Castello di Casole d'Elsa (Castello di Casole, A Belmond Hotel, Tuscany) Tosca…read more We visited Castello di Casole d'Elsa for dinner. It is an extraordinary retreat where history, landscape, and luxury come together in a way that feels almost cinematic. Castello is atop a hill in the Tuscan countryside, the property occupies a restored 10th‑century castle within a large 4,200‑acre estate of vineyards, olive groves, forests, and fields. From the moment you arrive via a winding, cypress-lined road, it feels as though you've stepped into another era (as if driving through a forest). The setting alone is breathtaking, with sweeping views of rolling hills that stretch as far as the eye can see. The atmosphere is one of timeless, laid-back elegance. Despite its large scale, the estate feels peaceful and secluded, offering a true escape from daily life. The historic architecture such as stone walls, vaulted ceilings, and rustic details has been meticulously preserved, while contemporary design elements ensure comfort never feels compromised. One of the hotel's strongest aspects is how seamlessly it integrates with its surroundings. The estate is actively lived in, with agriculture, local production, and outdoor experiences shaping the guest experience. Dining at Tosca ristorante at Castello di Casole was a highpoint. The restaurant highlights traditional Tuscan cuisine, using ingredients grown directly on the estate...olive oil, wine, and seasonal produce. The food was exceptional, with a focus on authenticity and quality. We sampled items like baby squid, bread and oil, tortelli, and seabed amberjack. Service was one of the defining features of the hotel. Our servers were attentive, professional, and personable Memorable meal... Castello di Casole d'Elsa is a nice anniversary splurge that captures the essence of Tuscany in both style and substance. With its extraordinary setting, refined design, and outstanding service, it offers a deeply memorable visit that feels authentic. An immersive Tuscan escape...ideal for travelers seeking tranquility and a truly elevated countryside experience.

We had the most amazing stay!!! Every single staff member was wonderful. We ate most of our meals…read moreon the premises, and our meals were excellent! Even our driver Marian, our driver for two days, was unbelievable. All of the places he suggested to us were perfect for our group. He was on time and went above and beyond in every way. I would highly recommend Castello Di Casole. You will not be disappointed!!!!

Superb hotel in Siena. Staff was superb. Location is right at the edge of the walled city, so close…read moreto the sites but quiet. Our room overlooked to courtyard in the back, with long range Tuscan views over the wall. Breakfast was wonderful. Rooms are spacious and the beds are great. Happy to stay again when we return to Siena.

This hotel is great! The room was spacious and overlooked their beautiful garden. It was very clean…read moreand well kept. My wife and I stayed for three nights while in Siena. They had a lovely continental breakfast every morning, which we ate in the garden overlooking the incredible view and hillside of the Tuscan landscape. I highly recommend this hotel over something that lacks the views.

This hotel has an amazing view of Montalcino. Book a room with a view out the back side. The front…read morejust faces the streets. Breakfast is included and the man who was the barista was very nice and friendly. He makes tasty coffees with pretty foams. The breakfast room has a beautiful view too. Check in and check out was a breeze. They do have good WiFi here. It's a short walk up a steep hill to restaurants and shops. Parking is included with the hotel but spaces are pretty tight. We had a van and it unfortunately got dented in the process of trying to fit into the parking spot we were given. We were in a triple room which was a twin sofa bed and a king size bed upstairs in a loft. It was a big room. The restroom was a little dated and there was some mold in the shower. You need to return your key to the front desk every time you leave the hotel. You pick it up when you come back.

A good three night stay here. The facility is beautiful. It sits on a steep hill side overlooking a…read morebeautiful valley. The room was very nice if on the small side. the view more than made up for the size. Everything worked reasonably well except the AC did not work one evening. The staff were efficient and reasonably friendly. The breakfast was very good quality and well served. Housekeeping was excellent.

Beautiful place, great food and very nice rooms. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay. The location was…read morevery convenient and the people at the hotel were very accommodating.

Just okay. The grounds are absolutely stunning but the rooms are rustic and the food is definitely…read morenot farm to table fresh as you'd expect in Tuscany.

