34 Best Hotels in Tuscany, Italy

This centuries-old villa has old-fashioned guest rooms that are lovingly decorated with antique quilts and handmade wooden furnishings yet are also equipped with modern appliances. The owners are authorities on the surrounding area and happily draw maps and suggest wine-tasting and touring routes. Follow signs for San Marcellino Monti to get here.

Consisting of a former convent (dating from the 1300s) and a Romanesque church, this rustic yet elegant lodging has rooms with canopy beds, chiseled-stone fireplaces, and massage-jet tubs (in suites). Windows look out on the hills, woods, and vineyards. Dine by candlelight in the courtyard on sophisticated classics—carrè di agnello in crosta di noce (walnut-coated rack of lamb), for example—at the first-class restaurant.

Options at this sumptuous lodging include rooms and suites in an 18th-century villa, or, for more seclusion, private suites and villas at the far end of the property. The hotel serves an almost exclusively international clientele. Cooking classes and guided wine tastings are available, a small shop sells estate-produced olive oil and wine, and the restaurant serves sumptuous fare.

A 14th-century monastery has been converted into this upscale country hotel, where rooms have the style and comfort of an aristocratic villa, with classic prints and bold colors such as daffodil yellow. Common areas are luxurious, with fine woods and leather upholstery. In warm weather, breakfast is served on the patio next to the garden ablaze with flowers.

At an altitude of more than 1,800 feet, this converted farmhouse is probably the loftiest luxury inn in Chianti. Its views are breathtaking, looking down on Volpaia and Radda, with Siena and the hills of southern Tuscany as a backdrop. The infinity pool, set on the hillside, takes full advantage of the magnificent panorama. Guest rooms are simple but tasteful, with high beamed ceilings, painted, as was once the tradition in these parts, in pale pastels. To get here, take the bumpy gravel road 2 km (1 mile) northwest from Volpaia.

This old farmhouse has been transformed into a marvelous hotel in the midst of vineyards. The three common rooms are cozy but elegant, filled with well-stuffed upholstered couches and chairs; the breakfast room looks out on a sweeping panorama of hills, and a well-stocked honor bar is available for the use of guests. The chirping of birds is about the only noise you'll hear on the grounds awash in flowers. Timbered ceilings hang above beds covered with floral comforters.

In this lovely 15th-century palace, spacious rooms have high ceilings, tile floors, and 18th-century furnishings, and many have views of the valley below. Bathrooms throughout are tiled in local stone. Common areas are elegant, with deep, plush couches that invite you to recline. There's an ample breakfast buffet and you can arrange for a light lunch in the warmer months. The multilingual staff goes out of its way to be helpful.

A refined and comfortable country house offers numerous sitting rooms with terra-cotta floors and attractive stonework, as well as wood-beamed guest rooms filled with simple wooden furnishings and handwoven rugs. The grounds, flanked by vineyards and olive trees, are equally inviting, with lawns, terraces, and a pool. The Ristorante Vignale serves excellent wines and local specialties like cinghiale in umido con vin cotto (wild boar stew flavored with wine). 

Scotts David and Catherine Gardner transformed a ramshackle, 16th-century villa into a retreat where no two rooms are alike—all have stenciled walls; some have four-poster beds, others small mezzanines. Bathrooms are a riot of color, with tiles from Vietri. The second floor, with a cozy fireplace, is the perfect place for a cup of tea or a glass of wine. The hotel's restaurant and its talented chefs offer cooking lessons in the modern kitchen.

Renaissance gardens, beautiful rooms with high ceilings and elegant furnishings, a panoramic pool, and expert staff are just a few of the things that make a stay at this 16th-century villa memorable. A short walk outside the small town of San Casciano Val di Pesa—with bus service to Florence—Il Poggiale sits on a ridge with spectacular views of the Chianti hills. An excellent breakfast is served on an outdoor terrace in fine weather, and the hotel's restaurant provides a buffet of antipasti along with a menu of Tuscan dishes for guests in the evening. The numerous public sitting rooms are intimate and cozy, and a small spa, with a sauna, massage room, and whirlpool tub complete the picture.

Once the home of the Viviani della Robbia family, this 16th-century villa in a grove of ancient cypress trees retains many aspects of a private country dwelling, including homey guest quarters. The honor bar allows you to enjoy an aperitivo (Italian happy hour) on the terrace while admiring the views, of which there are many. Guest rooms have white-plaster walls, timber ceilings, and some tile floors. The restaurant uses fresh produce from the owner's farm in western Tuscany.

An open-hearth fireplace and hand-hewn stone porticoes hark back to the 13th century, when this was a fortress, and although it's now a small hotel with modern amenities, including a beautiful outdoor pool, the traditional tone is maintained by the wood-beamed ceilings and simple, country-style furniture. The scent of lavender and rosemary wafts from the gardens, and all rooms have soothing views of the surrounding vineyards and hills.

This charming hotel with a friendly staff is right off the main shopping drag, Via Fillungo. Terra-cotta floors and stenciled walls impart a cozy feeling, while the high brick and timbered ceilings create a sense of spaciousness. The sitting room, with its fireplace and bar, provides a lovely place to relax. Breakfast is served in a cheery room with sponged-painted walls.

Stay in a fortified castle, which was built more than a millennium ago, was rebuilt during the Renaissance, and is now a charming inn and a prestigious wine estate where you can taste local vintages. Throughout the main building and two nearby farmhouses you'll find wonderful heavy wooden furniture.

