At a Glance
This painstakingly restored Borgo near Siena has upped the luxury ante for the area.
Indagare Loves
- The gorgeous one-of-a-kind rooms
- The small spa
- The picturesque gardens
Review
If vine-covered pergolas, meandering pathways and Victorian iron furniture with cream umbrellas are your vision of paradise, then the spa-retreat Borgo Santo Pietro is a must visit. Overlooking the lush Valle Serena, near the Abbey of San Galgano (where the sword of the eponymous saint still rests in the stone into which, according to legend, he plunged it), the 13th-century stone villa instills in guests a tranquil well-being with its exquisite traditional Italian rose gardens, organic cuisine, medicinal herb plantings and spa treatments utilizing products from Borgo's garden. An intoxicating perfume infuses the entire property, while birdsong, multiple cushioned seats and an infinity eco-pool induce serene relaxation. Undeniably romantic—soft music plays throughout the nine-bedroom villa (there are seven additional garden suites), and wood fires blaze in the deep stone fireplaces, even in August—Borgo Santo Pietro is the ideal location for small weddings.
Guestrooms vary in size and décor, but all provide delicious goose-down duvets, handmade mattresses and soothing lavender incense oil. The Valle Serena room, which has the best view, features a pleasing turquoise and pale-gold palette, while the only ground-floor suite, Rinaldo Pievano di Sorciano, is outfitted with a crystal chandelier, french doors, a freestanding tub behind a Victorian screen and an antique rare black marble fireplace in which a fire can be lit upon request.
Meals are taken seriously at Borgo’s Saporium (formerly Meo Modo). Dinner is especially atmospheric, served either on the loggia, providing views of the valley through ivy-covered columns, or in the intimate dining room, whose hand-painted walls, silk-brocade curtains and flickering candelabra (the Borgo goes through 30,000 candles a season) inspire love sonnets. There’s an impressive wine list and if the cuisine invites overindulgence, a walk along the fragrant lanes of the extensive gardens provides just the remedy.
Who Should Stay
Romantics and spa-seekers.
Written by Meg Nolan van Reesema