Borgo San Felice Hotel

Borgo San Felice Hotel

Borgo San Felice occupies an actual medieval hamlet in Chianti Classico, six kilometres from the centre of Castelnuovo Berardenga, its stone walls draped in Virginia creeper and its paths lined with rosemary guests are invited to pluck as they pass. The 60 rooms and suites sit across just two floors of the hamlet, and named suites carry their own details, a freestanding bath set mid-room in one, a private garden in another, Maria Candida Gentile toiletries throughout. What separates this Relais & Chateaux property from other Tuscan wine-country retreats is Poggio Rosso, its restaurant, which holds both a Michelin star and a Michelin green star, a pairing recognising both technique and sourcing; anyone wanting something more casual can eat at Osteria Il Grigio instead. Days can go to the outdoor pool, the Botanic Spa's sauna and steam room, the tennis court, or one of the free bicycles for the surrounding vineyards and olive groves, while a library and picnic area suit those who would rather sit still. Business groups get a conference hall and meeting space, and two independent villas with their own pool can take over the whole borgo for private events. This suits couples and solo travellers who want a real, lived-in Tuscan village rather than a resort built to resemble one, and anyone content to be a short drive from town rather than in the middle of it. It will frustrate anyone wanting the immediacy of a town centre or a beach nearby. Staff speak English, French, German and Italian. Come for the two Michelin stars over the restaurant door; stay because the borgo itself is hard to leave. A medieval hamlet in Chianti Classico, six kilometres from Castelnuovo Berardenga, with 60 rooms across two floors and a restaurant, Poggio Rosso, holding both a Michelin star and a Michelin green star. Suits those who want a real Tuscan village rather than a resort dressed as one.