Relais Le Macine di Stigliano

The meals at La Merla were divine every time we ate there, which was several times during our stay. Another unexpected highlight was trying the Archery experience. We stayed in three of the nine rooms as a group, and each was beautifully decorated. The views were stunning, some of the best in Tuscany, and I couldn't wait to look out at them each morning. We had drinks by the beautiful pool area a few times, though we never got in the water. The staff kept everything sparkling clean and helped us with taxis, recommendations, and plenty more. When I had a non-emergent medical issue, Margherita found a nearby doctor who could see me without taking up a whole vacation day. I'm so grateful for her kindness and hospitality. Chiara and Matilde, along with everyone else, were polite and helpful. I’m forgetting some of the other names now.

We stayed at this hotel for my birthday and honeymoon, and it’s the best place I’ve ever stayed. The staff couldn’t do enough for us. They arranged restaurants, taxis, activities, and anything else we wanted, so we didn’t have to lift a finger. Their personal touches made the trip unforgettable. The food was amazing from breakfast through dinner. We even cancelled a restaurant reservation because we wanted to eat at the hotel again. We also loved the activities: the cooking class with Mario and hiring the ebikes to explore the national park where the hotel is located. I’d thoroughly recommend both. I can’t recommend this hotel enough.

It’s hard to review this hotel because the property is beautiful and charming, and the staff were very welcoming and friendly, but our stay wasn’t a great one. Maybe we were unlucky. The room and grounds looked lovely, but there was no heat at night, when temperatures were between 6 and 12 degrees. We ended up staying under the blankets to avoid freezing. Reception told us the heating system only comes on in November. I hope the AC doesn’t work the same way in summer. The hot jacuzzi costs 60 euros to use, and the pool isn’t heated. Parking is free, and they really are dog friendly. If you’re after typical Tuscan food, the hotel doesn’t serve it, but there’s a pretty good restaurant two minutes away on foot. Nobody is at reception after 11PM. We stayed three nights and weren’t offered any discount for the cold, despite the bill being quite expensive. It looks like a 4 stars hotel, but felt like a 3 stars one to me. That’s a shame for such a beautiful place.

Le Macine was wonderfully peaceful and comfortable, with a homely feel that’s hard to match. The views go on forever, the wine is first rate, and the restaurant is excellent. The staff were patient with my hundreds of requests and clearly wanted to make our stay special. And don’t miss the canine staff, you’ll fall in love with them right away. What a wonderful place.