Castiglion del Bosco, A Rosewood Hotel

One of the best vacations we’ve ever had, with privacy, comfort, and luxurious care all together. The rooms are beautifully designed, with great attention to detail, and everything feels thoughtful. The staff were outstanding and the food delicious. Highly recommended!

Our one-night stay at castiglion del bosco was dreamy, and we appreciated the generous upgrade to the terrace suite. The grounds were a highlight: a manicured village against rows of cypress trees, with the ruins of a medieval castle. It’s an image we’ll always hold dear. The hotel itself feels like a solid 5-star luxury property. Still, several parts of the stay disappointed us, especially for a hotel of this standing. The 2 Michelin starred restaurant was closed, and at check-in we couldn’t get a reservation at the only other restaurant that was open. Given how secluded the hotel is, we thought all guests should be able to access its only available restaurant. Thankfully, in-room dining was an option, and the staff member who brought our food took great care of us and was especially kind to our son. We’re very grateful for that. We also couldn’t book spa facilities for our second day. We were told the day before that all the slots were full, but when we asked again the next morning in case one had opened, the reply, ‘as mentioned, no slots are available,’ had a particularly unpleasant tone, as if we couldn’t understand or were a nuisance for asking. The spa manager later responded to our complaint with ‘apologies that you perceived it this way,’ rather than saying they’d be more mindful of their wording. That nonchalant response made it even more disappointing that we couldn’t enjoy the hotel as fully as we’d imagined, simply because we hadn’t known to book so far ahead. Shouldn’t guests paying the same rate have equal access, instead of facilities being first-come-first-served with no luck for those who don’t book early? If demand is that high, the spa could extend its hours or split bookings into shorter slots instead of one-hour blocks. The weather wasn’t great for the pool either. We braved the cold to try the beautiful infinity pool overlooking the Tuscan valley, but the pool lounges hadn’t even been set up, as if the hotel hadn’t bothered. After all this feedback, the only ‘service recovery’ offered was that we should return for a better experience. It felt like staff assumed guests had to come back to get the full experience, instead of giving them a memorable stay that makes them want to return. We live half the world away, so coming back isn’t something we can easily arrange. It also felt like a missed opportunity that the wines of castiglion del bosco weren’t featured more. You can’t buy them in the shop, and can only try them at the restaurant or through the minibar, or join the twice-weekly wine discovery tour. We were lucky to get a place on the tour, but after staying behind to buy wine, it seemed the hotel had forgotten to arrange a ride back. We tried walking and promptly got lost, then messaged the hotel whatsapp chat for help but got no reply. Fortunately, we found our way back to the winery and the staff drove us back. That summed up the stay for us: we felt forgotten and unseen, simply because we were ordinary people, a view other reviewers have shared too.

I got to work at Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco as a wedding videographer, and it’s a truly special setting for an elegant, memorable wedding. The estate lies among the beautiful Tuscan hills, with large golf courses, private villas, and cottages where you can enjoy the countryside and tranquility. At its center is the main complex, with a small church, a luxury restaurant, and a scenic path leading to the ruins of an ancient fortress.

The views are wonderful, and the food was fabulous. It’s a beautiful hotel with outstanding service and great attention to detail. Thank you for making us feel so welcome.