In my trip research, every so often I come across a place that seems too good to be true. Yet, when I visit, it defies all expectations and I wonder what took me so long to make it happen. The Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco is one of those places for me. Our first trip took place in early January, and Ioved it so much that we return in April. And, we’re already on the calendar for a few days in January 2024. This is more than a hotel, it’s fully-restored village nestled in the vineyards of Montalcino, with a small chapel, the remains of a medieval castle, an on-site winery, a beautiful spa, and so much more.
The first thing to know about Castiglion del Bosco is that it is a splurge, but for a milestone birthday or anniversary, or perhaps a honeymoon in Tuscany, it may be a splurge worth making. (Only you know your travel budget and what’s worth it for you.) This Tuscan resort is pure luxury in every possible way, and it does come at a price. Don’t be afraid of the off-season and shoulder season rates though. We’ve enjoyed the Rosewood every time we’ve been there.
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Booking the Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco
In most cases, I prefer to book Castiglion del Bosco using a luxury travel agent. (Let me know if I can help book you!) The reasons are quite simple. A good travel agent will always get you the best available rate, including any promotions that Rosewood is running that you may not find. Sometimes that is 15-20% off during certain times of the year. Other times, it means getting one night free when staying three nights.
Second, when you book with a luxury travel agent, you get a few extra perks. Some of the perks offered by the Castiglion del Bosco are pretty valuable, especially when you consider how secluded this resort in Tuscany is from Montalcino. We love to check into the Rosewood and stay on property the entire time, and they make it incredibly easy to do so.
- Upgrade upon arrival based on availability
- Welcome Amenity
- €85 Spa credit, to be used during the stay
- Daily Breakfast for two
- Early check-in/Late check-out as available
- Access to sauna and steam bath, fitness center, kids club, and bocce and tennis courts
- Free wifi
Booking the Rosewood Montalcino Without a Travel Agent
If you have the Capital One Venture X card, you can book through their travel portal and use your $300 travel credit towards the room rate. It doesn’t come with the extra benefits listed above, but it can be a great way to try this property.
The Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco is also part of AmEx Fine Hotels and Resorts, which would allow you to use your travel credit and get some of the bonuses above, but I’ve generally done better by booking directly with a travel agent.
Regardless of how you book, the service is always exceptional, and you can tell that the Castiglion del Bosco staff puts their guests first. Our experiences at this property, encompassing everything from service to local experiences, have made me want to book other Rosewood hotels. The Hotel de Crillon in Paris is high on my list!
Planning Your Tuscan Escape
Prior to arrival, the Rosewood concierge team will send you a brochure with all the experiences you can book during your stay at the resort. For foodies, they offer multiple cooking classes, a variety of wine tastings, truffle-hunting, and visits to local producers. (You can even experience the grape harvest if you visit in September!) For those who want to leave the resort, they can set up guided tours of Siena, Florence, San Gimignano, and more. They are also happy to arrange spa reservations in advance, which I absolutely recommend.
There really is something for everyone at the Rosewood. Even if you don’t book activities through the, you won’t be bored. We love taking long walks through the property and enjoy lazy afternoons on our terrace or at the pool.
How to Get to Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco
Simply put, you need a car. The Rosewood Tuscany is off the beaten path and about 20 minutes from the town of Montalcino. It is impossible to reach via public transportation. On our first trip to the Rosewood, we drove from the St. Regis Florence on a Sunday. It took about two hours and was a pretty easy drive. From the Rosewood, we headed to Umbria for a few days at Roccafiore wine resort, which took about 2.5 hours. If you have the time in your itinerary, I definitely recommend pairing Umbria and Tuscany. I love Borgo dei Conti in Umbria, and it would pair beautifully with the Rosewood for two different experiences in Italy.
On our second trip to the Rosewood, we were coming from Borgo Pignano near Volterra. That drive was a bit shorter, but it was on smaller roads. I tend to get a bit of motion sickness, so we had to go a little slower. After the Rosewood, we headed back to Florence for Easter. I was glad that we spent a few days enjoying the peaceful vibes of the Rosewood before heading into the holiday weekend in Florence.
You can certainly hire a private driver to transport you to the Rosewood, but a car gives you the greatest flexibility to enjoy the scenic drives through Val d’Orcia.
