Castello di Velona

My girlfriend and I had an incredible stay at Castello di Velona. From the moment we arrived, the staff made us feel genuinely welcome. A special thank you to the front desk team for the warm check-in, and especially to our server by the outside pool, Antonio. Antonio went above and beyond to make our experience memorable. He recommended excellent food and drinks, was incredibly friendly, and made sure we had everything we needed throughout our meal. The valet team was also professional, welcoming, and efficient. The spa was an absolute highlight - easily a 10/10 experience. Between the sauna, steam room, thermal baths, and relaxation areas, it was the perfect way to unwind. I honestly slept like a king afterward. To top it all off, the views are absolutely breathtaking. The property feels peaceful, private, and offers some of the most beautiful scenery we’ve experienced in Tuscany. We would absolutely stay here again and highly recommend Castello di Velona to anyone looking for a luxurious and relaxing getaway.

The hotel itself enjoys a privileged position, in one of the most beautiful places in Tuscany and undoubtedly the charm of a 10th-century castle that is very well renovated and maintained. Excellent service, excellent spa, cleanliness, and kindness of the staff. What I found absolutely excessive and out of place were the prices of the restaurant and bar for the level of cuisine and the realistic value of the food: opening the menu and finding a banal pasta all'Amatriciana or a banal Carbonara or a pizza for 40 euros is disproportionate, out of place, a tourist trap for foreigners, and in my opinion, a mockery for any Italian who knows our cuisine. Prices unworthy even perhaps of a starred restaurant, which it is not, by the way, but which certainly awaken the Seventh Sense, that of being mocked! In line with the style of the restaurant is also the breakfast, absolutely banal and not for a 5-star luxury hotel; it would have been if everything that was extra on the paid menu had been part of the buffet. In conclusion, for once in a lifetime, the place and the setting are worth it, but eat elsewhere!

"Magical Fairy Tale" is the phrase that plays on repeat whenever I think back to any and every second spent at this beautiful resort. Yes, I understand that it is hard to NOT feel like you're in a fairy tale somewhere like Tuscany, Italy. However, while the esthetic, location and atmosphere were a dream in and of itself, the staff was like a super special extension of my family. Our story started, as many fairytales often do with a princess (and her son and husband) stranded and in need of rescuing... Kind of. Our rental car had broken down and while my family of 3 and I waited on a curvy, windy road near Montalcino Tuscany, the friendliest staff members ever (of Castello di Velona), stayed in contact with me via WhatsApp the entire time, assuring me that they would stay in communication until we were safe and sound at the Castello! True to their word ,they stayed connected and ensured we had safe commute to their resort by a true hero, our hero, and the brand ambassador, Massimo! (Max). Joseph was there to welcome us and ensure we received dinner (fit for royalty) before the kitchen closed, since we arrived near 9:30p at night. We were also greeted by the sommelier with a glass of champagne and wine options. The next few days stayed consistent with the fairytale theme as the front desk staff and concierge maintained the highest level of customer service and exceeded expectations for each and every request. We had help booking and tightening up winery tour plans, scheduling a private pasta making class with one of their chefs for my son (8 years old) , and accommodating this mama's dairy free allergy through and through all with a smile. Breakfast at the castle was also such a dream every morning! My favorite part, even though I was suffering from countryside summer allergies (don't worry, Italy has the best options for allergy symptom relief in nasal spray and antihistamines and this was ZERO fault of the resort's :) ) was the private, sunset, castle side 4 course menu dinner with a million dollar view and impeccable service. My husband ordered one of his favorite dishes (specific to Castello di Velona), the ravioli, for a second time while we were there, we also enjoyed the table side tartare, a couple other Resort specialties and the chef even went above and beyond (YET AGAIN) to make me an absolutely incredible Dairy Free Tiramisu desert! The spa, pool and other lavish amenities throughout the resort, of course, stole my heart as well and were the perfect setting for our mid Italy trip which was sandwiched between Rome and Florence. I truly felt like I was leaving a home, a new family, especially in Joseph and Max! There wasn't ever a moment I felt like I didn't belong, or this wasn't my very own castle whenever Max was around. He has such a unique and special way of making every single guest feel like family. On my last day, I happened to wake up super early and went for a walk around the property to catch the Tuscan sunrise beauty and was so excited to catch Max (as he was off to rescue yet another guest, I'm sure) so I could say "Piacere e Grazie" and give him one final farewell, see you soon or "A Presto"! (until next time!) Before we even left Tuscany, I was already plotting my next visit back home to Castello di Velona. Thank you Castello di Velona Famiglia for an unforgettable fairytale experience. My only regret for writing this review is that I may make it that much more difficult to book my stay because of how popular it may become once everyone knows just how truly special it is here!