I BORRIGIANI - Il Borro Toscana

The hiking trails were a real pleasure, and the property itself is gorgeous. Just be ready for plenty of walking. Service was okay, though the front desk initially brushed off our air conditioner problem. Once we were sent to manager Mateo, he was wonderful and got it fixed.

The pools were so cold and unheated that they seemed usable only on the hottest summer days. At breakfast, the selection was limited, and many things cost extra despite breakfast supposedly being included. For a place charging over €500 per night and calling itself five-star, that was deeply disappointing. Even the croissants in Italy reminded us of airport lounge fare. The bistro recipes were nice, but the portions were so small we left unsatisfied. Service also felt inattentive. Many staff seemed very young and poorly trained, often unable to answer basic questions or interact with the professionalism expected at this level. Il Borro came across to us as a place aimed at impressing international visitors, rather than delivering genuine Italian luxury hospitality. We found far better experiences elsewhere for the money, and don’t think this stay was worth the cost.

The horse riding lesson with Martina was the one thing I truly loved. She was amazing, and I had the best time in our private lesson. Our suite felt like a little home, with spacious rooms, lovely interiors, and a few minibar drinks included. But the nights were awful. We were on the first floor with rooms above us, and at 23:30 I woke up to the woman upstairs walking in heels for 20 minutes. I called reception, which felt crazy for a five-star resort. On other nights, people in the next rooms played loud music until we asked them to turn it down. I’ve never had that happen at a five-star resort, including when we stayed at rosewood while it was part of the Il Borro family. Breakfast was included, but it was horrible. The bread was hard and not homemade, and tomatoes were the only fresh vegetables. Egg dishes cost an extra 10-20€. I’ve never had such a bad breakfast. The food overall was expensive and not very good. My steak was cold the first night, and the following days we drove to Florence to eat instead. Service was okay and the staff really tried, but they seemed like summer students with no previous five-star resort experience. We waited too long, our water was never refilled, and there was no pool service. To order water, you had to go inside yourself. There were too many loud kids as well. Kids weren’t supposed to use the pool by the bar, but nobody asked their parents to move them, so we had to put up with them playing there. (FYI there are 2 pools where kids are allowed.) I’ve stayed at amazing five-star resorts like forestis dolomites and expected the same. Il Borro is overpriced and overhyped. They didn’t even give us cold water when checking out for the drive back. I’ve never had such bad service at a five-star resort. At La Posta Vecchia Close to Rome, water was included everywhere. At Il Borro, a water by the pool was 12€ (!!??).

The venue made the wedding unforgettable, from the intimate setup in the wine cellars to the powerful ceremony in the amphitheater. The couple made great use of the spaces, and every detail felt carefully considered. Food was a wow, beautifully presented and full of flavour. The hospitality was warm and attentive from beginning to end. Huge respect to the planners who pulled it all together so seamlessly: Anne Louise Holm Ferragamo from MadeByMade and Mpire Weddings from India. They were a dream team. I’m grateful I got to be part of such an incredible experience.