Many of your readers would not recognise this as a villa. Our room had no TV or minibar. There are no reception staff, no public villa rooms. The principal assets are location, location, location. A report this year spells out the unusual character of this old Tuscan farmhouse. It stands on a ridge among vineyards, between Florence and Siena. The owners, Ingrid, Natalie and Steven Music, have transformed it and its outbuildings into a relaxed mix of affordable accommodation and selfcatering apartments, all done in elegant rustic style (stone floors, decent linen, good bathroom).`The views are extensive, and from mid-May the swimming pool is (like tomatoes) sun-roasted. Bali villa breakfasts, with meat, cheeses and more tea or coffee than it is possible to drink in one session, are taken on the back east-facing terrace. Dinner, a four-course, no-choice affair best described as good home cooking, is served on the front terrace with stupendous views of the sun setting over the Tuscan hills, or in the vaulted dining area. There are about a dozen wines, well chosen and good value. Plenty of white-road ; walking from the door. Events and activities take place all year, from olive oil-tasting and truffle hunts to concerts and painting courses. Certaldo Alto, a gem of a small hill town nearby, can be reached by a funicular.