Relais CastelBigozzi

Our four-night stay at Relais Castel Bigozzi was to celebrate my girlfriend becoming my fiancée, and the place felt enchanting. We’d planned to eat elsewhere, but after our first dinner at the restaurant we chose to have every meal there. The menu, wine, service and setting were all wonderful. She especially liked the chef’s pate and the duck. I loved the pigeon and the set menu, though I couldn’t finish it all. Breakfast had lots of options, and the made-to-order coffee was excellent. The grounds are stunning, with spectacular views in every direction and obvious care put into their upkeep. I use a mobility scooter, and nearly all of the grounds were accessible. The uneven paths are understandable given the age and location of the property, and the owners have done a great job. I couldn’t get to the ping pong table, which was fine, since it’s in a neat spot overlooking the grounds. The hot tubs were another place I couldn’t use, though I understand there are limits to what can reasonably be made accessible. The elevator fit my scooter and a few suitcases, and the restaurant has an accessible washroom. Our room was almost perfect for me, though it had no handrail. I mentioned that at checkout and suspect there’ll be one in room 10 when we return for a full week next summer. Don’t forget your camera!

We found a bed bug on the pillow just two hours after arriving. That alone was unacceptable, and the staff response made it worse. One staff member said they didn’t know what it was, had never seen one, and planned to close the hotel for treatment. None of that was true. The hotel stayed open, no treatment took place, and staff later admitted there had been bed bug infestations the year before. We also saw reports from other guests in previous reviews. I felt this showed a serious lack of honesty and negligence toward guests’ health and safety. At 8 p.m. we had to urgently find somewhere else to stay. The hotel gave us no help, support or compensation, leaving us entirely on our own. Once home, we had to pay a specialized pest control company to treat our clothes, luggage and personal belongings. It was stressful and costly. This was the worst hotel experience I’ve ever had. The place put us at risk and took no responsibility. Avoid it.

The restaurant, scenery and view were amazing. We did find a few stink bugs in our room, but the hosts were helpful and offered us another one.

The countryside setting is lovely and peaceful, with great views and a convenient location near Monteriggioni. The building and grounds are beautiful, and the staff were friendly and helpful. Even so, it didn’t feel like a true four-star experience. Our room was a cramped attic with steep stairs and didn’t match the photos online. Housekeeping was uneven, and we nearly ran out of toilet paper. Breakfast was basic, and items weren’t replenished when they ran out. The pool looked unclean, with visible debris and dead bugs, so we couldn’t use it. The setting is great, but the stay fell short of what I’d expect from a four-star hotel.