Which is the nearest airport?
Florence: 70 km
Pisa: 150 km

Which is the nearest railway station?
We are 1 km far from the train station of Siena but we suggest you to take a taxi on arrival to save you hauling luggage upon the hill where we are located.

Do you have a pickup or shuttle service from and to the airport?
We can provide a private car service for pickup and drop off. Rates vary depending on the number of people.

Where we can rent a car?
In Siena you find Avis, Hertz, Europcar and some other local companies.

Is parking or garage available?
Yes, there is a private open parking in our property free of charge to our guests.

Can you provide a very clear description to reach the hotel?
In addition to the driving directions in our site we suggest you to bring with you these three items to save time searching us:

• follow the signs to the railway station,
• cross with metal bridge,
• get to the large CO-OP shopping centre near the bridge and drive down to the back of the CO-OP (towards the back parking area) as Borgo Grondaie is located on the hill behind it.

Can I arrive early and drop off my bags?
Yes, you can arrive as early as you need. If the room isn?t ready, you may leave your bags at the front desk. Likewise, if you need to leave your bags with us on your departure day, due to a late departure, you are welcome to do so.

Do you have non smoking rooms/apartments?
All our rooms are well aired. We take special care when a non smoking room/apartment is required.

How big are your beds?
Our single (twin) beds are 85 cm wide by 200 cm long.
Our double beds (2 single beds joined) are 170 cm wide by 200 cm long.
Our sofa beds are 140 cm wide by 190 cm long or 160 cm wide by 190 cm long.
In the single rooms of the apartments called ?Cipresso? and ?Piazzetta 3? there is a bed called ?francese?. This bed is 145 cm wide x 200 cm long.

How big are the rooms/apartments?
The size of the rooms is standard. The apartments size depend on their layout. Please see our apartments plans for sample apartments layouts.

What is the difference between rooms and apartments?
The apartments and rooms are within the hotel?s own complex. The apartments are larger than the rooms and have a kitchenette. The smaller apartments are composed by two rooms (one bedroom and the living area). The rooms have breakfast and daily maid service included in the rate. The apartments have only weekly maid service included in the rate. Of course at a small extra charge they can have breakfast and daily maid service.

How can the apartments have breakfast and daily maid service?
They can have both facilities adding a 23% of the apartment daily rate. In case they just need the cleaning the rate is 30 euro a day and 8 euro per person for breakfast.

Which accommodation is more romantic?
That is quite subjective. We find each room and apartment romantic, quiet and private.

Do any of your rooms have a view or balcony?
All our rooms and apartments have the view onto the surrounding gardens of our property and not onto the old part of Siena. We have 1 room and 3 apartments with balcony and 2 apartments with private garden.

Can I request a specific room?
Yes, you can. Through our online booking system you can check if the room/apartment you prefer is available for the dates you required.

Are the rooms/apartments quiet?
Both of them are quiet despite the proximity with the train station.

Is there a curfew?
No, there isn?t. You are free to come and go as you please. Apartments and rooms are independent. You just nedd your key to get in.

May we have two single beds in the room/apartment?
Most of our beds are two single beds which we put together as a double bed except for some apartments which have a queen size bed (1 mattress) . Where queen size bed is not available please specify if you prefer a double bed or two twin beds.

What does each room offer?
Hair dryer
Small refrigerator
Personal safe
Phone with direct line
Complimentary toiletries
Slippers
Television sat

What does each apartment offer?
Hair dryer
Kitchenette fully equipped without most oven or microwave
Dish soap
Phone with direct line
Complimentary toiletries
Welcome snacks
Television sat

What does the property offer?
Saltwater swimming pool from June to October
Mountain bikes
Washing machine and washing powder for all guests (no dryer but lots of drying racks)
Internet access in the lobby
Bar from 7.00 a.m. to 11.00 p.m.
Concierge from 7.00 a.m. to 11.00 p.m.
Parking

What kind of internet service do you provide?
There is a computer for guest use in the lobby and wireless connection in the lobby area free of charge.

How can I check my e-mails from guest' computer in the lobby?
If your email provider offers web-based email (most do), they will have a web site where you can read and reply to your email. Use this for your email in the computer for guest use in our lobby. Web-based email is a way of accessing your email on a web page instead of using an email program like Eudora or Microsoft Outlook to download it to your computer. This way you can get your email from any computer. Just go to the web page, login and get your email. The downside is that you must be online when reading and writing email and the copies of the mail you send and receive are not kept on your computer, but might be kept in your web-based system. If you do not have access to web-based email you can use Aol (www.aol.co.uk) to set up an account for yourself.

