to fly to?
A: Either Florence or Pisa are the nearest, but generally Pisa has the cheapest flights.
Q: Where is the nearest car hire?
A: At the airport – we suggest hiring an air-conditioned car during the hottest months.
Q: I've never driven on the “wrong “ side of the road, how easy is it to drive to you?
A: Most guests find it quite easy as one takes the motorway from the airport for most of the journey so it's easy to get used to driving the hire car.
Q: Can we stay at Podere San Martino if we don't hire a car?
A: We suggest not as the nearest bus stop is 1km down the hill, and there are only a few buses each day, also one would be very limited on what one can visit. HOWEVER if you'd rather not drive much, most of the art cities and the beach can be reached easily by train from either Pistoia or Montecatini Terme which are just 10/15 minutes drive away.
Q: Where is the nearest supermarket?
A: There are two small supermarkets at the bottom of the hill, just a few minutes drive away. However there are some very well stocked supermarkets just 5/10 minutes drive away either in Cintolese or in Monsummano Terme.
Q: When is the supermarket open?
A: The supermarkets are open all day until 8pm from Monday to Saturday, the supermarket in Monsummano Terme is also open on Sunday morning until 1pm.
Q: Is there a local market?
A: There is a weekly market in Monsummano Terme on Monday morning and two a week in Pistoia on a Wednesday and a Saturday morning. In Montecatini Terme the market day is Thursday morning.
Q: Where are the nearest shops?
The nearest post office is in Montevettolini, open every other day.
The nearest chemists are either in Cintolese or in Monsummano Terme, both 5 minutes away.
Montecatini Terme(15 mins) and Pistoia(15 mins) boasts the best clothes shops.
Q: Are there any designer outlets nearby?
A: There are Ralph Lauren and John Ashfield outlets in Montecatini Terme otherwise there is a very large outlet village in Barberino, on the motorway north to Bologna about 1 hour way, otherwise there is another large outlet with many designer names south of Florence at Incisa, again about 1 hour away. There is a Roberto Cavalli outlet just before Florence too, which is about 40 minutes away.
Q: Where is the nearest restaurant?
A:
Just down the hill less than 5 minutes
drive away there is a restaurant/pizzeria that is very good
and offers everything from pizza to meat and fish.
There are many restaurants in the area that aren't far away
offering all sorts of cuisine and excellent views.
Q: Can I take my dog/cat on holiday with me?
A: As we have a dog (a very friendly Labrador, so no need to worry about fierce Italian dogs!) and three cats we prefer that guests don't bring their own pets. You can always borrow our pets if you miss yours!
Q: I'm afraid of dogs!
A: Please don't worry, we keep Angus, our Labrador in our garden which is fenced in, so no need to worry – and he doesn't bark either!