Mr & Mrs Smith

Villa Bordoni

Tuscany, Italy

Scottish restaurateurs Catherine and David Gardner took three years to furbish and restore Villa Bordoni, a 10-roomed villa in the rolling countryside. They have successfully filled a glaring boutique-hotel gap in a beloved holiday region. They have been careful not to create a self-conscious design hotel, offering instead a tasteful country-house hotel with hi-tech trim that's child-friendly, too.

Need to know

• Rooms 10, including five suites.
• Rates Double rooms from $323.11 (€250), excluding tax at 10 per cent. Please note the hotel charges an additional local city tax of €2.50 per person per night on check-out.
  The price shown represents the lowest nightly rate for a double room available at this hotel over the next 21 days. Any price conversions from the hotel's local currency (€250) have been conducted using today's exchange rates from xe.com.
• More details Rates include breakfast. Half-board is available for an extra €45 a day.
• Facilities LCD TVs, DVD and CD players, wireless internet; WiFi in public areas; library of books and magazines; open-air fitness pavilion.
• Poolside The saltwater pool is set in terraced olive groves, with views over the Chianti hills from the gazebos.
• Check-out 11am, but may be flexible.
• Children Welcome. There is no charge for under-sevens sharing with their parents. Extra beds and cots are available for €30–€50. More...
• Also The villa and its grounds are non-smoking. It's situated at the end of a lengthy unmade road, so watch your tires if you're driving.
• Hotel closed From the second week of January until 28 February.

Food and drink at Villa Bordoni

• Hotel restaurant The restaurant is the jewel in Bordoni's crown, so prepare to eat around the clock. We can't recommend Batar more (except perhaps for vegetarians); the Montrachet-alike 2001 vintage from Querciabella is liquid heaven.
• Dress code Chiantishire chic.
• Top table Outside on the patio or among the umbrella pines in the summer; next to the log fire in winter.
• Last orders Lunch 12.30–2.30pm; dinner 7.30pm–10pm; closed Mondays.
• Room service Restaurant and snack menus available until 11.30pm.
• Hotel bar There is an aperitivo hour with complimentary antipastini, 6.30–7.30pm. There is an excellent selection of Chianti Classico from regional winemakers.

Villa Bordoni Via San Cresci 31-32, Tuscany, 50022