Indulge in the Luxury Suites at Castiglion del Bosco
Because we don’t need a villa for two of us, I’m happy to book a standard room at the Castiglion del Bosco. The “standard” rooms are anything but standard. They are suites, impeccably designed with beautiful fabrics, stunning antiques, and a commitment maintaining the regional architecture. They are equipped with every modern luxury and the latest technology and still manage to feel like the best respite from a frantic world. It’s difficult to put into words, but everything about the suites at Castiglion del Bosco inspires relaxation for me.
Junior Suite – Poggio alla Pigna
Each of the suites has its own name, which is identified on your key. Our first suite experience was Poggio alla Pigna (slope of the pine cone?), and it was incredibly romantic and cozy. Our trip was in January, the weather was overcast and moody, and when they did daily turndown service, they lit candles and left us a bottle of wine. Unreal and straight up magical. Our junior suite had a small table in the corner, and we had a small terrace with lounge chairs and a small table.
The bed was SO comfortable. (It’s tough to choose my favorite hotel bed – this bed, the Four Seasons bed, or the St Regis bed, and this one is DEFINITELY a contender!) What really stood out about it, however, was the weighted duvet cover. I can’t remember the last time I slept this good, but the bedding was a large part of it.
The bathroom had a walk in shower and a separate soaking tub. I love the unique Harlequin tile, even though I would never do that at home. It fit a luxurious Tuscan aesthetic. The bath amenities were my favorite Ferragamo Bianco di Carrara, which I fell in love with when staying at the Lungarno hotels in Florence. (The Ferragamo family invested in and developed a number of fabulous hotels in Italy. If it’s a Ferragamo, I’m probably going to love it.) The bathroom included every amenity you could possibly need. Loofahs, toothbrushes, lip balm, shaving kit… Everything was in its place.
By any standards, a junior suite at the Castiglion del Bosco is incredible. As a “base room”, it was truly beyond my imagination. If you can’t be happy in this room, you won’t be happy anywhere.
Terrace Suite – Sassi Bianchi
Imagine our surprise when we were escorted to Sassi Bianchi on our second stay. Sassi Bianchi is a corner terrace suite, and it was bigger than our first apartment. This suite is UNREAL. It has a living room, a huge bedroom, a walk in closet, and a huge terrace. If Poggio alle Pigna was moody, romantic, and perfect for winter, Sassi Bianchi was bright, airy, and perfect for spring.
The living room was so comfortable. The sitting area was the perfect place to curl up with glass of wine, and just like the junior suite, there was a small table in the corner. The windows opened up to a gorgeous view and there were French doors leading out to the terrace. There was a half bathroom in the living room, which wasn’t necessary for the two of us, but it was a nice luxury.
The bedroom was HUGE. I loved the bright colors of the pillows and the four-poster bed. There were two chaise lounges in the bedroom that I loved. Every detail was perfect, and the room had such a fun vibe. The walk-in closet was absolutely amazing, and I loved the full-length mirror. It was the perfect dressing area.
Like the junior suite, the suite bathroom had a large walk-in shower and a separate soaker tub. I loved how bright it was and how much light was in the bathroom. It had the standard Ferragamo amenities, but it also had bath salts, and I LOVED those. The ultimate relaxation experience.
Hands down, the best part of this suite was the huge covered terrace with lounge chairs overlooking the Tuscan countryside. I spent every afternoon out here – under the Tuscan sun – working, reading, and resting. We would open a bottle of wine and just be present in that place and moment. (The Rosewood hashtag on instagram is a sense of place, and this is exactly that.)
Savor the Flavors of Tuscany
One of the things I love most about the Rosewood is the commitment to local products and ingredients. The menus at the Ristorante Campo del Drago and Osteria Canonica change with the seasons and focus on Tuscan specialties.
On our first stay, our arrival gift included a box of fresh fruit, a home-made sweet treat and a bottle of the estate’s Rosso di Montalcino. This red wine is less tannic than the Brunello di Montalcino and can be a great souvenir from Tuscany because of its fair price point.
Brunello di Montalcino Wine Tasting at Cantina Castiglion del Bosco
We’re a little spoiled. Our first Brunello wine tasting in Italy was at the Castiglion del Bosco cantina. We’ve booked a different wine tasting every time we’ve visited because the experience has been so lovely and the vintages change. We were truly fortunate to be able to try the 2015 and 2016 Brunello vintages, which are considered to be some of the best in recent memory. (We bought quite a few bottles of the 2015 and 2016 CdB Brunello for our personal wine collection. It’s impossible to find those vintages in the United States.)