How can I use my own computer to surf the Internet and check my e-mails?
(From http://www.slowtrav.com/europe/internet.htm )
You have to bring plug adapters and telephone adapters (to plug in the phone line from the modem).
Note: Electric plug and telephone adapters vary by country. See Europe Trip Planning - Electronics for more information.
- Internet Access Using Your Home ISP
Before you leave, find out if your ISP offers access from Europe. If they do, download the list of access numbers for the countries you are going to and any special instructions (some ISPs have a special dialer you use for Europe). If they do not, get an Earthlink account; Earthlink offers good access in Italy (so does AOL). Note: The free first month offer from Earthlink does not allow you access from Europe.
- You Will Have to Change Your SMTP Settings
SMTP is set for outgoing mail that you send from your computer, through MS Outlook or another email program. (This does not apply if you do web-based email.) Usually this is dependent on your ISP, but when you travel, you are logging in through a different ISP. Before you leave, figure out how to set your SMTP so it can be used from other ISPs.
For Earthlink, they give you instructions to use an authenticated SMTP (where you give it your login and password). This lets you send email through the Earthlink SMTP, but from any ISP. Contact your email provider for the settings.
- Free Internet Access
Set up your account before you leave, so you know you are ready to go when you get there. You can even test it before leaving home by dialing long distance to be sure you connect.
> How to Set Up an Account on Jumpy.it for Free Internet Access: Instructions in English for setting up a free account with jumpy.it, for free Internet access in Italy.
- Resources Italy
www.jumpy.it: Jumpy, a free ISP in Italy. Read How to Set Up an Account on Jumpy.it for Free Internet Access, instructions in English for setting up a free account with jumpy.it, for free Internet access in Italy.
abbonati.tiscali.it/internet/: Tiscali. The account was free, but you paid for the phone call.
- Websites with lists of free ISPs
www.freedomlist.com: Free ISPs listed by country (free internet access) with user comments. Use this to find free accounts in the countries you will be visiting. Setup your account and get the local access numbers before you leave.
www.thefreesite.com/Free_Internet_Access/: Free Internet Access
- Other information for traveling with your computer
www.kropla.com: Steve Kropla's Help for World Travelers, comprehensive listings of worldwide electrical and telephone information.
www.voltagevalet.com: Voltage Valet, detailed information about electronics in other countries.

Do you provide towels?
Yes, however, please note that you will not find washcloths.

Do you have alarm clocks?
No, but please ask our front desk for this service.

How many floors are there in the building and do you have an elevator in the building?
There are 3 floors and we haven?t elevator.

Is there a swimming pool? When it?s open?
Yes, there is. It?s an outdoor swimming pool of salt water located at the base of a steep but short hill with beautiful views over the city. It?s open from June to October.

Are there some special behaviour rules to keep to at the swimming pool?
Yes. Herewith we enclose them:

• it?s forbidden the use of music without ear piece;
• it?s forbidden to dive;
• it?s forbidden to do pic-nic near the swimming pool;
• it?s forbidden to use dinghies or any other kind of cumbersome air beds;
• it?s forbidden any game with ball inside and around the swimming pool;
• it?s compulsory to tie hairs before get inside the pool;
• it?s compulsory the presence of an adult with children under 16

Do you have room safes?
Each room has an individual combination safe. There is a safe at the reception where apartments can store their items.

How safe is the neighbourhood, especially at night?
We enjoy a country atmosphere of despite at thebase of the hill where we are located there is the commercial centre "CO-OP" and we are not far from train station.

What kind of keys do you use?
We use traditional keys, not electronic card keys.

Are the rates in euros or dollars?
Our rates are in euros.

Does they include taxes/fee?
Yes, they do.

Do you take credit cards?
Yes, we accept:
Visa
Mastercard
America Express (only at check-out time. Not for guarantee at reservation time)
Diner?s Club.

Do you offer any discounts?
We offer 10% discount to Entertainment card holders.

Are there direct dial telephones in the rooms/apartments?
Yes, but remind that you can receive phone calls only during the front desk hours (from 7.00 a.m. to 11.00 p.m.).

Are children welcome?
We welcome well-behaved children of all ages.

Can our child sleep in the bed with us?
We recommend apartments for families but we are happy to provide a crib free of charge.

Do you have cots or cribs?
We have 2 cribs available at no additional charge. These are available for children of max 3 years old.

Do you have a high-chair?
Yes, we have 1 high-chair.

What is the additional charge per apartment if we have a child or children with us?
Children of 2 years old or younger, who do not require their own bed, are free of charge.

