12 Best Hotels in Tuscany, Italy

Pope Alexander VII of the famed Sienese Chigi family gave this palace to his niece as a wedding present in 1600, and, through the centuries, it has been a private home as well as a grand hotel—one that exudes elegance from its stately pillared entrance to its crisp-linen sheets. Some guest rooms take in panoramic views, whereas others have 18th-century frescoes and massive chandeliers. The excellent staff is reason enough to consider a stay here.

This centuries-old villa has old-fashioned guest rooms that are lovingly decorated with antique quilts and handmade wooden furnishings yet are also equipped with modern appliances. The owners are authorities on the surrounding area and happily draw maps and suggest wine-tasting and touring routes. Follow signs for San Marcellino Monti to get here.

At an altitude of more than 1,800 feet, this converted farmhouse is probably the loftiest luxury inn in Chianti. Its views are breathtaking, looking down on Volpaia and Radda, with Siena and the hills of southern Tuscany as a backdrop. The infinity pool, set on the hillside, takes full advantage of the magnificent panorama. Guest rooms are simple but tasteful, with high beamed ceilings, painted, as was once the tradition in these parts, in pale pastels. To get here, take the bumpy gravel road 2 km (1 mile) northwest from Volpaia.

This old farmhouse has been transformed into a marvelous hotel in the midst of vineyards. The three common rooms are cozy but elegant, filled with well-stuffed upholstered couches and chairs; the breakfast room looks out on a sweeping panorama of hills, and a well-stocked honor bar is available for the use of guests. The chirping of birds is about the only noise you'll hear on the grounds awash in flowers. Timbered ceilings hang above beds covered with floral comforters.

Located just outside of Pisa, in San Giuliano Terme—a favorite playground for 18th-century European aristocrats—this elegant resort maintains a decadent old-world feel with beautiful grounds, spacious rooms and suites, and a luxurious spa.

Just outside Monteriggioni, this estate lined with lavender bushes and cypress trees has guest rooms featuring wood beam ceilings and terra-cotta floors in either the 17th-century villa or the adjacent workers' quarters (converted into 10 apartments. Festive striped fabrics in yellows, oranges, and reds cover iron canopies in some rooms. The facilities, such as the health club and the tennis courts, are those of a four-star establishment. A poolside restaurant is open in summer.

Set in a four-story terracotta-color villa, within walking distance of a beach and Forte dei Marmi's center, Hotel 1908 reminds you of seaside hotels of yesteryear, but in a good way, thanks, in part, to its attentive, multilingual staff. The buffet breakfast served in a chandelier-adorned dining room more than makes up for the somewhat dated interiors found elsewhere. 

If you're looking for a place within the town walls, this is a fine choice—one where contemporary furnishings in the guest rooms are softened by warm, umber-color walls and floral artwork. Rooms at the back of the hotel have magnificent views and some have panoramic terraces. The Gigli family has run the hotel since 1886.

Originally a 19th-century villa belonging to Marchesa Guendalina Strozzi—her ancestors were powerful bankers in Renaissance Florence—this is now a contemporary inn. Some of the public rooms have a quaint historical charm to them, but the guest rooms have more contemporary decor, with basic wooden furniture and no frills. Ask for one of the eight with a whirlpool tub. In winter, you can use this as a base to ski to the slopes; in summer, the Bellavista is perfectly situated for trekking and mountain biking.

Stroll around the wonderful gardens on this restored country estate dating from the 14th century, where guest rooms with arched windows and oak-beam ceilings are in two houses that look out on vineyards to the north and Siena to the south. The homey furnishings include antique wardrobes and ladder-back chairs. The dining room, open to guests only, has a prix-fixe menu. In summer, enjoy dinner by the pool surrounded by rolling green lawn.

A sense of freshness comes from the terra-cotta floors, high wood-beamed ceilings, and soothing whitewashed walls in this hotel's guest rooms. The serene garden, facing the town wall, is filled with oleanders, geraniums, and olive trees.

Abundant breakfasts and communal dinner parties on Tuesday and Friday at the guest-only restaurant are just some of the things that make a stay at Fontelunga feel like you're staying with family. In fact, its owners, Paolo Kastelec and Philip Robinson, have gone to great lengths to make every space in this boutique hotel feel cozy and warm from the overstuffed armchairs in the living room to the bright Tuscan prints on the bedspreads. Outside, olive groves and perfectly trimmed hedges frame sweeping views of the Tuscan countryside.