Siena House

A perfect launch pad to towns like Cortona to the east and Montepulciano and Siena to the northwest, this 18th-century villa proves refreshingly contemporary on the inside even as it remains perfectly Tuscan country on the outside.

• The saltwater pool
• The gorgeous gardens
• The hands-on, plugged-in owners who make everyone feel like return visitors

When Siena House’s British owners, husband and wife Malvin and Amanda, first came to Tuscany, they designed their villa as a family home, but along the way they decided to open the stylish escape to friends and paying guests too. The four-room villa features a mixture of coziness and style, which makes it the perfect choice for people looking for a boutique-chic stay with real intimacy.

Rooms are quite large for the price, with freestanding bathtubs by designers Matteo Thun and Philippe Starck, king-size beds with luxurious Frette linens, and sweeping views of the valley of the Val di Chiana, and the Apennines in the distance. In the public spaces, a large open kitchen showcases local jams and spices (from the gorgeous fragrant gardens), and the small reception is lined with lovely paintings by Amanda. Guests will find evidence of the couple's playfulness throughout the villa—from the vintage pinball machines by the bar, slowly turning blue-painted fans in the kitchen, and the large screen that pulls down for movie nights in the living room upstairs. A final bonus: The large saltwater pool that looks out onto the surrounding farmland.

This isn't a conventional hotel—as the owners admit on their website, “We wouldn’t have a clue how to run a hotel"—but it's all the better for it. You may not find yourself cosseted with the typical full-service amenities; for example, only breakfast is served but guests are able to use the kitchen to prepare other meals or, better yet, go to one of the many great options in the area. And what you do get is the kind of setting that you might find at a stylish friend’s home, plus the sort of insider recommendations of where to eat and what to see nearby that can only be culled from years of experience in the area.

The location in the Val di Chiana might not be as picturesque as that of neighboring Val d’Orcia, but Siena House's proximity to both the A1 highway and the wine capital of Montepulciano make it seriously convenient.

Siena House is for people who are looking for a more intimate experience than a typical resort, one with the kind of design that breaks from the fusty Tuscan model of terracotta, dark woods, and lack of interior light. The place is perfect for families; the villa is also available for full rental.