Tenuta San Pietro, near Lucca, Tuscany - Explore & Book

"Tenuta San Pietro is everything a Tuscan hotel should be: intimate, with a mouthwateringly fantastic restaurant and homegrown wine, plus a terraced garden of flowering shrubs and tubs of roses, surrounded by 500 olive trees and 2000 vines, close to historic and cultural towns. Add a dash of modern design, a divine pool with long views of the Garfagnana mountains beyond, and you’ve got something a little bit special. Nestling in a hamlet in hills to the north of the gorgeous town of Lucca, it's a hidden gem, much like the region itself. This is Tuscany without the tourists, but you're still only 40-45 minutes from Pisa and Florence. We were struck by the peace, enhanced by beautiful birdsong and church bells. Tenuta San Pietro is owned by a Norwegian family, so the heavy fabrics and Baroque gilding found in so many Tuscan hotels have given way to a more minimalist, Scandinavian-influenced sensibility in this 10-roomed hotel. We loved the wooden floorboards, exposed original brickwork and design details like an iconic scarlet lip sofa in the reception. Food is a real highlight - despite only opening a few nights a week, the hotel’s restaurant draws diners from miles around and is regularly booked out in the summer months. As well as a restaurant, there’s a light-filled lounge and sociable terraces overlooking the olive tree-studded grounds and orchards. Highs Located in unspoiled Tuscan countryside, yet only a short drive from the lovely town of Lucca The food. The New York Times called this region the best in Italy, and the cuisine here is excellent Wine buffs will love exploring the excellent fattorie nearby on tasting tours Warm and attentive staff who make you feel right at home The view from the pool of the rolling Italian hills is exactly what you come here for Lows The restaurant is only open Thursday-Saturday for dinner, and the nearest alternatives are a drive away You ideally need a car and Sat Nav - it's not that easy to find It's an intimate hotel and sound travels between rooms Summer weekends can get booked up by weddings Décor is a little dated, but rooms are perfectly clean and comfortable" - Laila Ram