Palaia holiday apartment

We hired a car at Pisa airport and drove to the gatehouse in about 40 mins. We stopped in focolli at the supermarket on the way. At the gatehouse the very helpful manager/porters couldn't do enough for us. Our bags were whisked away by the porter on a golf cart and, having left our car in the car park 150m outside the grounds of the estate, we were escorted on foot 300m to our 1 bed apartment. From the gatehouse no cars are allowed on the grounds apart from our early morning 2am departure there's no need. The roads and paths are mostly gravel so not idea for disabled but large wheeled buggies would be ok. Our two children aged 8 + 9 loved the freedom of going from pool to room on their own or together without fear of cars. We booked 2-3 weeks before we travelled and got somewhat of a half price bargain. We wanted 2 beds but that wasn't available but the 1 bed was plenty big enough although making the sofabed every morning and night was a bind. The apartment was spotless and our toilet seat and DVD player were broken but within 1 hour of me informing reception they were both replaced. Reception staff were fantastic - we flew with ryanair and had to print off the boarding passes for our journey out at home and forgot about the return boarding passes (ryanair should have reminded passengers to print out both sets of boarding passes) but fortunately reception staff
allowed unlimited access to their computer and printer.

We've travelled to Tuscany a few times and wouldn't hesitate returning to this place. I wouldn't necessarily hire a car again £710 for a punto for 10 days is a real scam (with super cover which removes all collision and theft excesses) and driving in Florence I would never do again (and I love driving abroad though) as when I returned home this year (aug 2009) I had 3 florence police tickets waiting for me on my doormat from last year (aug 2008) each for 121 euros. They had waited 7 days off one year to issue them to me for driving down three restricted roads!! It really sobered us up from what was a perfect holiday. And I would thoroughly recommend this place but travel by taxi or train/taxi. There are two places to eat once you're there and a restaurant Tigli which is very good but very busy so book ahead. I spoke to a lady of a family who have been 4 years on the trot and it was much busier this year than any of the others. Even with this fact we still found it very peaceful. It was around 36-40 degrees and the air con was superb!