What Our Guests Say...

“From the moment we met Roy and Shirley, we knew we were going to have a great time. They were incredible hosts. They made us feel more like family than guests (there were 8 of us). We carried their warmth with us for the rest of the trip.

The food is outstanding - both breakfast and dinner. We stayed for two nights and the food was the better than any of the restaurants that we visited during our 2 week stay in Italy. The dinners were truly a feast!

The rooms and the house is nicely decorated throughout. There are wonderful hiking trails in the area. We wished we could have stayed longer. You could certainly use use their place as a central point and visit Lucca, Pisa and even Florence is close by.

We will be back and hopefully sooner rather than later.”

Tomaski, Canada

“I can't rate this place highly enough. My partner and I travelled Italy by car last summer with the hopes that we'd find some hidden gems along the way. This was everything that I had envisaged! Luckily we had a car so it was no problem getting there - one of the most fun road trips I've ever had!! The mountain up to Casa Marchi is so scary it's fun!!

Casa Marchi is owned by a lovely English couple who have brought this magical property back to life. The history is amazing and it is something I really enjoyed learning about. The property is beautifully decorated and the hosts are attentive and friendly - we felt so at home. While we were there, there was a festival in the village so we had a great time meeting other travellers and experiencing something a little different! I wished we had stayed longer but it wasn't to be. We hope that some day we'll get back.”

ruadh_ruadh, Ireland

“Enjoyed a lovely holiday with my girlfriend in the beautiful surrounds of a medival village of Gombereto. My other half instantly fell in love with the area and the Casi Marchi house. A private secluded gem of a place! So happy I took the recommendation from some friends. I will be returning again especially for the delicious food and wine cooked by Roy, also Shirley does beauty massages which Emily loved (girl thing)! See you soon Casa Marchi!”

DutyHappyBloke, United Kingdom

“From meeting Roy and Shirley at the train station I knew I was in for a treat. They went out of their way to ensure I had a wonderful experience. Travelling alone and without a car I had concerns about the location but these were totally unfounded. It's a great area for walking and Roy and Shirley were more than happy to drop me at the best spots or take me to remote villages. I thoroughly enjoyed their company and was welcomed to browse their extensive library for quiet after dinner reflection. And what food! Breakfast was a delight with variety every day. Roy's attention to the evening meal was a joy. Home made, hearty, seasonal, local and plentiful.

The room was clean and comfortable and all shared areas were cosy and inviting. It really was like being with treasured family members. For a single traveller I could not have wished for more.”

Rosytravel - Sydney, Australia

“We stayed with Roy and Shirley at Casa Marchi on three occasions during the summer of 2009 as we needed to be in the Bagni di Lucca area in order to check progress with the house we were renovating. On each occasion their hospitality was first class, and we had no hesitation in rebooking after our first visit. Roy's cooking is out of this world, and Shirley was so helpful in directing us to all the various shops and suppliers that we needed to find in the local area. I would like to think that we had become friends by the end of our final visit! We love the Bagni area, and this is a perfect spot from which to explore it.”

AliG11 - Doncaster, UK

“My first trip to Tuscany could not have been better. Casa Marchi is a wonderful B&B restored by the owners just a few years ago.

Roy and Shirley have lovingly rebuilt this 3-floor house in keeping with the traditions of the small hamlet in which it's situated.

Roy and Shirley are wonderful people making us feel very welcome on arrival with a cold local beer and dish of fresh olives.

The bedrooms are comfortable and the dinning room is gorgeous with wood burning stove. The ace is a wonderful balcony over looking the surrounding hills. Roy is a chef by trade and his food is to die for, Michelin Star standards for Beefeater prices. If you're looking for a relaxing break from the rat race, I can whole-heartedly recommend Casa Marchi. ”

Steve Allart - London, UK

“My husband and I have spent a couple of holidays in this area. We had the great pleasure of staying in a bed and breakfast run by Roy and Shirley Foster. I have to say that this is the most comfortable accommodation we have had the pleasure to stay in - clean and charming with interesting, warm and friendly hosts. It is nestled in the mountains of Gombereto, above the village of Bagni Di Luca and the surrounding scenery is beautiful.

