"This is a magical place set on the top of a hill overlooking the Tuscan countryside. It 's only 8 rooms but there 's no 'bed breakfast ' feel to this luxurious property! Where to start?! The property is well situated for visits to Montepulciano, Sienna, Cortona, and more. It boasts its own vineyards and olive groves plus trails which you can walk through comfortably whenever the mood strikes. The hotel was built in the 700 's! There 's no '1 ' missing from that date... it 's a very old building.... having said that, the interior is modern! It 's a perfect blend of ancient and spanky new. So the the windows and brick in the rooms maintain an ancient feel, yet the flooring, finishings, furniture and art is all contemporary. Imagine sitting up in bed at day break, looking ahead through the curve top, shuttered window to miles of Tuscan countryside. The rooms are spacious and very comfortable. And the bathrooms are stunning with modern, stylized fixtures. You know you 're in an ancient building but you enjoy the comforts of modern living. From the moment you drive down the very long drive banked by olive trees on one side and vineyards on the other, you know you 're in for something extraordinary. On entry, the lobby and view down the wide reception area to the beautiful dining room and further to the patio is gorgeous. The curved, 3-storey, glass stairwell just inside the entry makes it clear this is a special property. The two managers, Christina and Paulo are extraordinary in their commitment to making your stay and your explorations seamless. The owners, Gianna and Rosie, live in a separate building and when they 're on property, though they let their staff do their jobs, they make guests welcome. The breakfast was simple but brilliantly done and the dinners wonderful. The dining room is recommended as a destination dining experience; its small, stunning and the chef is stellar. When you book your stay, you can choose room only or what 's called 'half board ' which includes breakfast and a separate half-board menu. Unless you 're okay traveling for breakfast in the area, not something to be recommended given the distance you 'd have to go, and the 'unknown, the breakfasts at Poggio Piglia are solid. While you might be tempted to dine out every night, know that the roads are treacherous at night and not lit so if you 'd like to have more than one glass of wine, you might want to keep outside dining experiences very limited. Especially given the quality of food, the ambience, the comfort, and the great service at Poggio Piglia. However, the half-board dinner menu is limited and as you essentially have a $30 Euro value for dinner with half-board, you can order off the regular menu and if you 're over, you 'll be billed for that. In 6 nights, we were only over by a couple of bottles of wine, so it 's worth the half-board arrangement with access to full menu. Back to the property.... you enter the 700 year old building to a cool, contemporary reception area and open, glass stairwell then walk through the small lobby area into the gorgeous, small dining room, then onto the outdoor dining area, across a pea gravel drive, to a beautiful patio with tables and umbrellas where you sit, sip your wine, and look over miles and miles of Tuscan countryside. Though it was too cool during our stay to use the infinity pool, add that feature to Poggio Piglia and book early because this experience is gold!"
