We arrived without a call ahead or notice of any kind and found the restaurant closed for a special…read moreevent. The event looked as though it was a local business' lunch during what might have been a retreat day; this implied a good reputation to me. Important! My wife bought their family story cookbook which was both interesting, story wise, and packed full of small farm available - few ingredient recipes. We walked around the farm- which was very small by Southeast Pennsylvania and Northern Kentucky family farm observable norms.

A Perfect Farm-to-Table Lunch with Unforgettable Views…read more If you're anywhere near Pienza, do yourself a favor and stop for this incredible farm-to-table lunch experience. Everything was fresh, local, and incredible flavor. house-made cheeses and delicate prosciutto, salad and tomatoes, honey, and perfectly cooked pork. You can taste the care and tradition in every bite. Highly recommended

This is getting only 3 stars for a few reasons. 1) tonight the waiter bumped us to a side table on…read morethe balcony with the excuse that they had reservations from 7:15pm. I'm staying in the hotel and they're lucky if they had 3 tables filled ALL NIGHT. The terrace was empty! 2) the waiter said "cazzo" when I approached him to order a drink, and then faked a smile right in my face. 3) I took the children down to swim in the pool at 6:30pm and this same waiter blew us off and said it's all closed, marching us to the gate and yanking on the padlock to demonstrate how closed it was. The sign right next to him said the pool closes at 7pm. 4) a friend of mine had a booking for 5 rooms cancelled with 24 hours notice because they'd got a "big group" coming in. Not acceptable. However, the rooms are comfy, the setting is very special and the views are world class. Best they replace the staff soon I hope.

After spending 20 years coming to Pienza on daytrips and gazing longingly over the "balcony" of the…read moresteep bluff into the Val D'Orcia, we decided to treat ourselves to a night here so we could even longer gazing over the incredible view. Relais Il Chiostro was indeed a treat: A beautiful hotel right in the center of the old renaissance town with great amenities and a killer view. Although the hotel may be prominent on the Pienza skyline when viewed from the valley below, the entrance within the city gates is pretty demur, tucked obliquely between the Duomo and a gelato store. As the name implies, the hotel occupies the (renovated) space of the old convent and cloisters. Rooms each have a bed space, a small sitting suite and a bath. They're well-appointed with modern amenities. Given the building's original purpose, each room is slightly different in configuration, and long-time returning guests apparently have their favorites and request those well in advance. Be sure to use the website to request a room that overlooks their outside yard and the stunning view of the Val D'Orcia below. (if ever there was a hotel that proved E.M. Forster's premise of asking for a "room with a view", this is it....the Mother of all Views.) The hotel boasts an upscale restaurant, a pool overlooking the valley, and a wonderful yard which can be used for drinks, breakfasting or just mere awe-struck gazing. Staff are polite, and moderately helpful; some are even cordial. This town was explicitly rebuilt by a renaissance pope to be an artistic tourist attraction, and this remains true today. The old part of town can get mobbed during the day, so the somewhat jaded attitudes of the locals are understandable. I booked well in advance, and actually found the price for a very nice room to be completely reasonable. I've paid more at Marriott Suites in the deep Midwest. I'm sure there are even more upscale rooms to be had here, but for what we got I couldn't be more pleased. I'd eagerly stay there again if I wanted to linger in Pienza overnight. Two other quick notes: --The old city is small, and is an "area pedonale" (pedestrians only.) This means you'll need to park your car elsewhere around Pienza. We dropped off luggage at one of the city gates about 200 yards from the hotel, and then went to find parking. Not always easy in such a crowded town. I'd suggest the large lot about 400 yards further down SS 146, across from the COOP. I also understand the hotel can issue you permit parking for an additional fee...might make some sense. --Given the relative compactness of the old town, the number of restaurants is limited. They appear to try to stagger their "nights off". If you want to dine "in town", best to check with the hotel to find out what's open on any given night, and get a reservation, since space gets limited. (You'll also get better restaurant service, I've found.) Outside the old city walls, there also are some serviceable tourist-level restaurants, if you don't want the hassle of playing "hit or miss" in the old town.

We stayed here for four nights during our honeymoon…read more Highly recommend this beautiful hotel. It is outside of the main city, which I like the most. It's beautiful surrounded by wineries. Has a nice pool with free ice cream stand along with many pool floaties (unicorns, flamingos). Free breakfast daily. After eating so much pasta every day during the trip I tend to eat a lighter breakfast and the fruit selection and espresso is Perfect and hits the spot. Everyday the owner, Alberto, would be at breakfast and ready to give me recommendations, directions, or make me reservations depending on what we were doing. Everything he suggested did not disappoint. We cannot wait to come back and stay again in the future. ****I highly recommend renting a car when visiting. This location. It is not walkable in my option during the summer ****

Can't add too much to reviews below however Alberto is a super fantastic host and the surrounding…read morescenery is amazing. The breakfast is fantastic. The place is somewhat hard to find and is pricey but well worth every single penny!!! It is most convenient by car.

Great food and service at the restaurant. The property is very nice and has a great atmosphere. The…read morepool side service was great as well.

