21 Best Hotels in Tuscany, Italy

Simple but pleasantly decorated bedrooms with plain modern cabinets and wardrobes and wrought-iron beds have views of the town square or out over the tile rooftops toward the surrounding hills. The swimming pool, sunny terrace, and grassy lawn behind the hotel are a nice surprise, as is the on-site restaurant.

The brocade bedspreads of this inn in the heart of the centro storico are fresh and crisp; the proprietor is friendly; and the breakfast, served in a cheerful apricot room, is more than ample. Although it's just around the corner from the Duomo, busy Corso Garibaldi, and the great walls of Lucca, the inn feels private as it's tucked away on a quiet, sun-sprinkled piazzetta (small square)—a place to retreat to when you have seen all the church facades you can possibly stand. Breakfast is only sometimes included in the price of a room.

This charming hotel with a friendly staff is right off the main shopping drag, Via Fillungo. Terra-cotta floors and stenciled walls impart a cozy feeling, while the high brick and timbered ceilings create a sense of spaciousness. The sitting room, with its fireplace and bar, provides a lovely place to relax. Breakfast is served in a cheery room with sponged-painted walls.

If you're looking for a place within the town walls, this is a fine choice—one where contemporary furnishings in the guest rooms are softened by warm, umber-color walls and floral artwork. Rooms at the back of the hotel have magnificent views and some have panoramic terraces. The Gigli family has run the hotel since 1886.

This 17th-century villa lined with lavender bushes and cypress trees sits just outside Monteriggioni. The guest rooms in the villa and the adjacent workers' quarters—converted into 10 apartments—have wood-beam ceilings and terra-cotta floors. Festive striped fabrics in yellows, oranges, and reds cover iron canopies in some rooms. The facilities, such as the health club and the tennis courts, are those of a four-star establishment. A poolside restaurant is open in summer.

Ron and Susi Gaud have transformed an 18th-century town house into a cozy little B&B nestled in the heart of Barga. Most rooms, simply yet elegantly furnished, have tremendous views of the dramatic mountainscape a stone's throw away. A welcome drink and a chat with Ron and Susi (whose love for their adopted town is infectious) is the perfect way to start a stay. A flower- and vegetable-filled garden provides a wonderful place to sunbathe or enjoy a glass of wine; there's an outdoor table covered by vines that offers a terrific spot for a light snack. Breakfast, served in the cantina, features Susi's homemade pastries. This is a great base to enjoy the delights of Barga as well as hiking in its environs: Ron and Susi, ardent hikers, are quite knowledgeable about paths in the area.

Enchantment reigns at this tiny 13th-century countryside hamlet, part of the fiefdom of the aristocratic Florentine Guicciardini family and reinvented by the modern Count Roberto Guicciardini. A castle, church, and cobbled streets set the stage. Guest rooms vary in style; high wood-beam ceilings, terra-cotta floors, and modern bathrooms are the rule throughout. Apartments sleep as many as eight people and have as many as two baths.

Stay in a fortified castle, which was built more than a millennium ago, was rebuilt during the Renaissance, and is now a charming inn and a prestigious wine estate where you can taste local vintages. Throughout the main building and two nearby farmhouses you'll find wonderful heavy wooden furniture.

Caryatids stud the grounds of this well-kept neoclassical villa (it's been a hotel since 1870), where a small garden invites reading, and guest rooms are functional, airy, and reasonably quiet. The location—near the long-distance bus terminal and parking area and minutes from the main sights—is the big plus here, as is the pleasant staff. Single rooms are not the usual monastic-cell size. Head downstairs to the restaurant for inexpensive meals.

High above Sorano, this austere-looking 11th-century Orsini castle has spectacular views of the town and surrounding countryside. Wood-beam ceilings hang above white and pastel walls in most rooms, and windows have dark-wood shutters. A careful mix of antique and modern furniture—Rococo chairs and upholstered couches—makes for a pleasant and comfortable stay. The hotel closes for some time during the winter; the length and month of the closure vary annually.

