Hi both. I did this holiday in 2013. I certainly hope that you had better weather than we did! About the hotel. It is basic, but spotlessly clean. The owners and staff are wonderful, and can't do enough for you, but very few of them speak much English, with the exception of the lovely gentleman who works nights, ( he likes to practice his English!). The rooms vary in size, but I found mine quite adequate, and yes there was a decent hairdryer. The bathroom was nearly as big as my room, with a great walk in shower. The only thing I would say is that it can be a bit noisy at the front of the hotel. Drinks measures in the bar are very generous. 🙂 I can't remember there being a fridge in the room, but I think one of the party had a hot drink delivered to her room in the morning. I paid for everything on a tab and settled up at the end of the holiday.
The food I found to be more than adequate. You choose your main course for the evening at breakfast, and then have to make sure you are sitting on the same table at night time. I have to be honest and say that I didn't like that, but it's just a personal thing. On the last night we had a gala dinner with disco.
The resort itself is okay, and I felt safe walking about. There is a nice walk in the pinewoods if you turn left outside the hotel. There is a ATM, also turning left outside the hotel. To the best of my knowledge they do not change money in the hotel. It was right at the end of the season when I went and I found not a lot open in the town, but it made for a pleasant stroll. It certainly wasn't beach weather when I went, but it is a little pebbly, so beach shoes might be an idea.
As far as excursions go, I can recommend the Elba trip. The coach takes you directly onto a large ferry, and goes with you, and then there is a drive around some of the island, with stop offs at various places. To be honest it was nice to have a day off walking!
There are some very early starts for some of the excursions, Siena being an example. Usually when you get to wherever you are going, there is a walk into the centre and then a guided walking tour before you have any free time. You are provided with a map and a meeting point and then you do your own thing. Lots of walking so take sensible shoes. Pisa was the easiest because all the sights were in the same area. As far as Florence was concerned, the walking tour (as I remember), was longer, but we did see all the main sights. It was very, very busy there, and if you want to see anything on the inside you have to join a line for a ticket, and then another line to get in. Please do not take this as read, but our TM told us that it really needs a full day to get round the Uffizi to appreciate it properly. I do not want to put you off!
It is a deservedly popular trip, and I hope that JY keep it on for many more years. You do get to see an awful lot, but not sadly in any depth. JY did do Florence as a city break briefly and I would have done it, but was fully booked up for other places in the brief time it was in the brochure.
Again, do not take this as read, but we had Jonathan as our TM, and if so he will meet you at Pisa. He has a huge amount of knowledge about the area and is very friendly.
