hotel review: castello vicchiomaggio

Castello di Vicchiomaggio atop the hill.

(Greve in Chianti, Italy).  When I was looking for a place to stay in Chianti, I was torn between 3 choices - Borgo Argenina (a Tuscan farmhouse), Villa Bordoni and Castello di Vicchiomaggio.  Ultimately after reading many reviews, I chose Castello di Vicchiomaggio for its location and the pictures of its relaxing infinity pool.

Castello di Vicchiomaggio is a 12th century fortress perched atop a hill overlooking the Greve Valley.  We were told that Leonardo da Vinci stayed there while painting the Mona Lisa, so there is definitely a lot of history to the place.  But more importantly (for me) - it was close to Florence (about 30 minutes) and within driving distance to Siena and San Gimignano.  Moreover, there are wine tastings at the hotel (which is a working winery) and there was the pool which looked so inviting. I imagined that it would be perfect on a hot summer's day after a day of drinking.  We booked a Superior Double Room on the 2nd floor.  Parking is free for hotel guests and there is free Wi-Fi available in public areas.

So, did the reality of our stay match what I imagined in my head?


Check in:  We arrived a bit early so our room was not ready, but

everyone was super warm and friendly.  There is definitely a more relaxed and welcoming atmosphere - much more so than in Rome and Florence.  We were able to walk around the gorgeous grounds and enjoy one of the wine tastings while the room was getting prepared.  (Note - you pay when you arrive so they basically charge you for the entire stay at check-in.  I believe we paid for city taxes in cash upon arrival.)

Room:  The room was very simple and clean, and fortunately it had air conditioning.  I'm not sure all the rooms come with a/c so you should double-check.   The bed wasn't as comfortable as the one at St. Regis, but it was serviceable.  The television was rather small but we were rarely in the room so that was not an issue for us.  The bathroom is okay but honestly the water pressure and temperature were incredibly finicky.   (However, once you see the pool and the grounds, you'll probably forgive the old and temperamental plumbing just as we did.)

Location:  The location was great!  It was an easy drive from Florence and well situated for day trips to Siena, San Gimignano, etc.  Being atop a hill also provided for breathtaking and post-card perfect views of the Tuscan countryside.

Service:  Very warm and friendly.  Most of the staff spoke decent english and were eager to provide assistance and recommendations.

Breakfast (included):  Another lovely breakfast spread.  The fresh juices and coffee were inviting, but the star of the show were definitely the fresh-baked pastries.  In particular there was a cake made of light layers of pastry, chocolate flakes and home made cream (similar to a napoleon) that was absolutely divine.  I looked forward to this cake every morning!  (Note - they have room names, not numbers, so it's important to take note of what name is associated with your room because they ask for it in the breakfast room.  I kept forgetting and/or butchering the name of our room  - Masaccio? - but they managed to figure it out....)

Wine Tasting:  The wine tasting here is very educational and enjoyable.  You actually visit the vineyards and the cellars before trying the wines.  I've been on many many wine tours, and I still learned some new things here.  The wines were also quite good.  I think we particularly enjoyed the Ripa Delle Mandorle (white wine with Trebbiano and Chardonnay grapes) and the Chianti Reserva.  They had a very very fancy vintage which was 28 euros for just a taste but we decided not to do it.  I just couldn't imagine spending 500+ euros for one bottle of wine!  (They said it was so amazing that people reserve them in advance....hmmmm...who are these super rich people???)


Pool:  This may be the primary reason for staying at this lovely establishment.  The infinity pool and the views from there are incomparable.  It's a great way to relax after a day of sightseeing and winetasting.  It's too bad they don't have a pool bar.  Had there been a bar, we literally would have stayed there forever....

Misc:  Be warned they host A LOT of weddings here so you may be treated to hours of 80's and disco music but fortunately the parties don't seem to go too late into the night.  Also no mini bars or anything like that but there is a small safe. 

And (I almost forgot) - the wi-fi connection was pretty abysmal.  My husband found one little area where the connection worked (outside the reception area) and spent some quality time there with other hotel guests attempting to share the signal in that little spot.

Check out:  Very smooth and easy.  You basically return your key and that's it.

Recommend?  Absolutely.  It's rare to be able to stay somewhere so immersed in history and so unique.  It isn't fancy but you probably won't even notice it.  Apparently they host a Monday Tuscan dinner which is amazing, but unfortunately some big bus tour booked it so we weren't able to get a reservation.  Maybe next time!

(Average cost per night - $229)