This is not a full site inspection report ... because I was not on a site inspection trip. In the course of three days in Tuscany with two Brownell Travel colleagues, we stayed at a couple of properties (Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco for 1 night and Monteverdi Tuscany for 2 nights). We enjoyed lunch and saw some rooms at Hotel Continental in Sienna. Finally, after a quick visit to the village of Cortona, we made an impromptu visit to Il Falconiere. These are some quick impressions.


Rosewood Castligion del Bosco


Master Bedroom at Villa Biondi, Castiglion del Bosco


bedroom from a Deluxe Suite in the main hotel


Looking for five-star polished perfection? Castiglion del Bosco comes as close as you can get out in the country. An ancient Tuscan village has been transformed into a luxury resort with just 23 suites in the village and 11 freestanding villas in the surrounding countryside. We spent the night at one of those villas. Villa Biondi is a five bedroom house with fireplace and outdoor heated swimming pool. When we awoke in the morning, the breakfast table was already set with all sorts of baked delights, and kitchen was stocked with ingredients to cook your own omelette. Cooking is fun if you can leave the dirty pans in the sink :-)

Staying in one of the villas is the ultimate five-star experience. I've also attached a photo of a Deluxe Suite in the "main hotel" (e.g., village) for purposes of comparison. It's a nice room, but it doesn't pretend to compare with the size and privacy you'll enjoy in a villa.

Dinner in the hotel's restaurant was delightful. Our hosts created a tasting meal for us at Osteria La Canonica, the property's Tuscan trattoria. The food was wonderful ... and try the Rosso di Montalcino wine that is grown and made in property. Ever see a wine library? This is one of the highlights of the winery tour at Castiglion del Bosco.


Monteverdi Tuscany


my bedroom at Monteverdi Tuscany

There's always a tradeoff when exploring destinations like Tuscany. You can seek 5-star polished luxury ... or you can pursue local flavor and authenticity. This was my bedroom for two nights at Monteverdi. If I wanted to complain, there was a lot to complain about. The room was dark; the original windows in this centuries-old building were small and did not admit much natural light (and the room lacked overhead lighting). The bed was hard. The bathroom had a small single vanity. Shower drainage wasn't the best; if you didn't place the bathmat outside the open shower, water would flow into the room. These are the kinds of issues you get with ancient buildings when they are not massively renovated.

But would I come back? YES!!! The dinner we enjoyed in the hotel's restaurant was so good. The hospitality was warm. The setting? Exactly what many visitors hope for when visiting Tuscany. Monteverdi is like St. Paul de Vence without the tourists. It's a small, non-commercial village. There's no place to shop or dine except the hotel. But the views ... that's why I'd come back. Monteverdi is a photographer's paradise. Take a look at some photographs I took at sunrise...




views from the village of Monteverdi in early morning


Grand Hotel Continental, Siena


Noble Suite bedroom


this is the view from city view rooms

I had visited Siena once before. I was traveling with a friend, and we popped into town without a guide and quickly took things in. This time was different. We were met by a guide and learned SO much about the history and customs of Siena in just a couple of hours. I highly recommend spending at least a half-day with a great guide.

Grand Hotel Continental is located very centrally and offers an idea location from which to explore Siena. I would rate this as a high 4* hotel. Nothing wrong with the hotel, but it does not rise to the level of accommodations that you'd find in the world's best five star city hotels. Of course, you're not in Rome, Milan, or Florence... you're in Siena, a town of only 50,000 residents. Bedrooms of normal guestrooms are nothing special unless you book a room with a view. Highly recommended — a Noble Suite. Located on the lower two floors of the hotel, these suites feature beautiful high ceilings, some with frescoes.


Relais Il Falconiere


one of the "old" bedrooms at Il Falconiere


one of the newly constructed bedrooms at Il Falconiere

Our group made an impromptu visit to the town of Cortona, an interesting detour and place to spend the day. We did the requisite shopping, visited the monastery that St. Francis founded, and saw the exterior of the house that was the setting for the movie Under the Tuscan Sun. We then made an even more impromptu visit to Il Falconiere.

We were warmly greeted by the owners of the resort — a husband-wife team. She is a Michelin-starred chef. He is the vintner of the estate's vineyard. We had so little time, but we did have a chance to see a few rooms. The property is completing the construction of a new buildings with new room product. Being completely new construction, these new rooms come with perfect bathrooms — dual vanities, step-in showers, etc. — but they lack the charm of the old room product. While the original rooms do not have the perfect bathrooms that new construction makes possible, they are what I'd personally go for. If I'm in Tuscany, I'd rather feel the charm of the original architecture.