Castiglion del Bosco (CdB) is the most majestic property I've ever stayed at-- I couldn't even…read moreimagine this kind of vision. It's no surprise CdB is consistently ranked among the top hotels in the world (#1 in the world by Travel + Leisure in 2022). The service and staff are unparalleled. The views are breathtaking no matter where you are onsite, especially waking up to it if you have a patio. PRICE: For the most cost-efficient room, rates run at €4,000 per night. DINING: There are only two sit-down dining venues on property, Osteria La Canonica and two-starred Michelin restaurant, Campo del Drago. While both are exceptional in their own cuisines, I do wish there were more restaurants on-site. SPA: I had a facial and a deep tissue massage, but both were disappointing--overhyped and expensive for what you're getting. The facial felt like a basic cycle of product being applied and washed off x5. As for the deep massage, I fell asleep, which is never a good sign. I want to clench my teeth as knots and kinks are being worked out by a professional. Unfortunately, we never got there. ACTIVITIES: Since you're isolated on property, you can arrange for activities on/off property with guest relations. For on-site activities, transportation is complementary (ie: Brunello tasting, bicycling, golf). Unfortunately for off-site activities, expect to pay for transportation (ie: truffle hunting, horseback riding). While once again, pricey, you can't beat the experience at this beautiful property-- especially the truffle hunting! LOW: Being one of the event planners for my company's recent president's club trip, my only real critique was the lack of responsiveness to the various departments when coordinating via email -- especially as the date approached sooner. 5/5!!!

This place is AMAZING! If you've ever dreamed of staying a a luxury villa…read moreIn Italy, this is your dream vacation. The location and views are breathtaking and the property is enormous. We will definitely return. A must stay for everyone going to Italy.

Incredible luxury hotel in the Tuscan countryside! Situated on a hillside overlooking the south…read moreTuscan countryside, above the Banfi winery, this is a beautiful boutique hotel. One has to drive around the hillside if you are approaching from Rome, so you get to appreciate the majestic buildings. The road in is cypress-lined and magnificent. The car park is a little ways away from the hotel, so th staff comes out with a golf cart to bring you and your luggage up to the reception, where you get greeted by a glass of Banfi wine! It is always available as courtesy either in the reception or the library (which is in the castle). The 14 rooms are in the old homes of the supporting help for the castle, so each is different and unique. We had the Principessa, located just across the cobblestone path from the cafe/bar and the swimming pool. It was the old schoolroom for the children of the workers, with a beautiful view to the west, overlooking the vast vineyards extending down the hill. There was a courtesy bottle of Banfi prosecca awaiting us. Since the weather was so hot (~40 degrees C), the fact that we had excellent AC was much appreciated. We enjoyed the solitude of the swimming pool at sunset, the bar with excellent wine and cocktails and small plates, the breakfast buffet and the excellent gourmet restaurant. Dining outside late in the evening, we enjoyed a thoroughly leisurely Italian dinner, with some excellent local recipes updated for the modern palate. The location is perfect for exploring the town of Montalcino and the surrounding countryside, i.e., wineries! Poggio Antico is nearby, but our favorite, Caparzo was a little drive on the opposite side of the town. A car is a must to get around Tuscany, but well worth the cost. Our biggest problem was finding and figuring out the car washes (lavatorias), since the dusty back roads left the car covered in dirt! We thoroughly enjoyed our few days in the countryside before heading onto the cities of Siena and Firenze. Now we just need to figure out when we can go back!

Ristorante Bel Soggiorno feels like a natural stop in San Gimignano. It is located along the town's…read morenarrow stone streets, the restaurant opens into a warm, elegant space with terracotta floors, wooden beams, and a relaxed atmosphere that reflects its long history. What truly sets it apart is the view. From the terrace and dining room windows, the Tuscan countryside stretches across rolling hills, vineyards, and olive groves, turning the meal into something memorable. The menu focuses on classic Tuscan dishes...handmade pastas, rich ragùs, roasted meats, and seasonal ingredients...prepared with simplicity and care. The atmosphere is refined yet informal, with attentive service and an unhurried pace that encourages you to linger. Bel Soggiorno focuses on good food, spectacular scenery, and the kind of dining experience that makes Tuscany feel exactly the way you imagined it would.

Ambiance is great, food and service mediocre. Very salty and heavy on sauce. We did not have…read morereservations. Not sure if that had any influenced?

