La Dimora del Lago - Lake views of Tuscany and Umbria

Recently and authentically restored in a small rural hamlet, located halfway between Florence and Rome, Montepulciano and Cortona in the tranquil countryside overlooking tiny Lake Chiusi - less than 2 hours drive by Autostrada or train from Florence or Rome. Forged from a 500-year-old watchtower, an authentic country house among other houses. It also has an excellent internet connection and Netflix. TOURIST TAX TO PAY IN CASH €2 per night for up to 3 nights - per person over age 10 . The space The house has self-check in facilities. Located close to the towns of Chiusi , Montepulciano, and Castiglione del Lago and 2 towns with thermal baths, Chianciano Terme and San Casciano dei Bagni. The house is in a very small hamlet with only a small bar tobacconist and basic items to be found, while the nearby towns of Chiusi and Castiglione del Lago are fully equipped famous for being the town of the Mythical Etruscan King Lars Porsenna, and there are several interesting tombs to visit in the area dating back to the 6th century and earlier. La Dimora del Lago is just one hour from the art cities of Arezzo, Siena, Cortona, Perugia and Assisi, 30 mins from Orvieto, an easy drive in 2 hours on the E35 Autostrada from Rome airport or centre in 2 hours and Florence centre in 1 ½ hours. A stepping stone to the UNESCO World Heritage site "Val d'Orcia" and famous wine areas of Montepulciano and Montalcino. Guest access Guests have access to the entire apartment on 2 floors with independent entrance. Other things to note The house is part of a semi-detached block of typical village houses, therefore there may be typical neighbourhood noise disturbances during your stay, including the night hours. Across the street is another studio apartment owned by us, which sleeps a couple in a double bed and has a large terrace. It is called L'Aurora sul Lago on airbnb listings. TOURIST TAX TO PAY IN CASH UPON ARRIVAL. Tourist tax is imposed by the local city council at €2,00 per person over age 10, per night of stay, for a maximum of 3 nights (should your stay be longer, you pay no more than a total of €6 per person). It is my responsibility to collect this in cash from each visitor. Please leave the equivalent due. If other amenities such as firewood or extra linens beyond those supplied, are consumed, you will be asked to leave the indicated amounts as well upon departue. PLEASE NOTE THERE IS NO ATM MACHINE NEAR THE HOUSE - the closest being at Chiusi or Castiglione del Lago or Montellese or the località QUERCIA AL PINO Centro Etrusco shopping mall next to the autostrada exit. The house is equipped with basic items for two days such as tea, coffee (both filter coffee and Nespresso capsules), 2 bottles of mineral water (although tap water is perfectly drinkable), salt, sugar, oil, vinegar, dishwasher tabs, detergent, handwash laundry soap, aluminium foil, glad wrap, rubbish bags for organic waste, paper towels, napkins, kleenex, toilet paper, cleaning items. INTERNET - the best available in this area - with a declared speed of 30 Mbp and upload speed 3 Mbp with unlimited access. AMAZON ALEXA, NETFLIX on living room TV with a guest account access. You can also access your internet for live broadcasts in your language. Italian TV stations. Fast heating and cooling with 3 independent HEATPUMP/AIRCON units - one in living area, one in downstairs bedroom and one for all of the upstairs area. EXTRA BED LINEN AND BATH LINEN - The house is supplied with all necessary bed linen on the beds and one set of bath towels (large bath towel, medium bath towel, face/hand towel) per person. Bath mats and kitchen towels are also supplied. Other bathroom amenities (shower cap, shower gel and shampoo) are provided. Towel bathrobes and disposable bath slippers are available and can be provided for a cost of €5, for your stay. Please advise beforehand if you would like these, and your height (for the size). For EXTRA Linens a charge of €7 per set of towels and €7 per set of sheets will be applied. For more than 7- day stays an extra set will be provided free each week. INFANT BED/CAMP COT There is a “lit parapluie “ or infant camp cot available, at a cost of €15 a night, including a sheet , suitable for children up to the age of approx 3 years of age. HOT WATER – The apartment has a solar hot water heater and a back-up gas-fired system to ensure a plentiful supply of hot water. In the lower bathroom it can, on occasions, take a few minutes before it arrives so keep the tap running for a while until it arrives! HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING – There is a heat pump/air conditioner in the living room; another one on the upstairs level and one in the downstairs bedroom; use is included. Please consider energy conservation and kindly turn off the equipment when not in the house – it quickly heats or cools the rooms once you return. FRONT DOOR There is a digital lock allowing simple access with no keys, and the code will be provided prior to arrival. Write it on a piece of paper and keep in your wallet! Note the contact telephone numbers for your host and co-host located on the right side of the letterbox next to the secondary ground floor entrance. CAR PARKING The space under the front terrace is an access to a neigbour's garage so please use ONLY for UNLOADING AND LOADING YUR CAR. PLEASE LEAVE ABOUT 1 METRE FREE IN FRONT OF THE BROWN GARAGE DOOR which is not mine and the owners need to be able to raise the door at all times. You can safely leave your car after unloading in my reserved parking lot for 2 cars, just a few yards from the house around the corner and you are free to use it. You will receive a padlock code for the chain which keeps it free of unauthorised cars. SAFE - a Safe with key is available and provided to guests. Instructions can be found in the GUEST WELCOME FOLDER. NO SMOKING allowed INSIDE the house. Possible to smoke on the balcony at living room level and the upper floor terrace. ELECTRIC VEHICLES There is NO EV-Charger facility available. If you come with an adapter and a suitable plug there is a short distance from your car to plug into the normal house supply of electricity. Facilities for EV Chargers can be found about 15 mins distant at Querce al Pino (exit from Autostrada E-35) or at Castiglione del Lago (beside the city walls en route to the Hospital entrance gate) The BARBECUE requires charcoal ( “carbone” in Italian) which is not supplied but which can be purchased at supermarkets and Ferramenta (hardware store). BARBECUE UTENSILS are to be found in a silver case located to the right of the dishwasher. (Please use the supplied mat under the barbecue to avoid grease stains on the terra-cotta). LAUNDRY There is no washing machine available. There is a specific handwash basin and laundry soap and clothes pegs to the right side of the kitchen sink There is also a drying rack on the top floor terrace which is retractable. In both nearby towns of Chiusi and Castiglione del Lago there are LAUNDROMAT FACILITIES with fast washers and dryers. Indications of where they are can be found in the Guest House Manual (black) inside the cupboard in the study. A wash takes about 45 mins and costs €11 for up to 15 Kg. In Italy, THE LAUNDRY DETERGENT COMES INCLUDED WITH THE WASH. FIREPLACE and FIREWOOD - The instructions for use of the Fireplace are included in the GUEST WELCOME FOLDER to be found in the house upon arrival. FIREWOOD will be available at a cost of €25 per trunkload - this is equivalent to about a 3 day's supply which can be found in the trunk just inside the front door. Further wood supply will be available upon request and in any case accessible to guests from 1 November until 30 May annually. The amount used from the supply will be paid upon check-out in cash. There is a steel bucket for the ash to be placed in and a special ash vacuum cleaner WHEN THE ASH IS COLD - I recommend once every 3-4 days. FOR ALL GUESTS THE EXTRA COSTS TO BE PAID BY CASH UPON ARRIVAL ARE THE TOURIST TAX PAYABLE TO THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES. Registration Details IT054009C21J020854