Borgo Pignano
Walk like the Etruscans
Pastoral Pignano
Join the beekeeper, the soap-maker and the lucky resident horses at Borgo Pignano, which sits at the heart of an eye-poppingly scenic 750-acre organic estate in Tuscany, lorded over by a majestic 18th-century villa and a hamlet that was first settled by the Etruscans. You’re likely to find leaving the hotel difficult, especially come check-out, but if you can be convinced, you’re just a short drive from the historic hill towns of Volterra and San Gimignano and within easy reach of the mediaeval cities of Florence and Siena and the vineyards of Chianti.
Facilities
Номера
Twenty-three, including nine suites.
Checkout
11am, but flexible, subject to availability. Earliest check-in, 2pm.
Больше сведений
Rates usually include buffet breakfast (à la carte options cost extra), WiFi and taxes.
Also
The hotel’s public areas are suited to wheelchair-users but its bedrooms are not.
Фитнес-центр
Бесплатный доступ в интернет
Прачечная
Возможно размещение с животными
Бассейн
Рестораны на территории
Спа
At the Hotel
Extensive grounds; stables with resident horses; art gallery; gym, spa and yoga room; parking spaces; free WiFi throughout. In rooms: desk, free bottled water, black-out curtains, air-conditioning, organic bath products, fresh fruit on arrival. The Maisonettes and Cottages have a mini fridge and tea- and coffee-making facilities. Cottages come with working fireplaces and kitchenettes.
Our Favourite Rooms
The Villa Suite with Breathtaking Views are knee-weakeningly lovely, thanks to their winsome views, polished piano (go on, have a tinkle) and fresco-adorned bathroom.
Poolside
The picturesque heated pool was carved from an ancient limestone quarry. A cluster of sunloungers and parasols dot the surrounding limestone terrace; adjacent to the pool area, there’s a pop-up bar and a manicured lawn where guests can flop and relax. Smiths aged 14 and above can use the main pool; there's a family-friendly pool for younger Smiths.
Spa
Borgo Pignano Spa has a hammam, sauna, gym, and fitness classes, including pilates and yoga. Treatments champion organic ingredients that are grown on the estate; a trained herbalist uses flowers, herbs, plant extracts, oils and honeys. Relax with a home-made herbal tisane post-treatment and admire the setting: a converted medieaval well-house.
Packing Tips
Bring something you can hike a forest or ride a horse in.
Also
The hotel has an artsy side: there’s a little on-site gallery; rooms are packed with art and antiques; and the summer kids’ programme includes painting and crafts sessions.
Дети
Little Smiths of all ages are welcome. Under-twos can stay for free and kids aged two to 12 can stay for €80 per night. The kids club is available for those over four and babysitting is €18 an hour.
Галерея
Food & Drink
Top Table
The standard rules apply: sit outside if it’s warm (very likely); inside, by a window, if it’s not (unlikely). In summer months, breakfast is served in the villa’s peaceful inner courtyard.
Дресс-код
Off-duty Tuscan gentry.
Hotel Restaurant
Fresh from a stint at our other Tuscan favourite, Borgo Egnazia, chef Vincenzo Martella is a dazzling presence in Pignano’s kitchens. He excels at inventive Italian dishes featuring hyper-local produce (described by the hotel as ‘0km cuisine’) and is particularly creative when it comes to desserts, many of which star vegetables (trust us). The restaurant is an elegant space, decorated with paintings by notable turn-of-the-century British artists, Cassina armchairs and enticing views. In summer, the restaurant is set up in the Belvedere, with breathtaking views of the Tuscan countryside and the medieaval city of Volterra. During the summer months, make a beeline for relaxed garden-set trattoria Restaurant Al Fresco to savour authentic Tuscan recipes, including stone-baked pizzas (which we’d recommend pairing with a homemade organic beer or wine).
Hotel Bar
Although Borgo Pignano doesn’t have a formal bar, drinks aren’t neglected: a bar of sorts is set up in the gardens in summer, by the ornate antique fireplace in the lounge in winter. It’s called the Gin Corner and it has an expert in-house mixologist; try a Fancy Free: vanilla- and ginger-infused rum, maraschino, Pignano’s honey, orange and Amarena cherries. Many of the drinks’ garnishes are plucked from the gardens.
Last Orders
Breakfast is served until 10am; dinner until 10pm.
Room Service
There’s no room service as such; make the most of mealtimes. Obliging staff will always fix you a drink if you’re thirsty.
Planes
Pisa International Airport is a 75-minute drive away. Private transfers are available from €380 each way. You could also fly into Florence, an hours drive away (hotel transfers start from €295 each way).
Trains
Poggibonsi-San Gimignano station is a 35-minute drive away, with Trenitalia services connecting to Florence, Siena, Empoli and Pisa.
Automobiles
Pignano is one hour and 15 minutes from Florence, 40 minutes from Siena, one hour from Pisa and one hour from the coast. Volterra is the closest town, a 20-minute drive away. There’s on-site and valet parking, as well as a Tesla charging station.
Worth Getting Out of Bed For
Soak up life on an organic farm: learn how to make organic soap under herbalist and soap-pro Lisabetta’s expert guidance. Meet the bee-whisperer, Antonio, who will take you to the hotel’s beehives, and explain how the bees are looked after and how honey is made. Taste Tuscan wine in Borgo Pignano’s atmospheric cellar with help from the restaurant manager (and resident wine buff) Francesco. Pick from the Tuscan Wine Road experience (€40 a person) or the Grand Masters D.O.C.G. (€60 a person). Visit the on-site art gallery and sign up for a class in the painting room. Yoga and Pilates sessions are held in Borgo’s fitness area twice a week. Have a horse-riding lesson or join a guided horse-riding excursion through the woods and fields of the Estate.
Borgo Pignano borders a large natural reservoir (Castelvecchio); guests can cross it and reach San Gimignano in three hours on foot. Take a trip to nearby Volterra, the city of alabaster, and visit its famous church and the Etruscan Guarnacci Museum, one of the earliest public museums in Europe, home to amazing Etruscan and Roman collections. The hotel can arrange guided tours on request, tailored to a variety of interests including art, history, culture and cuisine. Venture to Siena and explore the Palazzo Salimbeni, a striking Gothic-style palace on Piazza Salimbeni.
Lucca, Arezzo and Pisa are also within driving distance, as are the wine regions of Montepulciano, Montalcino, Castellina in Chianti, Radda and Giaole. The medieaval hill towns in the vicinity of Borgo Pignano have churches and monuments of note and many have small museums and frescoed cloisters. There are thermal springs, Etruscan ruins and tombs, Renaissance palaces, museums and weekly markets to explore.
Earn or Redeem Points with World of Hyatt
This Mr & Mrs Smith hotel participates in the World of Hyatt loyalty program. As a member, you can earn and redeem points and enjoy exclusive benefits for qualifying nights. .
