A hotel set in the glorious scenery of a 5,000 acre, 800-year-old Tuscan estate has been voted the best in the world.
The Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco has come out on top in a poll of the readers of magazine Travel + Leisure, wowing visitors over with its sprawling vineyards, and the 360 degree views out to the UNESCO protected Val d’Orcia Natural Park.
Walk out of the Castiglion del Bosco and you'll find yourself in the small hilltop town of Montalcino, which is shot through with Medieval buildings.
In the hotel itself there are plenty of features to ensure that any stay is completed in total comfort and luxury, with features including a winery, cookery school, tennis courts, a spa and a terracotta-roofed church.
"Five thousand acres of Tuscan splendour offer a lot of room to create a memorable guest experience, and that's exactly what Rosewood did with this centuries-old estate surrounded by rolling vineyards and towering pine trees", writes Travel + Leisure in its glowing review of the hotel.
"Sure, there's Old World charm at every turn, but modern additions and something-for-everyone amenities make Castiglion del Bosco a multisensory experience.
"A new complex was recently added to the property that orbits around 19 sumptuous suites. Here, no need to draw the curtains: you want to wake up to breathtaking views of the UNESCO-listed Val d'Orcia Natural Park and the hilltop town of Montalcino."
The hotel recently collaborated with Emiko Davies, an award-winning Australian-Japanese food writer, photographer, and cookbook author who settled in Tuscany with her sommelier husband Marco and two daughters.
When it comes to crafting the perfect day while staying at the hotel, she advises guests to start with a guided tour of the garden at Villa La Foce, a historic 15th-century farmhouse before heading to the Mulino Val d’Orcia, a family-run organic farm and flour mill.
To finish the day off, Emiko recommends heading to Puscina for a glass of wine in the middle of their wildflower farm.
As perhaps is to be expected, the Castiglion del Bosco has a five star score on Tripadvisor, where hundreds of happy guests have come to gush about their stays.
"I’ve just spent a week with my family at The Rosewood, staying in Villa Agresto," one man wrote.
"It is simply sublime and cannot recommend it highly enough. The mix of villa privacy mixed with the access to first class hotel facilities was perfect. Very friendly staff."
Another satisfied guest wrote: "The best hotel in the world. We recommend a lot to go to the bar and spa.
"We visit Casanova di Neri and que love the tour and wine there. Also very fun to do the hiking and e bikes to go to Montalcino."
As for the rest of Travel + Leisure ’s best hotels in the world, here are the full top 10.
- Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco , Montalcino, Italy
- Grace Hotel, Auberge Resorts Collection , Santorini, Greece
- Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi , South Malé Atoll, Maldives
- Pickering House Inn , Wolfeboro, USA
- One&Only Reethi Rah , North Malé Atoll, Maldives
- Royal Mansour , Marrakech, Morocco
- Capella Ubud , Bali, Indonesia
- The Lowell, New York, USA
- Hôtel Madame Rêve , Paris, France
- Rosewood Villa Magna , Madrid, Spain
