Stunning apartment

Stayed in April 2024

Difficult to say, I enjoyed a lot the place!

Breakfast was simple but adequate. Location was beautiful, a deep dive in Tuscan history and culture, all blended with excellent wine! Owners have been providing a warm and friendly welcome

Stayed in December 2023

Charming old school comfort.

Stayed in November 2023

We would have appreeciated a nice hot breakfast with local produce. We would have like to have some proper cosmetics in the room not just the forgotten ones from the before guests. Also when we arrived we did not exactly know how to do the check in or where.. and they did not had the key to our room (they searched for it for a few hours and then they found it) and the room was not ready when we arrived (at the check in hour). You only find out about the histroy of the castle if you do the wine tasting. Maybe a little brochure would be nice in each room.. No clear directions for the pool, we had to ask someone where it is. It is not a luxury experince but an authentic one.

It was a great experience to be able to stay in the castle and the vineyard and the pool were amazing.

Stayed in August 2023

Amazing location with a breathtaking view of the surrounding hills with the borghi on their top , especially now in the cold season where snow covered the vineyards and the Mount Amiata slopes. A great pleasure and inspiration to meet the owner Charlotte who gave new life to the castle her family acquired with elegance and respect of its original beauty. Hopefully will make it back with the whole family again in spring!

Stayed in January 2023

A wonderful experience ! Many thanks to Charlotte and the team !

Stayed in November 2022

everything!

out of this world beautiful!

Stayed in October 2022

Omg this place is a hidden gem. Rustic and huge interiors. Have got everything you need. Short Driving distance to local towns. The host and family running the place is amazing. Local produce, they make own wines, forging mushrooms. Every night there was high end entertainment in the castle, what seemed like a private parties, we have been invited to join on each occasion regardless.

Stayed in August 2022

very unique atmosphere

friends $ instagram

Stayed in September 2022

The previous reviews cover the simpler parts of the stay. This isn’t a fancy/ normal hotel and that was fine by us! But just make sure that you are aware that: - Meals at the Castillo are served together on a long table with other guests, Charlotte and the volunteers working at the farm. Great for meeting new people and chatting. - Breakfast is a serve-yourself, basic affair with a loaf of bread, Potentino honey and fruit, and some coffee machines. Again, great for us but might not be some people’s cup of tea. - The rooms are incredible, but there is no air con, room service, concierge etc. We found, even in the height of summer, that the rooms are high enough to get a nice breeze going through the room to mitigate this. But a more modern/ effective fan would be good.

It’s hard to know how to describe it! Charlotte, the owner, decided the valley to us as “Magic”, and the whole place certainly is that. The experience of the wine tasting with Charlotte was incredible, informative and inspiring (history, geology, archeology and also conversation about sustainable approaches to farming and historical wine making methods)… and the wines were delicious, as was the food we enjoyed at the Castello afterwards. The scenery and insides of the Castello are both beautiful and we did some wonderful walking in luscious countryside. The pool is lovely. We love what Charlotte and her team are doing in the valley, and loved our stay. We’ll be back (for longer, and next time with a car to explore the local area more!)

Stayed in August 2022

Breakfast was very simple, same bread for all three days, so it was very at the end. Nothing fancy there. Anything else was really nice.

This place is fantastic. Beautiful, historic and a great place to relax. Loved the rooms, nature and pool.

Stayed in July 2022

We enjoyed the casualness that is Castello di Potentino. You won't be served breakfast and we actually enjoyed having a breakfast room that was stocked, but not laid out. You come and go, eat what you like from what's in the refrigerator, make your own espresso or cappuccino, and clean up after yourself. A different experience.

This is a beautifully and meticulously restored castle in a stunning part of Tuscany - high up and secluded just outside the town of Seggiano. The castle has benefitted from the devotion, taste, and, style of its owner, renovator and onsite proprietor Charlotte Horton. She is truly the Queen of her castle, and has created an environment that is bohemian, charming, imaginative, and uniquely rewarding. She is a steward of her lands and her environment and produces lovely wines and food products. Her wine-tasting presentation was both informative and engaging. She is responsive to all questions and in her no nonsense approach to running her fiefdom is remarkably present, direct, and done with great intelligence. If you're looking for a unique experience in Tuscany this could be it. You are largely left to your own devices. There is a beautiful swimming pool and much to experience. At any given time there are 10 or so young people who have come from all over the globe to spend a few weeks volunteering to do whatever Charlotte asks. We were fortunate to enjoy a dinner and wine tasting with this group (w/ Otis and friends) and found the conversations most delightful. This was a wonderful adventure for us, and a different type of "luxury" experience. Perfect in a down-to-earth way.