Tenuta Santo Pietro is a working farm located in Tuscan countryside, and features an outdoor…read moreswimming pool with views of Pienza, 5 km away. The rooms are located in a 13th-century farmhouse, and come with terracotta floors and wooden beams on the ceilings. There are 12 rooms in the boutique hotel. The location of the hotel is very special since it is located in between Pienza and Montepulciano with marvelous Chianti scenery. The Santo Pietro's well-tended gardens feature several patio areas, furnished with tables and chairs. The pool is surrounded by padded-teak deck chairs, tables, and parasols. The public areas of the hotel is very relaxing, the small pool area is also helpful to rest under the Tuscan sun... Most of the service people are very welcoming and friendly. The breakfast is not bad with variety of freshly baked cakes, croissants and tarts. The dinner that we had at its restaurant was perfect. We had true Tuscan food with fresh vegetables, delicious meat with perfect wine. There are many people who only came for lunch and dinner. The rooms are very clean, the towels are soft and the amenities such as soap, shampoo and body lotion are special Tuscanian products. However there are some negative issues with the rooms. First, the hotel faces a busy traffic road and it was very hard to sleep since it is impossible to open the windows because of the noise. Although the rooms were nicely decorated, there was not a mirror in the room and there is only one chair. Therefore there is not a place to put your staff in the room. The other problem was the coverage of the wifi. It is not possible to use it in the rooms and pool area. Although it was a bit pricey we had very nice time at Tenuta Santo Pietro.

Magical place! Located in the hills down a very long gravel road in one of the best parts of…read moreTuscany. Great base for day trips. Breathtaking views and attentive, warm service. They use Whatsup to communicate with you, and are always super responsive. Our room was comfortable, spacious, and clean. Great bathroom, with ample storage and counter space. This place is exceptional!

This place is a wonderful place for peace and tranquility. If you need to find serenity this is it…read more The food thus far has been wonderful. The staff is enthusiastic and genuine. They're on top of there game here. Wonderful place to spend a vacation.

I came to Castello de Velona in September 2024 for a wedding. I can't tell you what a lovely place…read morethis is. The service is impeccable, the rooms cozy and the grounds and the view are amazing! I ended up renting a car and driving in from Firenze, which was not only a great option but an easy drive through the many vineyards in Tuscany. Upon arrival I was greeted by valets ready to help you with your car and help you unload your luggage. Upon entering, you're greeted by a beautiful restored castle with many pathways, that are intriguing. My room was nice, we had a small living room with a great view of the rolling knolls. I felt warped back in time. The upgrades give this place a nice touch of elegance and charm that made me feel right at home. The thermal waters that flow through their pools are both healing and relaxing. The staff is readily available to take ANY request. I honestly felt like royalty here. We ate breakfast, lunch and dinner here. My only gripe is with myself, I wish I was more adventurous with their food. I have to admit, as an American, I'm used to large portions and feeling stuffed afterwards. I did not feel that here, in fact, the food was just enough and their wine and cocktails options were on par with my expectations. Come here to relax, come here to indulge in great service and delicious food. Come here because you need to get away from the city. You will not be disappointed.

This location is absolutely fabulous. Our rooms were great, views were fantastic, staff was very…read moreaccommodating, spa services were so relaxing and we took a private cooking class from Dominnico which was such an amazing experience - absolutely loved him and will be definitely trying to recreate what we learned hands on in his kitchen.

Literally can't say enough good things about this place. pure serenity from the moment you step out…read moreof the taxi. Every employee was so fantastic and went above and beyond the whole time we were there & even better they all had a big smile all the time!! The food is fantastic, the views are endless and the service was beyond incredible. Highly recommend a spa day & cooking class! We will be back & will be recommending to all our friends

Amazing! Truly paradise. This unique resort sits on top of a beautiful Tuscan hill looking over…read moresome of the most iconic Tuscan landscapes. Every corner you turn, every room you enter and every detail is like a fairytale. If you can make it here, you are one of the lucky ones.

We stayed one night at this gorgeous property after there was a problem with our booked hotel…read more Though our stay was short I really need to share that if you want time where all dreams of romantic Italy come true, this is your place. Magnificent.

Montepulciano is one of my husbands and my favorite places on earth. We have been traveling here…read moreover the years and have never had a disappointing stay. We have made friends and lasting memories. This stay was just spectacular and the exact kind of pampering and luxurious experience we were hoping for. We decided, this time, to stay at the Palazzo Carletti. The Palazzo Carletti is a gorgeous piece of historical elegance. We knew a little bit about the history of this building. For example, it was the communist headquarters during World War II. Interesting right? During that time many of the magnificent ceiling frescoes had been enclosed to conserve energy/heat. When the new owner broke through the ceiling barrier to expose these great frescoes, I can only imagine his excitement. The Palazzo Carletti is a boutique hotel nestled right up from the wonderful Cafe Polizziano, right in the heart of the highest mountain town in Tuscany, Montepulciano . This special hotel has only 5 rooms that are accessed off of the grand room that drips in history and beautiful frescos. The family that owns this gem are exemplary hosts and we felt like the most special people on earth during our stay. The concierge was just lovely. She was so elegant and composed in her position and ensured our stay here was a perfect 10. The breakfasts that are served in the grand room each morning were fantastic. We had the great fortune of staying in the Albany Suite and it was amazing. Ceiling frescoes, luxurious bedding, super modern bathroom, to die for, and a perfect Tuscan view from our balcony where we drank our cappuccino each morning...... The Dolce Vita!!

What an amazing place...the views are incredible, the people are incredibly friendly, the service…read moreis top notch, the rooms are clean and large, the grounds are magnificent, the location is central, and it is truly a picture of your Tuscan dream. There are four of us traveling and we have two rooms...the tower suite and a standard room and both have far exceeded our expectations. Breakfast is included, and is excellent, with fresh fruit, a coffee drink of your choice, pastries, breads, meats and cheeses, made to order eggs, and a beautiful dining room. There is a full service gourmet restaurant on-site that is very good. There is free wifi internet access. The next time I am in Tuscany I will definitely stay here again. Fantastic!!!