We are looking for a place to crash the first night before we check into our apartment rental in Siena. We have stayed at a place near Orvieto 3 times and been extremely pleased with everything.We are looking to try a different place this year that has the things we love, namely good location to drive to from FCO, homecooked dinner, gracious host,interesting fellow travelers, and all at a reasonable price. Am I crazy to think that we could find another place that has most of those things? Part of me says, "if it ain't broke don't fix it" and then another part says don't get into a rut and try different things. Has anyone stayed at La Bandita? Not sure of the location and the restaurant looks quite fancy, not the kind of place we usually enjoy. I'd really appreciate any and all suggestions.

Trying again for info about this and other properties

It might help if you would tell us where you have stayed near Orvieto. If it was not Locanda Rosati, I would recommend that to you.

The place we usually stay is L'Ombricolo, about 90 min from FCO. It has all the things you are looking for. I haven't written a review of it (really should do that), but here is a link to my trip report where I describe our last visit there.

- Roz

Hi Jeanne and Roz
Thank you your excellent replies! You guessed it Jeanne, the place I was describing without the name is Locanda Rosati. I agree it is a must. We love everything about it and Giampiero is an absolut peach. He really goes the distance with his guests.
Roz, I think you've helped me find my alternate Rosati. The web site looks wonderful and its is JUST what I was looking for. Mille Grazie!
I read your trip report, which was excellent, and had lots of good restauranr and lodging accomodations. If you hadn't noticed I'm from RI so we are neighbors. We love Italy in Oct/Nov and had a wonderful trip last Fall.
Again thank you both for just exactly what I was looking for!

Ritaly, when are you planning to go to Italy? If you do book into L'Ombricolo, please say hi to Dawne from me. We are going to be there ourselves for a night in late September.

Hi Roz
We are thinking late October or early November. Just waiting to see what happens with fares. We missed the Air France sale a few weeks ago, but I'm optimistic the fares amy come down for our time period. I've emailed Dawn with a few questions. Do you know anything about the cooking classes? Also my sister expressed surprise that the owners are not Italian and wondered about the food. Any more you can tell me about the country house would be helpful. I think its wonderful, however I'll be recommending it to three other travelers and sometimes concensus is hard to get! Hoping others might see this post and recommend other favorite places. One time we took a back road through Lazio to Lake Bolsena just outside Orvieto. We went through some lovely small towns and the whole area looked very interesting. Wondering about any country houses, agritourisimo or Locanda in that area?

I've always been tempted by this agriturismo that is a castle, a village and a winery:

http://www.titignano.it/gb/index.html

Unfortunately, I don't drive and there is really no way of getting there without a car.

The reviews I have seen have been very good.

At the risk of bringing this slightly back toward the topic, I have eaten at La Bandita a few times - at the Bettole exit near Sinalunga - about 2:15 north of FCO. Never stayed at the Locanda, as we always stay at the Locanda Dell'Amorosa which is nearby. The original chef from the latter, who really put it on the map years ago, Walter Raedeli, I believe his name is, started La Bandita as a restaurant and has added some rooms, which appear to be very nice. The restaurant is a class act for sure - not you're average pasta and panini. Couldn't go wrong IMO.

Hi Roy
Thank you for your response. I've looked at the place a few times on line and it is well recommended by Karen Brown and others. I just found it a bit odd that the room information makes it feel like a very simple place yet when you read about the restaurant it seems quite upscale, but of course all this is from just reading online about it.I'm sure you'll agree that online impressions can vary greatly from actually seeing the place. Thats why I'm glad to hear from someone who has actually been there. How would you describe the location as far as the surrounding area? Maybe someone who has actually stayed in the rooms will respond. Thanks again

Ritaly,

Dawne is not Italian by birth (she is British) but she was married to an Italian (is now widowed) and lived in Italy for a long time before she started the B&B. She really is quite a fascinating person -- worked in the Italian film industry for many years. Her husband, if I recall correctly, was a costume designer, and also wrote a biography of Garibaldi. Her place is very special, and she is someone we now consider a friend. She is a fabulous cook; don't let her British nationality put you off! She has assimilated the best of la cucina italiana!

L'Ombricolo was originally an old farmhouse where the animals had lived downstairs; Dawne completely gutted and renovated it with fabulous taste. We keep telling her she should write a book.

Also, I actually had forgotten that we did stay at Locanda La Bandita in 1999. The location is much more urban than L'Ombricolo (also a good bit farther from FCO), and the rooms are much simpler. It was an okay place to stay, and the food in the attached restaurant was very good, but it was not family-style dining with conversation as you have at a place like L'Ombricolo.

At any rate, we found Locanda La Bandita perfectly acceptable, reasonably priced, and a pretty good location for visiting various towns in that part of Tuscany. But it really doesn't compare to L'Ombricolo as a special place.

- Roz

Gotta say that Roz sounds like she knows what she's talking about. Also, by the time you get to la Bandita, you are :40 from Siena and you might as well press on.

Good Luck - let us know what you decide - I too am stuck in a rut - that I love!

Actually, I arrive in Italy in October this year a day ahead of what I had planned. I would love a suggestion for a place to stay on the way to Sinalunga from FCO, either in Lazio, Umbria or Toscana.

Any other suggestions? Sorry - don't mean to hijack your thread.

Roy