Head-to-head-to-head · Tuscany
Three restored medieval borghi, three completely different trips — and all three are fantastic. Here’s which one is yours.
Stayed at San Felice & Pignano · toured Il Borro · all three Fora Reserve
The most well-rounded of the three, close to Siena. Fantastic service, fantastic food, and a real feeling of home.
Why ↓
The country stay, with the best pool of the three. Great for couples, with private villas for families and groups.
Why ↓
The most authentic of the three: the Ferragamo family’s medieval village, where the whole borgo is the hotel.
Why ↓The most well-rounded. It just feels like home.
A perfectly restored medieval hamlet in the Chianti hills just outside Siena, run as one hotel. Of every borgo I’ve stayed at and visited, it’s the one that gets everything right — the service, the food, the restoration — and it’s one of my favorite stays so far.
Stayed · Fora Reserve
The country stay, with the best pool of the three.
A villa and stone hamlet on a hilltop outside Volterra — close to a farm stay, and a bit remote in the best way. The pool is cut into the hillside facing the valley, dinner is served under a pergola at sunset, and around nine private villas make it the pick for families and groups.
Stayed · Relais & Châteaux · Fora Reserve
The most authentic, and the honeymoon pick.
An entire medieval village restored by the Ferragamo family and run as one estate — it reminded me of Aman Sveti Stefan in its layout, because you sleep inside the borgo rather than looking at it. Honeymooners belong in the original village; more modern rooms are a two-minute drive away.
Toured · Relais & Châteaux · Fora Reserve
| Borgo San Felice | Borgo Pignano | Il Borro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where | Near Siena | Outside Volterra | Valdarno |
| The feel | Warm — it feels like home | Country — a bit remote | The most authentic |
| Best for | Almost anyone | Couples, families & groups | Honeymooners |
| The pool | — | Best of the three | Stunning |
| On property | Tennis, gym, spa | Tennis, gym, spa, kids’ pool, villas | The whole village |
| My visit | Stayed | Stayed | Toured |
| Booking | Fora Reserve | Relais & Châteaux, Fora Reserve | Relais & Châteaux, Fora Reserve |
On a honeymoon, book Il Borro and sleep in the original borgo. It’s the most authentic stay in Tuscany, and the way the whole village is the hotel reminded me of Aman Sveti Stefan.
Bringing family or friends, or craving real countryside? Borgo Pignano — private villas, a remote farm-stay feel, and the best pool of the three.
Everyone else, and anyone who simply wants it all done well: Borgo San Felice. It’s the most well-rounded, it’s close to Siena, and it’s one of my favorite stays so far.
All three are Fora Reserve, so working with me gets you Fora perks, a space-available upgrade, daily breakfast and a hotel credit, plus someone who knows all three personally and personalizes your stay. You pay the same rate as booking direct.
Send me your dates and who’s traveling. I’ll tell you which borgo, and the room I’d book.