Roy is a fantastic chef and is always very willing to cook an evening meal for you should you wish to have one on the premises at the end of a busy day of sightseeing. We indulged ourselves in this great offer and his food is a gastronomic delight, I highly recommend you trying this (even if only once).

Shirley offers outstanding facials and body massages which you can take advantage of whilst holidaying in one of the most beautiful areas we have been lucky to visit.

For the men, a treatment at the local barber shop is a great experience, where for ten Euros you can have a haircut, cut throat shave, nose, ear and eyebrow trim and walk out looking like a million dollars - a great traditional experience.

Roy and Shirley are fantastic hosts, warm and friendly and always wiling to do all they can to cater for your needs.”

LondonTravellor - London, UK

“I wanted to go to Tuscany but had no one to go with so I decided to go to a bed and breakfast as I would not feel lost. I telephoned Roy who was so friendly I had no qualms about going on my own.

When you arrive at Pisa airport it is an easy train route(and extremely cheap) to get to Bagni di Lucca where Roy picked me up. I instantly felt as if we were old friends as Roy made me feel so welcome.

The village of Gomberetto is Italy at its best, being peaceful,beautiful and friendly and I loved it. The whole area is unspoilt and I have never met such friendly locals. Roy was wonderful company and an excellent chef so meals times were superb. He was also was good at recommending places to see and telling me how to get there. Whatever you want to do it is possible to do here with good walking country, shopping in Florence and Siena only a train ride away and excellent food and wine on tap.

My advice - Go, just go!! I did not want to leave and have recommended this place to everyone who would listen as it is just perfect. See you soon Roy I will be back and thats a promise.”

Frances York, UK

“Amanda and I have just returned home to Bermuda having experienced the Italian honeymoon we wished and hoped for. It surpassed our expectations for all manner of reasons and amongst those reasons was our three night stay at Casa Marchi with Roy our engaging, welcoming, entertaining and skilled host. Our stay came at the conclusion of our trip which took in Pisa, San Gimignano, Gaiole in Chianti, and finally Casa Marchi in Gombereto.

Having braved the hairpin road winding up to Gombereto (so worth it to arrive at such an adorable Tuscan hamlet) we found the charming Casa Marchi nestled in amongst the cobbled walkways and traditional old houses. Roy met us, showed us our comfortable and pristine room (fantastic bathroom, great views), and promptly called us to join him for a beer, which then led to a bottle of red wine. Our kind of welcome.

Our stay was relaxing; just what we needed after having driven around Tuscany for the last 11 nights and we were able to explore thee nearby towns of Lucca and Montefagetasi (beautiful to view from a distance, stunning to walk around) and enjoy a mild hike up the mountain, Prato, which looms over Gombereto. As you can see from the other reviews here, dining at Casa marchi is a must. Roy is a truly precise, dedicated and passionate chef . We enjoyed two absolutely Michelin star grade dinners. We didn't have a bad meal in Tuscany, but this was special.

A very, very enjoyable stay.”

Matthew & Amanda Duffield, Bermuda

“We booked 3 nights at Casa Marchi based on the 'Trip Advisor' reviews, and it was the highlight of our trip. It is best reached by car, preferably with a GPS (although it's possible to get there without one). Gombereto is about 30 minutes from Lucca, but worlds away from the tourists.

Roy & Shirley came from the UK and renovated an ancient house in the middle of a small hamlet in the Garfagnana hills. The bedrooms with private baths are comfortable & spotless. Roy welcomed us with coffee & locally produced grappa. His breakfasts were abundant spreads of fresh choices. One morning it included a vegetable frittata made with eggs delivered in a basket by a neighbor.

There are lots of scenic villages around the area to explore by foot, bike, or car. I recommend Beth Elon's book, "A Culinary Traveller in Tuscany," for tips on nearby places to buy and eat good food "off the Beaten Track." Do ask Roy to prepare you dinner one night and hope he decides to make tiramisu. I also took a cooking class, and we served the four impressive courses to my family. It was a bit of a shock to get a bill as we were leaving, because we felt like we had been enjoying the hospitality of an old friend.”

zoodocent - Albuquerque, NM, USA