Castello Di Potentino

charming castle in gorgeous location. spacious and comfortable apartment. amazing host.

The castle was lovely & we were given a very large space that included a sitting area, kitchenette, & dining area. The owner has put a great deal of effort & money into the structure.

The lack of enough heat, decorating, &, more importantly, the beds. 2 of the three beds were literally made of straw. My adult daughters tried to sleep on them & ultimately spent a restless night on the old couches in the sitting area. One might feel compelled to justify the use of straw beds & lack of sufficient heat as an attempt to make the stay an “authentic castle experience” but this seems hardly likely when other elements, such as the mismatched poorly mended 30-year-old couches, did not stick to this theme & the rooms contained newer but barely warm radiators. I might also add that my daughters are not delicate pansies, both have spent time sleeping outdoors yet they found it impossible to sleep there. The owner has published a large book filled with many color photos which she proudly leaves out for guests of a luxurious castle she previously renovated entitled: “Castello di Potentino: A Tuscan Adventure. The Restoration of a Castle”. This only serves to accentuate the huge disparity between what the guest expected and what they received. For those who are already familiar with this book, do not expect that experience here. If the owner is attempting to recreate what she accomplished at Castello di Potentino, I recommend that she not rent out unfinished, randomly & cheaply furnished areas & turn on the heat.

Amazing location with a breathtaking view of the surrounding hills with the borghi on their top , especially now in the cold season where snow covered the vineyards and the Mount Amiata slopes. A great pleasure and inspiration to meet the owner Charlotte who gave new life to the castle her family acquired with elegance and respect of its original beauty. Hopefully will make it back with the whole family again in spring!

A wonderful experience ! Many thanks to Charlotte and the team !

out of this world beautiful!

everything!

Omg this place is a hidden gem. Rustic and huge interiors. Have got everything you need. Short Driving distance to local towns. The host and family running the place is amazing. Local produce, they make own wines, forging mushrooms. Every night there was high end entertainment in the castle, what seemed like a private parties, we have been invited to join on each occasion regardless.

friends $ instagram

very unique atmosphere

It’s hard to know how to describe it! Charlotte, the owner, decided the valley to us as “Magic”, and the whole place certainly is that. The experience of the wine tasting with Charlotte was incredible, informative and inspiring (history, geology, archeology and also conversation about sustainable approaches to farming and historical wine making methods)… and the wines were delicious, as was the food we enjoyed at the Castello afterwards. The scenery and insides of the Castello are both beautiful and we did some wonderful walking in luscious countryside. The pool is lovely. We love what Charlotte and her team are doing in the valley, and loved our stay. We’ll be back (for longer, and next time with a car to explore the local area more!)

The previous reviews cover the simpler parts of the stay. This isn’t a fancy/ normal hotel and that was fine by us! But just make sure that you are aware that: - Meals at the Castillo are served together on a long table with other guests, Charlotte and the volunteers working at the farm. Great for meeting new people and chatting. - Breakfast is a serve-yourself, basic affair with a loaf of bread, Potentino honey and fruit, and some coffee machines. Again, great for us but might not be some people’s cup of tea. - The rooms are incredible, but there is no air con, room service, concierge etc. We found, even in the height of summer, that the rooms are high enough to get a nice breeze going through the room to mitigate this. But a more modern/ effective fan would be good.