I was recently invited to stay for 2 nights at the insanely luxurious Castello di Casole. Perched high up in the Tuscan hills close to San Gimignano, this exquisite boutique hotel is perfectly located within easy reach of both Pisa and Florence airports.
Now, I will be honest and say that generally I am a big lover of hotels by the beach and those with a gorgeous sea view. So, I was really intrigued to know what I would make of a weekend in the countryside. But wow, I’ve clearly been missing out! The view from every angle at Castello di Casole was so irresistibly captivating and simply breath-taking. I was completely blown away!
This castle-turned-hotel, parts of which date back to the 10th century, boasts 41 suites and villas plus a number of stunning farmhouses dotted throughout the enormous 4,200 acres.
My elegant and stylish suite overlooked the main courtyard and was extremely spacious. The bathroom was stunning with a gorgeous roll-top bath tub and enormous rain shower.
The villas all have private pools and the impressive farmhouses offers guests complete seclusion in either a very traditional or uber modern setting.
The dining experiences at Castello di Casole are amazing. First up was lunch and our table was set on the enormous terrace, once again allowing me to soak up this mesmerizing view. Each course was paired with delicious Tuscan wine and even in mid October the weather during the day was a balmy 25oc.
We were back on the terrace by early evening sat on the comfy rattan sofas, with a glass of bubbles all ready for the most stunning sunset!
Dinner is very relaxed with pre-dinner cocktails at the bar and meals taken at the fine dining Ristoarante Tosca or delicious pizza at Pazzia.
Afternoons can be spent enjoying a spot of truffle hunting with one of the cutest puppies I’ve ever seen! This specific breed of dog has been hunting both black and white truffles throughout Tuscany for generations. Little Fiamma (meaning Flame) had a great time darting off in all directions and she cleverly found at least thirty truffles, all to be washed and handed to the chef for dinner that night!
You’ve probably already guessed that yes, the truffle pasta was sensational!
There were many highlights during my weekend at Castello, including a daily dip in the infinity-edge pool, an early morning yoga class, an indulgent massage at the spa and even a beauty class making my own body scrub and bath salts!
If a stay at Castello di Casole sounds like heaven to you, please get in touch!
[email protected] / 020 8891 0166
