A few days in Southern Tuscany - Part II
A review of the Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco and where we ate in the area
Where we stayed
We visited Southern Tuscany for a week in June and stayed in two very different hotels - the boutique, family owned Casa Newton in Pienza (absolutely loved and chatted about our experience there in this post) and the sprawling Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco property just outside of Montalcino.
The Castiglion del Bosco property is huge, located on 5,000 acres within the Val d’Orcia Valley. The 900 year old estate includes an 18-hole golf course and a historic village, “Borgo”, which now comprises 42 guest suites, 11 villas and 2 pools (one adults only quiet pool and one family pool). The property, which is now managed by Rosewood, was purchased by the Ferragamo family in 2003.
The views from the property and pool are spectacular and seemingly endless (the entire Val d’Orcia region is amazingly pristine and protected) and the hotel suites are quite spacious with particularly large bathroom and closet areas and strong A/C. There are two restaurants on the property, the more casual Osteria La Canonica and the two Michelin star Campo del Drago. The food at the hotel was very good with Campo del Drago being one of the best meals we had in the region. Service during our stay was also great.
My biggest issue with the property was how inauthentic it felt. While a great place to relax for a few days, the interior design of the restaurants and common areas of the hotel felt a bit tired and uninspired. Additionally, maybe because of the golf course on site, but the hotel was filled with Americans in dri-FIT exercise clothing when we were there (not that there’s anything wrong with this but a very different vibe from Casa Newton or Reschio in Umbria which have much more of a “sense of place”). However, if you want to relax poolside with amazing views, great food and the creature comforts of America - i.e. large room, huge bathroom, robust A/C, highly attentive staff, golf course and tennis courts, Castiglion del Bosco is a great place to do so.
Where we ate
The hotel is about 15-20 mins away from other towns or dining options. We stayed at the hotel for two nights and ventured off property twice. We enjoyed a late lunch at Boccon Divino, a lovely little restaurant that sits just outside of Montalcino in a farmhouse with an open summer terrace and sweeping valley views and a phenomenal dinner at La Sala dei Grappoli which is the Michelin star restaurant at Castello Banfi, a medieval castle which is now the site of a hotel and the winery in Montalcino. The restaurant was about 30 minutes from Castiglion del Bosco and one of the most beautiful drives I have ever experienced - winding roads of cypress and olive trees leading up to the castle which is situated high on the hill top. We were able to dine out on the terrace and watch the sunset over the Tuscan vineyards below - such a memorable meal to end the trip with. I highly recommend going for dinner if you are planning to be in the area.
Overall, I highly recommend planning a trip to Southern Tuscany. The region has a storybook beauty to it and feels so calm and peaceful— I found it much easier to escape the tourist crowds than when travelling around Amalfi, Portofino or Lake Como. Other hotels on my list in the region are Borgo Santo Pietro and Hotel Lupaia — I can’t wait to go back!