Reviewed by Michael Cullen
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PODERE DIONORA - REVIEW
This is Tuscany just as you dreamed it would be. A cypress-lined lane winds past vines and olives to a handsome farmhouse by a huge oak tree. From the open-air pool and adjacent breakfast room, the views are endless. Inside are 6 cosy bedrooms with beamed ceilings, old wooden furniture, wrought-iron beds and – maybe your dream didn’t go this far – jacuzzis. And all around are the finest jewels of southern Tuscany: Pienza, whose steeple breaks the wooded skyline; Monte-pulciano, home of the famous vino nobile; the Orcia valley, steaming with thermal springs; and countless other hilltowns steeped in history and wine.
Staying here is a privilege. The surrounding land is private, still worked for its grains, grapes and olives. There is barely another building in sight. Maria Teresa Cesarini, who recently took over the farm, has maintained its pristine beauty, helped immeasurably by the long-standing, English-speaking manager Giulio. All of which make it our favourite country hotel in Tuscany. |
