Our opinion
The Hotel la Collegiata is an elegant Tuscan retreat offering Renaissance-style comfort, a serene atmosphere and superb views of San Gimignano.
Hotel description
Just a five-minute drive from the centre of San Gimignano, the Hotel la Collegiata is set on a hill, surrounded by a verdant park of cypress trees, which grow in abundance in central Tuscany. The impressive hotel building, made of the local stone 'pietra serena', dates from 1587 and was originally a Franciscan monastery. An atmosphere of serene tranquillity still pervades the beautifully tended grounds and the spacious rooms of the hotel. Although La Collegiata is ideally located for exploring the highlights of Tuscany you may not want to leave the outdoor swimming pool, which is surrounded by lawns and flowering borders, and has its own bar to one side. The former chapel of the monastery has been converted to accommodate the Hotel la Collegiata restaurant, which serves excellent regional cuisine, some of the ingredients of which are grown in the gardens surrounding the hotel. Many other original features have been carefully maintained, such as the vaulted and beamed ceilings featured in many of the rooms, the arched ceilings and picture windows and the internal courtyard, in the centre of which is an ancient well. Under this courtyard is a wine cellar where local products can be tasted and bought. The Renaissance-style decoration in the communal rooms at the Hotel la Collegiata is reflected in the air-conditioned bedrooms here, which are spacious and stylish. All this, added to superb views across to San Gimignano from the hotel grounds, is conducive to a very pleasurable stay at La Collegiata.
Location
Near San Gimignano, Tuscany
Annual opening
From 25 March to 31 October.
Distance from airport
About 45 minutes from Florence
Closest airport
Florence, Pisa, Bologna
Room types
Number of rooms 21
Room Type A: Double or twin room. Jacuzzi bath and wc, Air-conditioning, Satellite tv, Telephone, Minibar, Safe.
Room Type B: Superior double or twin room. Jacuzzi bath and wc, Air-conditioning, Satellite tv, Telephone, Minibar, Safe.
Room Type C: Deluxe double room. Jacuzzi bath and wc, Air-conditioning, Satellite tv, Telephone, Minibar, Safe.
Room Type D: Tower suite. Jacuzzi bath and wc, Air-conditioning, Satellite tv, Telephone, Minibar, Safe.
Hotel facilities and services
At hotelOutdoor swimming pool (usually operational from May to September), Restaurant, Terrace and Grounds, Lift, Free private parking, Wine cellar. BedroomsJacuzzi bath and wc, air-conditioning, satellite tv, telephone, minibar and safe.
Out and aboutnearby/local interest
San Gimignano - market on Thursdays, Chianti wine route, Greve in Chianti, Siena, Florence, Arezzo, Volterra, The Arno Valley and Castiglioncello on the coast.
Sports nearby
Tennis, horse-riding, Walking, 18-hole Golf Course.
Other information
Located half a mile north-west of San Gimignano and about 45 minutes` drive south of Florence.