Is the breakfast included in the price?
Breakfast is included in the rate rooms. Apartments can have breakfast at a small extra charge.

What do you serve for breakfast?
We serve croissants, different kind of freshly baked pastries and breads, butter, jams, honey and Nutella. We also serve 4 kind of cereals, yoghurt, fresh fruits, cheeses and local cold cuts, orange juice, a variety of teas, coffee, hot chocolate and espresso drinks, including cappuccino and caffe latte. We don?t serve hot food like eggs, etc.

What time is breakfast served?
We serve breakfast from 7.30 a.m. to 10.30 a.m.

Where do you serve breakfast?
We serve breakfast in the common area located at the reception and, in summer, in a sunny terrace in front of the reception.

Can I make special requests for breakfast due to dietary restrictions?
Please let us know when you make your reservation if you have any dietary restrictions, and we will do our best to accommodate you.

Do you have air conditioning?
Yes

Does the room/apartment have a temperature control for the air conditioning?
Yes

Is there an extra charge for air conditioning?
No

Is heating included in the price?
Yes, but remind that due to the Italian Government Law we can provide heating starting from 1st November till 15th  April and not before or after these dates.

Is the heating available 24 hours?
The heating is a central heating and the maximum hours we can provide are 12 hours.

Do you have rooms with tubs?
We have 4 apartments with tub: Scala, Piazzetta 3, Piazzetta 4 and Terrazza 2.

Do You have Jacuzzi?
We have 3 apartments with Jacuzzi: Scala, Piazzetta 3 and Piazzetta 4

Do you have plug converters?
We can provide a plug converter, but do not have currency/voltage converters.

At what time can we check-in and out?
Check-in time at 2.00 p.m. We do not have a 24 hours reception. We are on site until 11.00 p.m. For arrivals after 11.00 p.m. we leave the key at front door with a map to room/apartment. Check-out at 11.00 a.m.

Is the price per room/apartment or per person?
Prices are per room/apartment.

Can we settle the bill on arrival?
Yes

Which languages are spoken at the reception?
English, Spanish, French, Italian.

Are there grocery stores or supermarkets in the surroundings?
Just a five minutes walk down from our property there is a modern grocery store that offers a large selection of baked goods, fresh vegetables, cheese, wines, fish and meats. The downside is  that on Sundays usually it?s closed (except on the first Sunday each month when it?s open half day in the morning) and you have to go in town to find a supermarket opened.

Are there vineyards nearby?
We are 20 km from the Chianti area. If you come in Siena by car or you have in mind to rent a car we suggest you to visit the following sites www.fonterutoli.it www.roccadellemacie.com www.volpaia.it www.coltibuono.com www.ricasoli.it and book in advance the visit of the cellars and the wine tasting. In case you do not have a car you can enjoy some wine tours organized by a local company and starting every day from our property.

Which is the nearest village or town?
The nearest town is Siena: 2 km. You can easily get a bus or cab into town, a bit of a walk (25 minutes) through residential suburbs and high rise flats but it might be a hike to walk up the hill. You can also drive into town and park along the streets or in the pay lots ringing Siena.

Which is the nearest bus stop?
5 minutes walking.

Is there a fitness center in the property?
No

Is there a restaurant in the property?
No, but it will be a pleasure for us to suggest the best restaurants of Siena and its area.

Are there Spas nearby?
The nearest Spa is 30 km from us and you need the car to get there. For more information go to www.termeaq.it

Are there outlets nearby?
The most popular outlets are:

• I Pellettieri d?Italia (Prada) located at Levanelle - Montevarchi (50 km from us);
• The Mall (Bottega Veneta, Giorgio Armani, Gucci, Loro Piana, Sergio Rossi, Yves Saint Laurent) located at Incisa (98 km from us).

Is there a riding place nearby?
The nearest riding place is 20 km from us and you can get there only bay car.

Is there a baby sitting service?
We can arrange this kind of service. Rates vary depending on the number of children, the number of hours and during what time of the day you ask for (during the night there is an extra charge per hour).

Is there a Golf course nearby?
The nearest green is 27 km from us and you can get there only bay car..

Is there a tennis court nearby?
There is a tennis court 1 km from us.

