La Verbena

The main house

• Bedroom 1: double bed (160x200cm), open en-suite bathroom with tub, separate WC, garden access
• Bedroom 2 (part of a family suite with Bedroom 1): bunk-bed room (2x90x200cm), en-suite shower room, garden access
• Bedroom 3: double bed (180x200cm), open en-suite bathroom with tub and walk-in shower, separate WC
• Bedroom 4: double-twin beds (90/180x200cm), en-suite shower room
• Bedroom 5: double bed (160x200cm), en-suite bathroom with tub

The guesthouse

• Bedroom 6: double-twin beds (90/180x200cm), sharing a Jack-and-Jill-type bathroom with tub and separate shower
• Bedroom 7: double-twin beds (90/180x200cm), sharing a bathroom with Bedroom 6

NB: A double-twin bedroom has two single beds that can either be joined together to create a double bed or left separate as two single beds.

Reduced Occupancy

La Verbena has a reduced price for a group of up to 10 divided in the two houses (main and guest house), if needed 6 rooms in total can be used but the maximum number of guests will remain 10 . Bedroom 3 in the main house will be closed, but the grounds will remain at the complete disposal of guests.

Accommodation at La Verbena is laid out over a main house and a guesthouse.

Inside the main house

the entrance of the main house, which is laid out over two levels, leads into a double-height hallway with stairs leading to the upper floor (of which more anon).

Moving left from the entrance one comes to the sociable hub of the home: a generously proportioned and superbly equipped kitchen. Terracotta floors, mighty wood-beamed ceilings and multiple windows make for a warm, welcoming and bright atmosphere. At the centre sits a large dining table seating 14, while around the perimeter are walls of bespoke wooden cabinetry, a fabulous green range cooker backed by emerald tiles, and plenty of worktop space.

One of the kitchen walls is devoted to a green-tiled wood-burning oven and on either side of this, wide openings allow the space, and the architectural features, to flow into the voluminous living area. A large comfy sofa and a collection of easy chairs gather round an impressive fireplace, and four wide, arched glass doors open out into the gardens and to a shaded al fresco dining area, while also bringing in sensational views of rolling hills and olive groves.

To the right of the entrance hall, meanwhile, is a family suite that comprises: a double bedroom with garden access and a large open en-suite bathroom with a tub clad in vivid green-hued tiles; and a children’s bunk room with its own open en-suite shower room and access to the surrounding gardens via a large glass door.

On the first floor of the main house there are three more bedrooms on this level, each accessed from a corridor:

• the principal bedroom, a double with a sofa, superb views of the surrounding countryside, an open en-suite bathroom with tub, double sinks and a walk-in shower, and a separate WC
• a double-twin bedroom with en-suite shower room and countryside views
• a double bedroom with en-suite bathroom with tub and countryside views

Inside the guesthouse

the guesthouse, which is just across a gravelled section of garden from the main house, is equally impressive. The terracotta tiled flooring and the wood-beamed ceilings of the former have been replicated here, creating a uniformity of style, sense of space and quality that is compelling.

The entrance leads into a gallery above what can only be called a great hall, such is the volume, the height of the ceilings, the general sensation of grandeur, and the sheer size of the three arched windows with integrated glass doors that make the very most of the spectacular views and allow seamless access onto a panoramic terrace. Reached by an open staircase leading down from the gallery, it is furnished with a comfortable sitting area and a dining table, and comes with a suitably grand fireplace at one end. A door at one end leads to a handy WC.

Back to the gallery above: at one end, a few steps lead up to a cinema room with sofas, a projector, and a large screen; at the other, up a few more steps, is a corridor and the sleeping quarters:

• two double-twin bedrooms with fabulous views
• a shared Jack-and-Jill bathroom with tub and separate shower clad in sunflower-yellow tiles. The bathroom is accessed directly from one of the bedrooms as well as from the corridor

Outside

set in acres of olive groves, surrounded by large swathes of manicured lawns, and blessed with an area of woodland, La Verbena offers numerous possibilities for country strolls, al fresco fun and soothing relaxation. No matter where you spend your time outside, the views are always sensational, with wide-open and far-reaching vistas that take in the rolling green countryside of southern Tuscany and the nearby hill-top village of Montiano. Stone paths meander across the lawns, through wild-flower meadows and between olive trees and the estate is a joy to discover.

The main house opens on all sides to areas of lawn and terraces. One’s first port of call may well be the gorgeous, panoramic dining pergola that’s accessed from the living area. Here, framed by climbing plants and equipped with a barbecue, is where you will take most of your meals. A little path leads from here up to a vegetable garden brimming with home-grown goodies.

Between the main house and the guesthouse is more lawn, a gravelled area with a couple of olive trees, and the first of a series of well-furnished sitting areas.

The great hall of the guesthouse, meanwhile, opens out onto another comfortably furnished lounge area, and from here, it’s a short stroll down to the irresistible heatable pool, which is surrounded by more lawn and served by a large shady pergola, an outdoor shower and a kitchenette.

La Verbena was conceived, designed and built with ecological principles in mind.

It is set in an organic olive oil estate which also produces organic vegetables, fruit, wine and herbs.

The heating, electricity, hot water, and pool heating are powered by the property's solar panels, and the houses feature gas-filled double-glazed windows, compressed wood bricks, and several other sustainable technologies.

This property is surrounded by countryside, some of which is unfenced and may include drops or steep slopes. We therefore recommend that younger children are supervised by an adult when exploring the grounds, please note that the local wild life may occasionally reach the grounds.

Parts of the route to this property are unpaved and a little rough. We therefore recommend guests hire a car with high ground clearance.

Please note that the efficacy of the pool heating can be impacted by the external temperature and weather conditions in the area of your villa; as such as we cannot guarantee a minimum pool water temperature.