In the know

Our favourite rooms: Farthest from the main castello building, secluded Suite Chiesina is a beautifully decorated outbuilding with two floors and two bedrooms. Louis XIV-style beds and colourful antique Persian rugs complement the original artworks lining the walls, but the most impressive visual aspect is the views from every window – on a clear day you can see the sea over the hills and a seemingly unending swath of forest. There’s also a full barbecue and pergola-shaded dining area outside by the pool – ideal for supping cocktails and swooning at the sunset. Smaller, but more romantic, Suite Sassi has a private terrace with a full frontal countryside outlook – one of the best views in Tuscany – and an air of lightness, thanks to the floor-to-ceiling windows.
Packing tips: Ditch the stilettos – bumpy stone paths and root-riven forest floors are no friend to wayward heels. Trainers or Timberlands will stand you in sturdier stead.
Also: Castello di Vicarello’s spa uses ingredients sourced from the hotel’s gardens, including sage, rosemary and lavender; there’s a hammam too.

Italy hotels: Castello di Vicarello, need to know

Current offers

Smith card offer: A personalised ceramic gift designed by Aurora, the owner, and one free entrance to the thermal spa

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Castello di Vicarello

Tuscany, Italy[view map]

Style: Mediaeval castello in the clouds
Setting: Hidden hilltop olive groves

Castello di Vicarello has had 900 years to cultivate its air of mystery, so it’s no wonder that it can seem like a building stolen from a dream or a fairy tale on your first approach. Despite the ethereal air, however, aspects of this rustic-luxe boutique hotel couldn’t be more down-to-earth: authentic home-cooked, Tuscan cuisine straight from a traditional farmhouse kitchen, a working vineyard and olive grove, and the warmest welcome in northern Italy.

Need to know

Rooms: Six suites.
Rates: €409–€1,000, including home-made breakfast of jams, cakes and breads; excludes tax.
Check-out: Midday, but flexible, subject to availability.
Facilities: Spa, gardens, library. In rooms: minibar. Some suites have open fireplaces and all but La Grotta have kitchenettes.
Poolside: With unforgettable panoramic views of the valleys of Tuscany rolling out before you, swimming in either of Vicarello’s two infinity pools is a delight. The pool beside Suite Chiesina is lined with travertine and overlooks the hills, forests and coast
Eco-friendly: All fruit and vegetables used in the kitchen are grown organically in the hotel gardens. Vicarello produces its own wine and olive oil, and a large amount of meat is hunted on the hotel’s grounds.
Also: There’s no shortage of activities should you tire of relaxing: cooking classes and wine tasting can be arranged in the hotel’s kitchen, and horse riding, hunting and fishing can all be enjoyed in the nearby area.

Food & drink

Hotel restaurant: Aurora, the owner, cooks up a daily-changing menu of authentic homegrown, home-made Tuscan cuisine, served in the candlelit flower-filled courtyard in summer and by the fireside in winter. Aurora’s pigeon pâté is a firm favourite, as is the steak.
Dress code: Rustic and relaxed: skirts for sprawling in and shirts all a-billow.
Top table: The round table in the corner by reception overlooks the whole dining area and the gardens – perfect for a romantic tête-à-tête. The owners will also arrange a secret spot in the gardens to dine in if you request.
Last orders: Aurora’s Aga starts to cool at around 22h.
Room service: Fruit and snacks are always available in the kitchen, and you can have food brought to your room from 08h to 21h.
Hotel bar: Although there’s no bar as such, Castello di Vicarello’s courtyard and gardens are replete with nooks in which to secrete yourself with an aperitif or a glass of the hotel’s own vintage red.

Also worth knowing

Children: Under-eights stay free and cots can be provided; extra beds are €70 a night (€90 for adults), including breakfast. Babysitting can be arranged in advance for around €25 an hour.
Weddings: This hotel is suitable for weddings. More…

Smith Members offer

A personalised ceramic gift designed by Aurora, the owner, and one free entrance to the thermal spa

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