Where we can rent a scooter?
You can contact Perozzi Noleggi in town. Phone numbers: +390577288387 +390577280839. Fax numbers: +390577237385 +390577224682

What about cooking lessons?
We don?t organize cooking lessons in our property but in town there is a school you can contact going to www.scuoladicucinadilella.net

Where we can buy Palio tickets?
You can contact direct Jacopo Mauro:

• jacopo@japocodellatorre.com

Before to confirm the tickets ask for the location: the best place is ?La Mossa?, where the race starts and ends. The seats at ?Curva di San Martino? are the worst because you can?t see all the square and because you have sun during all the afternoon till the start of the race (the race takes just 3 minutes?). Ask also if the seats are standing or seating  and if there is  a rest room you can use.
We inform you in advance that tickets are very expensive and that you can enjoy the parade and the race also standing in the middle of the square where the entrance is free. The downside is that you can?t exit before the end of the race and that it is very crowded, particularly on August.

When I have to come to enjoy the Palio festival?
On July the Palio festival starts on 29th June and ends on 2th July. On August it starts on 13th August and ends on 16th August. For more information about the program ask us and we will send you the timetable.

Why Borgo Grondaie?
Because it is a perfect place for relaxing, nice gardens and beautiful pool area, and it is an ideal location if you are planning on using Siena as a base to explore Chianti trail and Tuscany hill towns; maybe not so good if you like to be able to walk frequently to the city center as it is a little ways to this.

What ?must? I see in Siena?
In the Cathedral square, Piazza Duomo:

• Duomo: is dedicated to Our Lady of the Assumption and was completed in the main part at the beginning of 1215. To see: the inlaid Marble Pavement (only visible in September and October) divided into 56 squares, representing the history of Time, of Man and Salvation. Carried out between 1300 and 1500 by the most distinguished Senese artists; the Pulpit that depicts scenes from the Life of Christ, carved by Nicola Pisano from 1266 to 1268; the Madonna of the Vow made by the school of Guido from Siena in the second half of the XIII century; the Piccolomini Library with its Pinturicchio?s frescoes (1502-1507) portraying the life of Francesco Todeschini Piccolomini, future Pope Pio III.
• Museo dell?OPA: Maestą by Duccio di Buoninsegna from 1308 to 1311
• Complesso Museale Santa Maria della Scala: the Refuge?s room: frescoes by Domenico di Bartolo and Vecchietta from 1440 to 1443. Scenes representing the function of the institution: offering shelter to the pilgrims, helping the poor, assisting the sick, receiving and caring for the orphans.

In the main square, Il Campo:

• Palazzo Pubblico: started after 1250 and completed in 1310;
• Torre del Mangia: the bell tower was built in 1341;
• Fonte Gaia: a copy of the original done by Jacopo della Quercia in 1409;
• Cappella di Piazza: built in 1352 to record the plague of 1348;
• Museo Civico: Maestą by Simone Martini in1315, Guidoriccio da Fogliano by Simone Martini in1328, allegory of Good and Bad Government and their effects on the city and countryside, a pair of frescoes by Ambrogio Lorenzetti from 1338 to 1340.

What ?must? I see in the countryside?

• San Gimignano: the towered silhouette of San Gimignano rising from the hills of the UpperElsaValley, facing the land of Volterra and positioned right on one of the most important stretches of the mediaeval Via Francigena, is famous all over the world. A similar renown can also be claimed by its Vernaccia wine.
  
• Chianti area:
  Castellina in Chianti: it?s a quiet and peaceful village full of old buildings, up on a hill at 578 mt high; it is set amidst the countryside of vine-yards, olive plantations and oak-woods. In XIIIth century, together with Radda and Gaiole, it was a member of Lega del Chianti, whose flags had the famous black cock, that became symbol of Classic Chianti Wine. The town preserves the typical thirteenth century plan: the beautiful castle, which now houses the Town Council, and the unique Via delle Volte, a street almost totally sheltered by vaults. Buildings such as churches, castles and farms are spread all over the charming surroundings of Castellina
  Radda in Chianti: it is situated on a little hill separating the Val di Pesa from the Val d'Arbia. In the 1400s it was made into a florentine fortress and subsequently it became chief town of the Chianti league. The ruins of the ancient defensive walls and look-out towers are all that remains of that period.
  Gaiole in Chianti: during the Middle Ages it was an important market place, developed along the road for Valdarno. The numerous castles and parish churches in the vicinity bear witness to an intense and prosperous agricultural and commercial activity. Among the castles, which were all established in the Middle Ages, of particular interest is Vertine, also Meleto with its two majestic rounded angular towers, Barbischio, and above all Brolio castle. A patrol walkway runs on top of the walls and bastions that surround the town, from which one can enjoy a beautiful panorama of the Chianti region and the Sienese countryside. The castle, completely destroyed in 1478, was reconstructed in the last century on Bettino Ricasoli's wish. At less than 1 km from Gaiole, the beautiful Romanesque parish church of Spaltenna is worth a visit, while on the road to Valdarno, immersed in the green of age-old fir-trees, is the Abbey at Coltibuono. A large part of the majestic complex of the abbey that was constructed by the Vallombrosan monks is now private property, the Romanesque church and the massive embattled bell-tower.

