Borgo dei Conti
Borgo dei Conti is an easy three
hour drive north from Rome. Be sure however, to access Google Maps and arrive
in the daylight, as it lies 8 miles west of Perugia, on a tiny lane in the
hills above Lake Trasimeno.
A home built centuries before, as
all these properties were, the interior has been completely redone, with
charming original accents such as beamed ceilings, yet some very modern design
elements as well.
I suggest you book one up from the minimum
category, to get the spacious feel so many of the rooms enjoy with remarkable
views of the countryside. The GM, S. Mereu, is a truly delightful gentleman
who will make you feel immediately like his personal guest, as will Elena at the front desk and all the staff.
who will make you feel immediately like his personal guest, as will Elena at the front desk and all the staff.
For my clients: complimentary full
breakfast and a 3 course lunch or dinner for 2.
Castel Monastero
A former convent, this lovely
property is near Castelnuovo Berardenga. Multiple ancient buildings with
renovated rooms and suites surround a courtyard, and adjacent to these
structures is an entire wing dedicated to wellness with a state of the art spa
and available long term health programs. In between lies a spectacular multi
level pool, and around you are the rolling hills of Tuscany.
Rooms are all very individual, but even the least expensive is full of charm, light and space. The bathrooms are very high tech yet retain a sense of the history of this place.
A Gordon Ramsey restaurant, and less formal trattoria provide an excellent choice of fare, and the bar is a wonderful mix of hip and traditional, with soft jazz playing and unique and delicious cocktails!
Enzo, the deputy manager is a gem,
and you can feel the feminine touch of GM, Graziella Arba, on everything.
We slept so well here, we missed the wonderful breakfast!
Castello del Nero
Moving northwest from the Castel,
we wandered through such iconic towns as Radda in Chianti, Cortona, and San
Gimignano, all very scenic and easy to navigate. Off the toll highways, the
road dips and winds with vines covering every hillside. Our final stop was at
the very grand Castello del Nero, which lies halfway between Siena and
Florence, outside the town of
Tavarnelle.
Here is the private home of royal and wealthy families since the 1200s. The main floor was the stables, now the site of 2
excellent restaurants.
The family lived on the 2nd floor and the staff on the 3rd. No room is alike and all are full of atmosphere and perfectly maintained. There are two enormous terraces with many sitting areas and outdoor dining above the beautiful pool. On the lowest level is also a modern and very complete spa.
Trails surround the property and
bikes are available. They even offer a shuttle service to Siena for a memorable
day trip. As at all of these properties, the staff is extremely well trained
and welcoming. We enjoyed a glass of local vino on the terrace one night with
my friend and the head of Silversea's wine program, Lawrence d'Almeida, who
lives in Greve nearby and is sometimes available for private wine touring.
Contact me if you are interested.
Following that, we dined on bigoli pasta with fresh
Following that, we dined on bigoli pasta with fresh
| white truffles, accompanied by a memorable bottle of Amarone. Windows wide open, we enjoyed our last night's rest in beautiful Tuscany. |
 |
For my clients: complimentary full
breakfast and $100 dining credit.
Below: Two sisters in Tuscany. Mary Pat Bauman on the left, and your blogger, Sheelagh King, on the right.
Below: Two sisters in Tuscany. Mary Pat Bauman on the left, and your blogger, Sheelagh King, on the right.
