The process of choosing a hotel is a funny thing; everyone has a different set of priorities and you can easily spend hours if not days choosing where to stay. But sometimes you get lucky and a hotel chooses you. As much as I love a gallivanting in a new city, I’ve been yearning for some peace and quiet recently, my priority became finding a lovely under-the-radar, hidden gem of a hotel for some much needed R&R. While trying to decipher which pretty, picturesque little town to visit in Tuscany, I stumbled upon a picture of Hotelito Lupaia. More specifically, the jaw-droppingly beautiful infinity pool which has views across the gorgeous Tuscan countryside. Sold.
Hotelito Lupaia is located in the middle of a picturesque lush, green valley in Val d’Orcia, between the towns of Montepulciano and Pienza. As the images I had seen suggested, it’s very remote and idyllic. To describe it as off-the-beaten-path is an understatement; I used the latitude and longitude in the sat-nav and drove about 10 minutes on a little stony road to my final destination.
Hotelito Lupaia is truly breath-taking; even my pictures failed to capture how magical it is. A former medieval borgo, the hotel is made up of several cottages all connected with lovely old stone paths and surrounded with well-manicured gardens. And all around, the Tuscan countryside is laid out in front of you like a painting.
Like all good homes, the heart of Lupaia is its kitchen. Located in the biggest building at the centre of the hotel, the kitchen is a rustic Italian dream with the original beams, pretty tiling and copper pans hanging from the ceiling. The wonderful chef and team are on hand, preparing an authentic Tuscan feast each evening and the most impressive continental breakfast spread I’ve ever seen in the morning.
I was spoilt for choice and just had to indulge in a mammouth multi-course breakfast of homemade jams, cakes and croissants as well as fruits, cheeses and freshly cooked eggs. Hotelito Lupaia prides itself on being as carbon-neutral as possible; the cheese is sourced from a farm just across the valley which has the best pecorino I’ve ever tasted. The weather was gorgeous so I enjoyed my breakfast in the quiet wisteria-laden courtyard and took in the beautiful view of the Val di Chiana hills.
The rooms themselves are pretty, ivy-covered cottages from the original borgo, each one has been painstakingly restored and is unique. I stayed in the emerald green haven that is the Bosco room; I can safely say that I have never stayed anywhere so magnificent. From the cool, terracotta tiles to the handpainted walls and sumptuous window swags, the entire room was decorated in complementary shades of bold yet calming green.
I’m not the biggest fan of green but it really worked. Nothing about the décor in minimal, everything is carefully selected for impact – the hard-carved antique walnut bed with matching dressing table was the focal point of the room. Though the colours were bold, the room still retained an undeniably luxe feel with heavy fabrics and pretty, rustic touches such as the original rafters.
The real cherry on the cake is the magnificent infinity pool which overlooks the stunning rolling hills. The view coupled with the tranquillity and peace make for a killer combination; the pool at Hotelito Lupaia is among one of my favourite places in all of Italy. My stay at Hotelito Lupaia was truly wonderful; all of the little details and touches have made this a really magical place unlike anywhere I have ever stayed. I can't fault a single thing, everything from the rooms and décor to the location and food is absolutely perfect. Lupaia has earned a special place in my heart and I'm looking forward to coming back for years to come.