• Crete area - Monte Oliveto Maggiore: the mystique of the Crete area is timeless. Here each day represents another step in an ongoing cycle of changing colours and infinite silence. The Crete is home to some of the most remote vestiges of the Sienese heritage, with its towers and castles reaching toward the sky. Here nature has created a sort of perfect island, with such unique geometry and hues that in the 1800s visitors drawn here by their love of the landscapes in 14th-century Sienese madonna icons were bewildered to find them faithfully reproduced. The Crete is a land where poets, writers and mystics have always founf inspiration.
  Montalcino - Sant'Antimo: charming village in a beautiful position above production of the excellent Brunello wine. The Sienese Fortress, built in the late XIVth century, was provided with ramparts and a walkway from which are magnificent views. The village has numerous medieval buildings like the gothic Palazzo dei Priori and historical cellars for wine tasting.
  
• Pienza: bears the name of the pope who entrusted its reconstruction to Rossellino: pope Pius II Piccolomini. The town stands on what was originally the site of Corsignano castle. In 1459 work began on the town square where the attempt was made to create the ideal town based on the utopian vision of humanistic-renaissance culture. Today, traces of Pienza's past remain almost completely intact and Rosselino's creations still covey the idea of that perfection and exceptionality for which they were conceived. The works of Rossellino include the 14th-century cathedral with carved wooden choir, paintings by Vecchietta, Matteo di Giovanni and Sano di Pietro, and Palazzo Piccolomini, inspired by the forms of Palazzo Ruccellai in Florence with its ashlar facades. On its three floors the mullioned windows are between pilaster strips, whereas the courtyard emphasizes the Florentine matrix with arched portico on Corinthian columns. Other Palazzi can be seen on the square: the Casa dei Canonici (the vicarage), home of the cathedral museum which contains works from the school of Sodoma, Flemish tapestries of the 15th and 16th centuries, 14th-century wooden sculptures and pope Pius II's cope. Then there are the episcopal residence and the town hall. The pensile garden at Palazzo Piccolomini is of interestand from here it is possible to view the Val d'Orcia. An excellent example of romansque art is Corsignano church, just outside the walls, and then within only a few kilometres of the town one can visit Spedaletto castle in the centre of the valley on the river Orcia and S. Anna in Camprena, an Olivetan monastery built on the site of a former Lombard fort.
  
• Montepulciano - Church of the Madonna di San Biagio:  it is traditionally believed to have founded by Porsenna; and it seems very probable that the place was of Etruscan origin. It first appears in the records in the 8th c. A.D. as Mons Policianus, from which its present name is derived (as well as the designation of its inhabitants as Poliziani). During the Middle Ages it was alternately allied with, or subject to, either Siena or Florence. Leading artists and architects were attracted to the town by the noble families who retained their influence here longer than in other Tuscan cities, and in consequence Montepulciano can boast numbers of the Renaissance and Baroque buildings. Montepulciano was the birthplace of two Popes ? Giovanni Maria del Monte (Julius III, 1550-55) and Marcello Cervini (Marcellus II, 1555).
  
• San Galgano: it was once one of the most important monasteries in Tuscany. After becoming a Cistercian monk, the former knight Galgano Guidotti had a chapel built on Monte Siepi in about 1180, and he later died there a hermit. The Cistercian monks later managed to build an oratory and a building in honour of Galgano (who had in the meantime been sanctified) thus giving birth to the Monastero di San Galgano, a splendid building and one of the finest examples of Italian Gothic-Cistercian architecture. The power of the monastery quickly grew, and it soon absorbed the surrounding Benedictine abbeys. The abbey was attacked and devastated in the 14th century by troops under the command of Giovanni Acuto, and a century later a period of decline began which culminated in the decision to abolish the monastic orders. In 1816 the monastery was used for the construction of a farm. Anyone visiting the ruins of the abbey nowadays will be overwhelmed by the imposing walls of the now-roofless building; built in brick and travertine, they have remained standing over the centuries and are tangible evidence of the economic power of the community. The light coming in through the gaps in the walls, the clear view of the sky where once there was a roof, and the floor which is nothing but grass give the place an incredible atmosphere, especially at sunset.