The wine tasting includes a visit to the production facility, the most gorgeous wine club in the world, and if you’re lucky, a trip to the vineyards. On our last trip, we were able to visit the vineyard that is used for the Campo del Drago Brunello, which was gorgeous. It seems fitting that we recently purchased a few bottles of the 2016 Drago that we happened to find at home. We are not sophisticated wine drinkers, but I have a discerning palate for red wine, and I really love the Castiglion wines. I do wonder if I have a greater affinity for the wines of the places we’ve visited merely because of the positive connections of those moments in my mind, but when we’ve shared these wines with others, they’ve really enjoyed them as well.
We returned to the winery as part of our 10th anniversary trip to Tuscany, and we celebrated with a Brunello vertical tasting and joining their 1100 wine club. We’re looking forward to returning in a few months.
Another Montalcino winery I recommend visiting is Col d’Orcia. It’s about 30 minutes away from the Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco hotel.
Fresh Pasta Cooking Class in Tuscany
The cooking school is located within Osteria La Canonica, which is incredible. You get to cook in the luxurious open kitchen on the second floor of the osteria! The classes are taught by the restaurant’s chef and include a visit to the kitchen garden. We literally picked fresh vegetables and herbs for our pasta dishes at the start of the day.
Our pasta class was a private experience, and we learned to make tagliatelle and chitarra pastas, as well as a filled tortelli. We made a sweet and savory meat sauce for the tagliatelle and a butter sage sauce for the tortelli. For dessert, we made a tiramisu. Once we were done cooking, we were served our own creations in subsequent courses (with Castiglion del Bosco wine!) at a table at La Canonica. It was a truly leisurely and luxurious experience. My favorite course was the tortelli. The portions are large and you won’t need after this class.
I’m really excited to take the Flavors of Tuscany cooking class or go truffle hunting on our next trip.
Osteria La Canonica
We were originally dubious about dining on-property at the Rosewood, not because we were worried about the quality, but because we were worried about missing out on some great local restaurants near Montalcino. (Caffe Sant’Angelo is still one of my favorite random restaurants we popped into on a cold winter afternoon in 2019!) However, one of the things we love about staying at the Rosewood is that you don’t HAVE to leave the resort (and we don’t!).
La Canonica is the more casual resort restaurant, and it is open for lunch and dinner. It focuses on local ingredients and the menu changes with the season. It’s classic Tuscan fare, and if it is your first time in Tuscany, I recommend trying the pappa al pomodoro and the wild boar tagliatelle as primi courses. They also have great pizza if you’re wanting a light and easy dinner.
The waitstaff is incredibly kind, and they are happy to make recommendations for wine that will complement with your meal.
Campo del Drago is only open for dinner on Tuesday-Saturday. It’s Michelin starred with a couple of tasting menus, as well as a la carte dining. The menu is creative and modern with a focus on seasonal and local products.
Focus on Health and Wellness
Fitness, Swimming and Golf
In addition to the fitness center, the Rosewood offers yoga and pilates classes, bike rentals and tours, and hiking activities to keep you active and enjoying the beauty of Tuscany. We really love hiking through the property and winding our way through the vineyards. There is even a medieval church on-site that has been beautifully restored. Castiglion del Bosco translates to small castle in the forest, and it’s easy to explore both the forest and the vineyards on foot.
In the middle of the property, there is an infinity pool that overlooks the Val d’Orcia. The swimming pool is heated, so you don’t have to wait until summer to enjoy it. (In the warmer months, there is a pool bar available.) In the winter, there is a small Christmas market in the village and they open an ice rink near the pool. How cool is that?!
We aren’t golfers (especially not on vacation), but the private golf club at Castiglion del Bosco has to be one of the most beautiful golf courses in the world. (Okay, maybe the Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay course is equally as beautiful.)
The Spa at the Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco
The spa at the Rosewood is very intimate and provides a serene experience for its guests. Its extensive spa treatment menu focuses on the natural products of Tuscany and their healing properties. (Think lavender, olive oil, and wine.) Further, the spa includes a nice sauna and steam room, which are available by reservation, which ensures a private and relaxing experience. in the spring and summer, you can enjoy the serenity of the spa pool and garden. Tom and I both really enjoyed the spa, and I’m excited to go back and dive into their treatment menu.
I am interested in Castiglion del Bosco. Who was your deluxe travel agent?
Hi Rick! I have recently become certified and can book it for you! Please email me at sara.urquidez [at] fora.travel for a quote!