The former stables of the Villa Bottini have been transformed into a modern hotel with stylish rooms done in a warm wood veneer with blue-and-white fittings. Free bicycles are a nice bonus in this bike-friendly city, and the sumptuous buffet breakfast could see you through dinner. Residenza dell'Alba, the hotel's annex across the street, was originally part of a 14th-century church; now it's a luxe accommodation with in-room hot tubs, high sweeping ceilings, Oriental rugs, and lush, comfortable furniture.

The atmosphere here is welcoming, hospitable, and enthusiastic, and the staff goes out of their way to ensure a fine stay; rooms in the back look out onto the lush grounds or the countryside in the distance. When it's warm, breakfast is served in the flower-filled garden with a view, providing a gorgeous start to the day.

This hotel, in a building dating from the 12th century, has public rooms with timbered ceilings, warm yellow walls, and brocaded chairs and guest rooms with high ceilings and still more of that glorious damask. Top-floor suites have sweeping views of the town. One suite is on the mezzanine floor but also has city views.

The guest rooms at this 14th-century palace are named for signs of the zodiac, but the astrological reference stops at the painted symbol on the door, as each elegant room is unique—an antique sewing-machine table serves as a nightstand, a medieval-looking chandelier with a forged-iron ring and a globe hangs from a ceiling, elegant striped silk covers a wooden settee. Some rooms have ivory-color drapes hanging from baldachin beds—iron canopy beds with a painted medallion on the headpiece. A lovely garden opens behind the hotel. Five cheaper rooms, named for constellations, are available in an annex.

This charming palazzo exudes a sense of an age gone by; its guest rooms have high ceilings, antique furnishings, and bathrooms decorated with hand-painted tiles. Many rooms also have hard-wood floors, and all have writing tables. In warm weather, enjoy your ample breakfast in the garden with a trickling fountain and fantastic views. In addition, a wine bar (at reception) offers fine wines by the glass, which can be enjoyed in one of the sitting rooms.

In this lovely 15th-century palace, spacious rooms have high ceilings, tile floors, and 18th-century furnishings, and many have views of the valley below. Bathrooms throughout are tiled in local stone. Common areas are elegant, with deep, plush couches that invite you to recline. There's an ample breakfast buffet and you can arrange for a light lunch in the warmer months. The multilingual staff goes out of its way to be helpful.

A rambling farmhouse has been transformed into a handsome hotel with understated contemporary furniture in the bedrooms and country-classic motifs in the bar. From this charming spot you get a splendid view of San Gimignano's towers.

A refined and comfortable country house offers numerous sitting rooms with terra-cotta floors and attractive stonework, as well as wood-beamed guest rooms filled with simple wooden furnishings and handwoven rugs. The grounds, flanked by vineyards and olive trees, are equally inviting, with lawns, terraces, and a pool. The Ristorante Vignale serves excellent wines and local specialties like cinghiale in umido con nepitella e vin cotto (wild boar stew flavored with catmint and wine). 

A perfect retreat for families, this tranquil hilltop agriturismo (farm stay) offers simple, comfortably decorated accommodations on extensive grounds 5 km (3 miles) from the hubbub of San Gimignano. Directly on the Via Francigena, a medieval pilgrimage route, it's also ideal for those who like to walk; you can order a relaxing massage at the end of a day of trekking. A restaurant is on the premises, so you may choose to stay put in these pleasant surroundings for meals.

Scottish expats David and Catherine Gardner transformed a ramshackle, 16th-century villa into a stunning retreat where no two rooms are alike—all have stenciled walls; some have four-poster beds, others small mezzanines. Bathrooms are a riot of color, with tiles from Vietri. The second floor, with a cozy fireplace, is the perfect place for a cup of tea or a glass of wine. The hotel's restaurant and its talented chefs offer cooking lessons in the modern kitchen.

Renaissance gardens, beautiful rooms with high ceilings and elegant furnishings, a panoramic pool, and expert staff are just a few of the things that make a stay at this 16th-century villa memorable. A short walk outside the small town of San Casciano Val di Pesa—with bus service to Florence—Il Poggiale sits on a ridge with spectacular views of the Chianti hills. An excellent breakfast is served on an outdoor terrace in fine weather, and the hotel's restaurant provides a fixed-price buffet for guests in the evening. The numerous public sitting rooms are intimate and cozy, and a small spa, with a sauna, massage room, and Jacuzzi complete the picture.