Tuscany and Umbria

We used this to plan our lodging in Tuscany, and we stayed in some wonderful places. I would highly recommend it for those interested in staying in smaller hotels with lots of charm.

We are the authors of Eating & Drinking in Italy and have used this guide for many years. If you want to have a memorable trip to Italy, stay in the small hotels listed in this helpful guide.

In 1994 my wife and I made our first trip to Italy, and in preparation for that trip I made heavy use of "The Charming, Small Hotel Guide to Italy." Upon our return, I later came across the first edition of their guide to "Tuscany and Umbria" and another for "Venice and the Veneto." I swear by these guides-- but I have to complain a little about the latest edition. First, it has changed very little from the prior edition-- there are only a handful of new entries. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, in the interim, many of the properties listed have acquired e-mail accounts and developed websites. The internet era has made it much easier to check on room availability, current pricing, etc., but very few email addresses or URLs are listed. That complaint aside, this is a good, useful book, one I would use to plan our next trip to Tuscany-- if we couldn't get a room at "our place."