We decided to stay in a hotel in Livorno vs an airBNB, bc we wanted a change of pace. Apts in…read moreItaly tend to be small, and the showers are tiny. The Palazzo is the nicest hotel in Livorno, and has been in biz for over 100 yrs. It has great views of the water fr the rooftop bar & restaurant. Single rooms were about €150,00 including taxes & fees. The rooms were spacious, and the bathrooms were good sized and inc a tub. We indulged in the bar & apps, bfast buffet and dinner during our stay. The service was excellent, but the pricing is high. For an example, an Americano cocktail was €18,00 vs elsewhere the drink would have been €8,00. Secondarily, the buffet is €22,00, but did not have made to order items. The scrambled eggs were runny, and the sausage were like hot dogs. I stuck to the charcuterie, boiled eggs, fresh fruit and croissants. I also grabbed take away for mija & ITC, that dropped the actual cost closer to €7,00/person. Lastly, dinner was +€100,00 for two entrees, a salad, a dessert and one glass of wine. All in all, a positive stay bc of the rooms, the location and excellent service. Apparently the Palazzo is popular for weddings and bachelorette parties too. I'm glad the Italian version of the latter are more tame vs the crap you see in Vegas - LOL!

I know I'm rating hotel, but I have to start with the food. I'll try to take a picture tomorrow…read moremorning of the breakfast buffet. It was beautiful - inside and out. Yes, inside of my belly. They have these small pizza bites (for breakfast - it's like college, I know) that were so amazing. The hotel is clean, the prices reasonable, the Internet fast and free and the parking is absolutely easy and free as well. If you pay for a small upgrade, you get a beach view. There's also a fitness studio with technogym equipment and a spa (spa I haven't tried). The TV has a few international channels. Everything fancy shmancy, you could say. My boyfriend wants me to add: the toilet paper roll isn't properly attached to the wall and there is some mold along the bathtub.

The best hotel I've ever stayed in. Period. My wife and I stayed here on our honeymoon and hardly a…read moreday goes by when I don't think about it. The grounds are beautiful, our room was enormous and the staff paid attention to every detail during our stay. My wife and I just renovated our house and we put in a pool and landscaping that borrows from the aesthetic of Castello del Nero's pool area. We are already planning to return for my 40th birthday...3 Years from now. We spent 3 weeks in Italy at 6 different hotels and this is the only one I think about and have to return to. The restaurants are both amazing and the breakfast is the best we had on our trip. If I could give 10 stars I would, so if you're even considering a stay at Castello del Nero I'd say look no further...it's time to book a reservation.

My husband and I stayed here 4 nights of a two-week trip to Italy to celebrate our 10 year wedding…read moreanniversary. This hotel is a really high-end boutique hotel that really goes above and beyond to deliver an outstanding experience for all guests. The hotel is conveniently located in a small town about 30-40 minutes by car from Florence (between Florence and Siena). It is in the Chianti wine region of Tuscany. We stayed in a basic room, which was very nice. It was very large (one of the largest hotel rooms I have ever stayed in that wasn't a suite). There was a welcome bottle of champagne (already chilled for us) as well as a bottle of red wine and a huge basket of fresh fruit ready for us on our coffee table. There was a hand-written note to us that was a nice personal touch. The room had a beautiful view of the Tuscan countryside. The things that really stood out to me were: 1. Complimentary welcome champagne and wine 2. Abundant fruit basket that got replenished daily. 3. Complimentary bottled still and sparkling water replenished daily. 4. A pillow menu for guests! 5. Full breakfast every morning included with the room - there were 10 different kinds of milk out to suit everyone's preference (almond, soy, rice, goat, etc.) 5. The very nice spa 6. The setting of course! You literally couldn't ask for a more picturesque place! 7. Complimentary up to date movies on your TV 8. Great hiking trails right on the property My only (very small) complaints are that there was no dresser or shelves in the room - I had nowhere to unpack any of my folded clothes (there is only hanging space in the closet), and the mattress is very firm (this is just a personal issue though!). This hotel is very special and truly understands how to deliver a higher than 5-star experience to guests. I would highly recommend it for honeymooners, or anyone wanting a relaxing getaway in a beautiful place!