where to stay in monterosso and tuscany

Hi Kristin - If you have a bit of leeway I would suggest Carla's place in Vernazza - Directly on the Harbor. Please check out her website
http://www.nerinarooms.it/
In Tuscany this is one of my favorites for many years.
http://www.casolarelibbiano.it/ Berta and her husband Andrea have a Beautiful B&B just outside of San Gimignano and very close to Siena, Volterra, and Florence.

Greg

Hi Kristin. We stayed at the Hotel Margherita in Monterosso. We paid 150 euros/night in Sept '09. We really liked the hotel. It was extremely clean, comfortable and modern. The best thing was the breakfast buffet which was included in the rate. It was the largest breakfast buffet we had seen in Italy with a large assortment of foods.

As for Siena, I can suggest a wonderful Agriturismo that is only 10 minutes from Siena's city walls; Agriturismo Marciano. The web site is: http://www.agriturismomarciano.it/ We only paid 82 euros/night which my husband & I thought was a mistake after we got there & saw how great it was. (We thought maybe they meant 82 euros per person, but no, it was 82 euros per night period). It was the best experience of our 2 week stay in Italy. There are only 6 rooms & they are very comfortable and clean. Breakfast is served around the farmhouse table every morning and is included in the rate. They offer optional dinners which are to die for. The farm is a working vineyard & olive grove & they pair their own wines with each course at dinner. The experience was fantastic. You can read the favorable reviews on TripAdvisor. Many agriturismos require a 7-night stay but this one did not. Have a wonderful trip.

Are you wanting to stay in SIena? If not, what towns/places would you like to see/visit in the countryside? I ask this because depending on where you might like to visit, it may be a good idea to find a town that's in a central location in relation to all of your other places to visit. That way, all of your daytrips will mostly be of equal distances.

Are you planing on visiting towns/wineries in Umbria as well? If so, Cortona sits in a good spot in between Tuscany and Umbria... or maybe even Montepulciano or Pienza..

Enjoy you travels!

In Tuscany we spent 3 fabulous nights in Cortona at a pension at the base of the hill. It was a highlight of our trip with breakfasts to die for. Here is the url:
http://www.ilsoledelsodo.com/

In Cinque Terre, we stayed in Monterosso at a quirky place called Manuel's Guest House(recommended by RS) and have nothing but praise. You may want to ask for the top floor room that faces the bay. It has its own little balcony with a stunning view over the town.

http://www.manuelsguesthouse.com/

La Colonnina is my favorite hotel in Monterosso. It's right near the main square and close to the water, and the staff are really helpful and friendly.

kristin,
For Tuscany take a look at http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/tuscany/hs_planning.htm

Thanks for all the advice. I think we've narrowed down our choices.