Caryatids stud the grounds of this well-kept neoclassical villa (it's been a hotel since 1870), where a small garden invites reading, and guest rooms are functional, airy, and reasonably quiet. The location—minutes from the main sights but near the long-distance bus terminal and parking area—is a big plus here, as is the pleasant staff. Single rooms are not the usual monastic-cell size. Head downstairs to the restaurant for inexpensive meals.

The family that owns this farmhouse took special care not to change too much when they began accepting guests—faded family photos and bric-a-brac of all kinds decorate the common areas, and each room is simply furnished with antiques that are typical of the late-18th and early-19th centuries in Chianti, including heavy wooden wardrobes, marble-top chests, and woven straw–seat chairs. There's a large pool and splendid views of the valley to the south of Castellina from the garden.

For a complete change of pace, you can stay in the company of five Franciscan friars at this 13th-century convent, which is managed by a religious organization and has simple, quiet guest rooms with en suite baths. Four rooms accommodate three people, and one room has four beds. You are given keys, so there's no curfew, and you can participate in some spiritual activities or skip them altogether. The city center is a 10-minute walk away.

Amid rolling vineyards and olive trees, this fattoria (farmhouse) produces fine wine and olive oil and accommodates guests in apartments (sleeping up to 6) and a separate house (sleeping up to 14). The main stone house retains its enormous stone fireplace and a 16th-century family chapel next door. Lodgings have traditional wooden furniture—some antique—and full kitchens; some units have fireplaces. Half-board is available.

If you're looking for a place within the town walls, this is a fine choice—one where contemporary furnishings in the guest rooms are softened by warm, umber-color walls and floral artwork. Rooms at the back of the hotel have magnificent views and some have panoramic terraces. The Gigli family has run the hotel since 1886.

Stroll around the wonderful gardens on this restored country estate dating from the 14th century, where guest rooms with arched windows and oak-beam ceilings are in two houses that look out on vineyards to the north and Siena to the south. The homey furnishings include antique wardrobes and ladder-back chairs. The dining room, open to guests only, has a prix-fixe menu. In summer, enjoy dinner by the pool surrounded by rolling green lawn.

High above Sorano, this austere-looking 11th-century Orsini castle has spectacular views of the town and surrounding countryside. Wood-beam ceilings hang above white and pastel walls in most rooms, and windows have dark-wood shutters. A careful mix of antique and modern furniture—Rococo chairs and upholstered couches—makes for a pleasant and comfortable stay. The hotel closes for some time during the winter; the length and month of the closure vary annually.

A sense of freshness comes from the terra-cotta floors, high wood-beamed ceilings, and soothing whitewashed walls in this hotel's guest rooms. The serene garden, facing the town wall, is filled with oleanders, geraniums, and olive trees.

Horseback trail rides through Tuscany's cowboy country are an integral part of the experience at this family-run country inn, where your hosts can arrange picnics, suggest itineraries, and organize weeklong tours. But nonriders don't have to mope at the bar—this agriturismo also has a pool and idyllic views. Rooms are plainly decorated with modern wooden wardrobes and desks; most are carpeted; some are enlivened by wood-beam ceilings.

Convenient to Rio Marina's charming town center and gravel beach, this comfortable hotel has pretty sea views, especially from one of the five rooms that have terraces facing the sea. Use of beach chairs and umbrellas is complimentary.

The atmosphere here is welcoming, hospitable, and enthusiastic, and the staff goes out of their way to ensure a fine stay; rooms in the back look out onto the lush grounds or the countryside in the distance. When it's warm, breakfast is served in the flower-filled garden with a view, providing a gorgeous start to the day.

The grounds of this former Etruscan settlement—a series of low-slung medieval stone buildings with barrel-tile roofs—feature cobbled paths and cypress trees; the interior has unfussy rooms with terra-cotta tile floors, attractive woodwork, and elegant but comfortable furnishings. The fire-lit reading room with a bar is particularly inviting.

On a quiet street in the upper part of town, these unpretentious lodgings are given sparkle by the welcoming and friendly service of the owners, Roberto and Vittoria Giardinelli. Rooms are a bit kitschy and filled with family knickknacks, but each has a private, modern bathroom. Your lively hosts are on hand to serve breakfast in the morning and an honor bar is available to all guests. There's also a quiet garden terrace for lazy afternoons.

The space for part of this tiny guesthouse has been carved out of the tufa rock beneath the aqueduct at the entrance to the old town. Rooms are small and simply decorated, with painted armoires, floral print chair rails, and wood dressing tables. Only one room, the smallest, has no air-conditioning, and all are immaculately clean. A two-bedroom apartment with private terrace is available for minimum three-night stays.

The guest rooms at this 14th-century palace are named for signs of the zodiac, but the astrological reference stops at the painted symbol on the door, as each elegant room is unique—an antique sewing-machine table serves as a nightstand, a medieval-looking chandelier with a forged-iron ring and a globe hangs from a ceiling, elegant striped silk covers a wooden settee. Some rooms have ivory-color drapes hanging from baldachin beds—iron canopy beds with a painted medallion on the headpiece. A lovely garden opens behind the hotel. Five cheaper rooms, named for constellations, are available in an annex.

This ultraprivate hotel is free from noise except for the lapping of waves on the rocks; terraces and flowering gardens spill down a rocky cliff to private beaches below, and on the hill above, the owners raise purebred donkeys that you can ride over the mountain and goats that produce fresh yogurt and cheese for breakfast. Rooms feel more like those of a private home than a hotel; to complete your sense of relaxation, hydromassages and mud baths are available at the hotel's spa. You can only get here via the hotel's private boat.