Relais Marignolle

A charming, comfortable, family-run inn among the verdant hills 3km from Florence, with superb service

Florence is jam-packed with things to see, but also with people seeing them, especially in summer. So you might prefer to escape to verdant hills just outside the city, and end your day with a dip in an olive-shaded pool. If so, there's no better place than Marignolle, the country retreat turned relais de charme, run by the impeccably mannered Bulleri family. A 10-minute taxi ride from the centre, it feels another world away.

Blossoming almond and peach trees, bright geraniums and scented lavender surround you as you park at the end of the gated, gravelled drive. Walk through manicured gardens - eyes peeled for hoopoes - and the olive trees give way to a sun-facing terrace with an outdoor pool. Low rustic rambling buildings with cream walls and red-tiled roofs reveal a picture of elegant cosiness inside: vintage rugs on parquet floors, antique bureaus, gilt-lacquered lamps, family heirlooms. With long windows and deep sofas, the large 'relaxing room' washes you doubly clean of city fatigue.

Highs

• Combine the sights of Florence with the peace of rural Chianti
• Fresh, well appointed guest rooms
• Large, comfortable sitting room with hillside views
• Lovely gardens with delightful pool (May-Oct) in its own suntrap terrace
• Friendly, helpful and informative service from the charming Bulleri family who want you to feel you are sharing their home with them

Lows

• You are hostage to the variable fares, routes, tempers and speeds of the local taxi drivers
• No restaurant, though breakfast and light snacks are served in the gazebo and there's a good trattoria within walking distance