Staff = 5
Cooking classes = 4…read more Lodging / Accommodations = 1
We enjoyed the Tuscany cooking class. Chef Paola was a real professional -- articulate, interesting, fun, engaging and so knowledgeable. Everything we cooked was fresh, local, in season -- just perfect. We learned a lot and can't wait to share some of the recipes we learned with our friends back at home. In the one-week course, there are 4 afternoon classes. Everyone gets an opportunity to prepare an appetizer, first course, secondi (pasta) or entree and dessert. Note: I said prepare. The students did all the cleaning, cutting, chopping, rolling, mixing, filling, etc. The kitchen staff did all the cooking, plating and presentation. It was like going to a fancy restaurant every night, except we had done all the prep work and knew what went into the dishes. We sampled just about everything Tuscany has to offer in the Spring -- Beef Steaks, Pork Tenderloin, Guinea Fowl, Rabbitt, Quail, Branzino, Cod, Ground Beef, and pasta, stuffed pasta. Everything made from scratch. It took time, and the results were worth it in every bite. Wine was served with each meal and after there after dinner drinks. Overall, it was a lot of really great food and wine. We also met some nice like minded foodies who contributed to each of the meals during the week.
The staff was fantastic. From the general manager, to the chef, to the kitchen staff, drivers, and the other workers, if you mentioned something, they were on it. Everyone had a can do attitude and made sure everything was dealt with efficiently and effectively. ...and they were all extremely nice.
The lodging and accommodations were disappointing, however. I requested a room on the ground level with minimal steps before I made the reservation. The owner of Tuscookany promised a room with only two steps. Upon arrival, we were assigned a room with six steps, one up and five down. That made it tough for my spouse. The room was also dimly lit and spartan. The real challenge revealed itself the next morning when we discovered there was minimal hot water. The bathroom shower and faucets both started off warm and then went to cold. For three of the first four mornings, the staff tried to fix the plumbing with various maintenance efforts. On the fourth day, they moved us to another nearby villa where there was hot water. So that solved one issue but created another because we now had to negotiate a staircase to the second level and trudge over loose gravel even further each day to our cooking classes.
I understand and appreciate the challenges of a historic 200-year-old villa like Casa Ombuto and I enjoyed its charming appearance. I don't understand how the management can promise one room and deliver something completely different and so under maintained.
