Locanda Del Pilone

The wine recommendation was one of the least expensive options, and it was really good. We were already full, so we skipped a few courses and weren't charged for them, which felt very fair. The food and staff were great, the cooking was clearly at star level, and the prices were reasonable. A great find, highly recommended.

I put off writing this because I don't like leaving negative feedback. The hotel itself is in a beautiful, almost fairytale-like spot. The classic rooms are lovely, and the pool area is great. The part of our stay that we can't forget happened after dinner one evening. We took our dog through the gate for a short walk, and about 50 meters from the hotel a large dog, off its leash, attacked her. Its owner was there but couldn't control it. I picked up our dog to protect her, and then the other dog turned on me. We got back to the hotel shaken, but safe. We had to take our dog to a vet twice while in Italy, and my dress was torn to shreds. The attack happened so close to the hotel, and staff immediately acknowledged that the other dog was known to be aggressive, but nobody helped us find a vet or checked in afterward. There was no assistance at all. For four weeks I've tried repeatedly to find out who owned the dog through the hotel. The hotel owner has been unhelpful, and his email replies have even been rude. It's a real shame given how beautiful the place is, but the lack of care and responsibility left us with a lasting, deeply disappointing impression.

This review is about the restaurant, not the lodging. We chose the à la carte menu and shared the dishes, though there were three degustation menus available too. The extra starters, amuse-bouche, and palate cleansers between courses were a nice touch. The food was thoughtfully put together and beautifully presented, almost too pretty to eat. The tables had plenty of space between them, and the quiet background music made it easy to talk. We later learned the kitchen had only three people because they were understaffed, but you'd never have guessed: dishes came promptly, and everyone serving us was friendly and professional. A lovely dinner, and deserving of its Michelin star.

We were very disappointed with the tasting course the chef had put together. There were 18 of us across three tables, but just one waiter, and our seats were right in front of the kitchen door, with other waiters constantly rushing past to the next rooms. The food was the biggest letdown. The pitas were burnt and as hard as crackers, the fish lacked flavor, and the gnocchi was inedible. I don't know how they earned a Michelin star, but this was nowhere near what we expected.