Italy is full of old things, and it’s full of beautiful places, but there can’t be many older or more beautiful places to stay than the medieval Hotel Monteverdi.
Set in the Tuscan hills between Rome and Florence, the village of Castiglioncello del Trinoro lay slumbering in obscurity until the restoration of three run-down buildings created a boutique hotel and villa hideaway which has put the village on the map – albeit one you’ll need a magnifying glass to find.
This hotel restoration began in 2004 and involved an ongoing archaeological dig by the University of Siena, which points to the level of authenticity the hotel enjoys. The main guest accommodation consists of seven individually designed rooms, blending period features with obscenely-elegant modern comforts. There’s an outdoor swimming pool, a “farm-to-table” caffè, and three super-swanky villas are also available to rent to anyone who owns an oil field or a diamond mine. As for the views, this is the kind of place consumptive aristocrats from a Henry James novel might come to gasp their last. Breathtaking.
