Castello di Fonterutoli

Hotel Type: Apartment

Environment: Countryside

Number of Rooms: 4

Style: Traditional

Prices: from 85.00 EUR to 260.00 EUR

Just 8 miles from Siena in the hills of a quieter, more traditional Chianti is the hamlet of Fonterutoli where the Mazzei family, owners of the Fonterutoli Castle since 1435, have four very historic apartments.

Time has stood still here and both these rather special properties and the family themselves have remained firmly attached to a traditional Tuscan way of life.

Perhaps better known as winemakers (24 generations have perfected the art!), the Mazzeis are a local institution. Some people look for places that are fashionable or cutting edge so we’ll warn you straight away that this is not Fonterutoli.

What you have here is a great place for the family – much of the village is closed to traffic and the four apartments share a swimming pool positioned on the edge of the village with to-die-for views down the valley across olive groves and fields of lavender in the late summer.

The rural position, the peace and quiet, the utter simplicity and charm of the place mean that this would also make a great escape for a romantic break. You are immersed in the green, cut off from distractions and worries, there’s only one thing you really need to do, and do well; relax. A wood surrounds the hamlet so you can wander off for a walk or visit Siena just 15 minutes away in the car.

Go for a picnic in an olive grove or have lunch in nearby San Gimignano, climb the dome to the top of the cathedral in Florence (just over an hour away) or decide for yourself the merits of the Chianti Classico over less controlled but more adventurous concoctions.

So, we’ve established that the surroundings are wonderful, but how about the apartments? Tradition remains here too, this is not sophistication (but neither is it camping). We’re talking about rustic, honest and comfortable country houses. Think wooden beams, terracotta floors, antique furniture rather than minimalist sterility. These apartments have heart and plenty of it. See our descriptions below and have a look at the photographs to get more of an idea.

Carpentiere (50 square metres – 2 people) This is the smallest of the apartments and a great little retreat for two people. You enter through a gate that opens onto a private courtyard, a lovely place to eat al fresco. There is a large sitting room with a kitchen corner, a double bedroom with en suite bathroom and walk-in dressing room.

Glicine Piccolo (100 square metres – 4 people) This larger apartment is ideal for up to 4 people with 1 double bedroom and 1 twin. Again the decor is simple but homely and the Glicine Piccolo is a lovely place to stay in winter too with a large fireplace in the lounge and a kitchen to prepare Tuscan lunches when you just want to relax round the house or in the apartment’s small courtyard, bordered by vines.

Glicine Grande (100 square metres – 6 people) The apartment takes its name from the Wisteria (Glicine in Italian) covering the entrance loggia. The architecture is typical of rural Tuscany; a large kitchen with fireplace providing a real focal point. Two twin rooms and a double allow for up to 6 people. Two bathrooms and a sitting room complete the Glicine Grande.

Limonaia (150 square metres – 7 people) This is the largest of the apartments, suitable for up to 7, decorated with antiques from the Mazzeis’ 600 year stay in the village. The floors are in the original terracotta, the ceilings have wooden beams and the doors and windows (many of which face onto the central piazza of Fonterutoli) are also in wood. Besides the kitchen, sitting room (with fireplace) and dining room, the apartment has four bedrooms (1 double, 2 twins and 1 single with a ¾ size bed). The apartment also has 3 bathrooms so there should be no queuing up in the morning. The nicest bit of all, the entrance is up a few stairs that lead on to a loggia covered with wisteria!

The apartments can be rented for periods of two days or more (3 days or more if this period includes a Saturday) but please note that special rates apply for bookings over a week.