Relais Della Rovere

I would definitely recommend this hotel! Stayed with extended family in August 2024 and was very happy with it. We stayed in the Family Room which was a loft with large bed and a living room and separate small bedroom with two twin beds. Pros: -Beautiful exterior and property -Large pool -Nicely decorated -Helpful front desk -Minibar beverages are free and replenished daily -Nice breakfast with decent options, including gluten free options -Unique upscale restaurant on site -Great third party restaurant directly across street -Hidden gem of a beautiful lake in walking distance if you are adventurous and sure footed. My family really enjoyed the experience but I wouldn't recommend for small children, older people, or anyone with bad balance or who's accident prone. Areas for improvement: -Rooms above ground floor struggled to quite keep up with airconditioning. Not hot per se, but did not reach desired temperature. To be fair it was above 95 outside, and it was still ok for sleeping, but not what I'm used to in the states. -Town is technically walking distance but would require walking very steep hills. It was not realistic for my in-laws so the hotel arranged transportation for the eight of us with a local car company for a dinner in town (which was quite lovely and tasty). It cost $80 euros, which was pretty steep for a 5 minute drive each way (it stays on site, which is probably what drove the most cost, but there was no way just to request one there and one back). -Just a note if you choose the family room that the loft doesn't have a separate bedroom so you must navigate stairs that were a little tricky, especially if you need to use in the middle of the night. -Please note that while the hotel feels quite secluded and picturesque on site, it is located in a suburban area, not in the rolling picturesque hills of Tuscany. This did not impact our experience at all, but you can hear cars passing by if that takes you out of the experience.

We spent 5 nights in the hotel. The hotel is very nice, beautifully maintained, typical Tuscan style. The rooms are nicely decorated and very spacious, but the heating was on a timer and the room was quite cold. The accommodation has a perfect location - a short distance to Florence, Siena and San Gimmignano. However, the breakfast was sufficient. The only pity is that the pool is nice, but it is not heated, it would be appropriate to mention that.

This place used to be the private residence of cardinal Della Rovere who ended up becoming pope Julius II. How’s that for a watercooler conversation after your holiday?! It’s truly amazing to stay at a place which breathes so much history. Traces of its 900 year heritage are to be seen literally everywhere in heraldry, architecture, furniture, masonry etc. The rooms are agriturismo style but equipped with luxurious marble bathrooms. It says ‘has airconditioning’ but this is central for the whole building and you can’t adjust so that’s a bummer. The place has a great patio style garden, and grand corridors/stairways. Luca (the bartender) serves amazing cocktails which are not only delicious but also pieces of art. In addition he comes up with personalized cocktail suggestions based on previous orders. Aga (waitress) is super friendly and makes restaurant guests feel right at home. Food is flawless and offers good value for money (you can enjoy diner with desert with 4 for ~€100).

What a beautiful site hidden in green in Val d’Elsa. We booked this accommodation as my son and I planned a cooking class of Jul’s Kitchen which is nearby during autumn break. What a great hotel; probably it helped a lot that the sun shined bright too but everything is well kept and peaceful here. Personnel is kind and helpful and this is Italian hospitality at its best. Lunch at the small restaurant at the pool or great dinner in the evening at Il Cardinale, all indicates the marvelous Italian cuisine . Don’t know why this hotel doesn’t have a 5* ranking to be honest, they deserve it!