Castello dell'Aquila

We celebrated our anniversary at Castel Dell Aquilla, and the castle and its location are truly special. Our tower room had a four-poster bed, lovely furnishings, and incredible views. The new pool is a very nice addition, and dinner in the castle courtyard was served in a wonderful setting. The local food was fresh, well cooked, and typical of the area, though the service was slow. We’d booked online and were promised wine and a spa on arrival, but neither was provided. Staff seemed uninterested, and on a 40° afternoon there was nobody around to get us a drink. With better service and some signs to help guests find their way around, this could be a wonderful place to visit.

Andrea, the manager, was incredibly sweet and attentive. We also had a delicious four-course dinner in a beautiful setting, and they adapted the meal for our 10-year-old, who can be a bit picky but loved what was served. Breakfast was great too, with nothing missing. The castle is decorated so beautifully that it really feels like somewhere special. Our room was a good size, with a comfortable bed, a spacious bathroom, and window benches where we could sit and take in the view. There’s a 360-degree panorama from the top of the tower, with sun chairs to relax in. It’s a lovely choice for a romantic getaway, but also worked well for family time. Our 10-year-old was thrilled to stay in a castle. We’ll definitely come back.

The setting is stunning, and the pool, which is for hotel guests only, is a nice upgrade since our earlier visits under the old management. But the service and restaurant need a lot of work. We came as nine people, five adults and four children, for “apericena,” expecting a light dinner. We arrived at 8pm, and service was extremely slow. For $25 per adult, less for children, we got house wine, water, bread, two boards of meat and cheese with some jam, small pieces of local “torta,” and then dessert. That might work for an aperitivo, but it wasn’t nearly enough for apericena. A cold pasta or rice dish should at least be included. The wine was warm. When we asked for bollicine, the waiter said there weren’t any, even though the table behind us was ordering bottle after bottle. Alessandro explained at the end that the waiter was new, but proper training is still needed. I don’t blame the waiter, I blame whoever trained him. They were also understaffed for the number of tables, which made the slow service worse. And plastic cups really cheapen such a beautiful setting. Even inexpensive IKEA glasses would be better. A cocktail menu would help too, with at least an aperol spritz. The worst moment came when a couple of us politely shared feedback with Alessandro. He responded arrogantly: “NON TI PREOCUPPARE! We are fully booked for the next 20 days! We have so many good reviews!” It felt like he didn’t care what we had to say. We teach our children to accept feedback graciously, a useful life skill and especially important in hospitality. The business is also benefiting from hundreds of good reviews earned under the previous administration, which WENT BANKRUPT. It’s great that you’re fully booked during high season, but we live in Florence and visit on weekends all year. Our friends are locals. To build a loyal clientele who’ll support you throughout the year, treat people well, listen to feedback, and make improvements. We understand the challenges of starting or “re” starting a business. Hire and pay the right people, and we think CDA could become a jewel in Tuscany. We hope our next visit earns a change from our 3 star review to 5 stars.

Andrea was the real surprise of our one-night stay. He was a gentle, elegant host who put together a very special dinner and made the evening feel memorable. The castle itself is an extraordinary attraction, and staying there felt like a once-in-a-lifetime experience. One of our best experiences in Italy. I’d recommend it!