Stayed in July 2022

Not necessarily an issue, but the Wi-Fi connection is not very stable or strong. Just something to keep in mind - Would try and not rely on it too much if visiting.

Staying at Potentino was an incredible experience that exceeded our expectations. It was a wonderful escape from the city and felt like we had discovered a secret and magical place. The castle is spectacular and every inch is filled with elements that seemingly have a story (which Charlotte, the owner, confirms they do). We loved that the castle has plenty of common areas and amenities that made our stay feel incredibly comfortable and relaxing. The small staff was all incredibly friendly and Charlotte, the owner, was very accommodating and kind. She helped arrange a small wine tasting of Potentino wines that was fascinating in itself, and made even more special just by great conversation. In our short stay at the castle, we felt transported to another time and left feeling refreshed and already looking forward to our next visit.

Stayed in February 2022

Great place, the owner and all the staff are really passionate about hospitality, we felt very welcomed and the environment was beautiful and truly relaxing.

Stayed in August 2021

Beautiful location with the authentic spirit indeed. We enjoyed our stay very much. Looking forward to come back!

Stayed in August 2021

Breakfast could be better. On the second morning, the coffee I brewed the day before was still in the coffee maker. No refill of fruits.

The atmosphere is great, very calm, beautiful valley, wonderful setting. Real character, really authentic. Superb swimming pool. Charlotte is passionate about her property and region. Great wines.

Stayed in August 2021

The only thing missing in the castle is a restaurant.

Everything. It was just amazing. Can't wait to come back.

Stayed in August 2021

Beautiful place to stay. Friendly owners and staf. Also good place to make a trip around Val d'Orcia. Nice pool to cool down after the trip.

Stayed in August 2021

The communication with guests is lacking. You are very much an afterthought. When we arrived there was a wedding on and as such the place was noisy with nowhere to retire to. Staying at the castle are charlottes friends and students on a semester abroad. Most of the time you fend for yourself. more importantly running winter is limited - which would be fine if we were told this, and that the water they do have might not be drinkable. We’d already drunk and bathed in it (and it’s gross) before we found out that nobody knew if it was safe. I mean we were fine, but nobody communicated this, nor were guests provided drinking water (also it’s early days!). mostly it’s quite a lot of money for what is more a youth hostel vibe, with limited water.

The castle, its setting and charm are all very beautiful. You feel very much immersed in this area of Tuscany…and as if you are staying in the home of an aunt in the 1950s. The story behind its restoration, and the quirks appealed to me, but I think others would struggle - fundamentally this is not a hotel, it’s more of a exchange program to live in Charlotte’s house! Which I think was charming and interesting. We are as a big group with the students and her friends on site which was lovely. Her wine is very good also. It is a very unique place.

Stayed in June 2022

The lack of enough heat, decorating, &, more importantly, the beds. 2 of the three beds were literally made of straw. My adult daughters tried to sleep on them & ultimately spent a restless night on the old couches in the sitting area. One might feel compelled to justify the use of straw beds & lack of sufficient heat as an attempt to make the stay an “authentic castle experience” but this seems hardly likely when other elements, such as the mismatched poorly mended 30-year-old couches, did not stick to this theme & the rooms contained newer but barely warm radiators. I might also add that my daughters are not delicate pansies, both have spent time sleeping outdoors yet they found it impossible to sleep there. The owner has published a large book filled with many color photos which she proudly leaves out for guests of a luxurious castle she previously renovated entitled: “Castello di Potentino: A Tuscan Adventure. The Restoration of a Castle”. This only serves to accentuate the huge disparity between what the guest expected and what they received. For those who are already familiar with this book, do not expect that experience here. If the owner is attempting to recreate what she accomplished at Castello di Potentino, I recommend that she not rent out unfinished, randomly & cheaply furnished areas & turn on the heat.

The castle was lovely & we were given a very large space that included a sitting area, kitchenette, & dining area. The owner has put a great deal of effort & money into the structure.

Stayed in January 2023

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Stayed in August 2023

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Stayed in March 2023

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Stayed in March 2023

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Stayed in June 2022